eWaste
Electronic waste, consisting of discarded computers, televisions, cell phones, fax machines, stereos and other electronic equipment, is a massive problem in California. Monitors and televisions cannot be put into landfills because of their lead content. Other electronic equipment also contains heavy metals including mercury, arsenic, cadmium, among others. Computers under five years old and other working electronics can generally be reused, while older computers and broken electronics are generally recycled. Please donate or recycle your old electronics.
How to Donate or Recycle Electronic Equipment
Drop Off Locations
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Goodwill Drop off computers, laptops, televisions, networking equipment, cell phones, and most other electronics, working or not, at any Goodwill Donation Center free of charge. Goodwill will sort the electronics for reuse and recycling. Usable electronics will be data cleansed, refurbished and loaded with a legal operating system for resale in Goodwill stores. Older electronics will be de-manufactured and recycled. Visit www.sfgoodwill.org for Donation Center locations.
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St. Vincent de Paul Accepts almost all electronics, working or not, at their stores in San Mateo County. There is no charge. Does not accept small electronics such as cooking items and lamps.
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Other Thrift Shops and Charitable Organizations Generally, these organizations will accept computers that are less than 5 years old and in good condition. Many will also take other electronics in good working condition. For donation options, download the Re-Use Guide (PDF) and look under the "computer equipment" column. Be sure to call before taking items in because electronics acceptance policies often change.
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Transfer Stations Six transfer stations in San Mateo County accept electronics for recycling. None of the electronics brought to transfer stations are refurbished for reuse –all are de-manufactured and recycled. Fees may be charged for monitors and televisions. The fee depends upon size and ranges from $10 to approximately $40, but can be higher in the case of the largest televisions. There is generally no cost for recycling other electronic equipment such as fax machines, printers, wiring, VCRs, etc. Download this list of transfer stations (PDF) for hours and location.
- Other Electronics Recycling Options For a comprehensive list of electronics recycling and reuse options, use the Recycling Center Search Database and search under the "electronics" category.
Pickup Options
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Allied Waste of San Mateo County provides limited free pickup for customers as part of its bulky pickup program. Allied Waste customers should call 650-592-2411 or visit their website and send an email to schedule a pickup.
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South San Francisco Scavenger Company, 650-589-4020, picks up electronics within its service area (Brisbane, Millbrae, and South San Francisco) for a charge.
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None of the other Waste Haulers in San Mateo County pick up electronics.
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Goodwill picks up for free from businesses with over 20 computers, and charges $50 to pick up less than 20 computers. Data destruction guaranteed. Call 415-575-2150 to schedule a pickup.
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St. Vincent de Paul picks up equipment within the County whether working or not, with no charge; accepts most electronics. Call (650) 871-6844.
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County of San Mateo Human Services Agency accepts complete computers six years old or less with working components only. Equipment will be donated to needy families. Items can also be dropped off in Daly City and Belmont. Contact is Al Teglia, (650) 301-8444.
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The Computer Recycling Center will pick up from businesses with over 10 items (laptop/computer/monitor/printer). There may be a small fee for pickup based on the type of equipment, quantity, and location. Visit www.crc.org to fill out a request form.
- For other Pickup Options, use the Recycling Center Search Database Advanced Search search under the electronics category and click "pick-up" under "services."
The Electronics Recycling Process
What happens to your electronics after you drop it off for recycling? Go on a virtual field trip to an electronics recycling facility and find out.
Hazards of Electronic Waste
Computer monitors and TVs contain Cathode Ray Tubes, or CRTs. There are about four pounds of lead and other harmful materials in computer monitors and TVs, requiring these two items to be regulated as hazardous waste. The legislative process in Sacramento established Universal Waste Regulations in February 2002 requiring that the hazardous materials in CRTs be carefully extracted for the benefit of the public's health and safety.
Computer Recycling Legislation
SB 20, signed in September of 2003, establishes a system to recycle computers, TVs, and other video display devices when they reach their end-of-life. Fees will be collected from consumers at point of purchase to fund recycling programs. More information on SB20 can be found at www.erecycle.org or by downloading the SB20 Q&A PDF.
Purchasing Previously Owned Computer Equipment
Search our database for "Electronics - Computer Equipment" to determine local locations.
eWaste Facts & Figures
- Electronic waste already constitutes from 2% to 5% of the US municipal solid waste stream and is growing rapidly.
- Californians buy more than 2.2 million new computer systems each year. Currently, about 50% of US households own a computer.
- Analysts estimate that more than 6,000 computers become obsolete in California every day.
- US government researchers estimate that three-quarters of all computers ever sold in the United States remain stockpiled, awaiting disposal.
- It takes about six hundred pounds of fossil fuels and chemicals to create the chips for one personal computer. Seventy pounds of water are used to rinse out impurities in a single chip.
- Currently, over 50 tons of electronics are recycled in San Mateo County each month.
Additional resources
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Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition |
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Californians Against Waste |
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The National Recycling Coalition |
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The California Integrated Waste Management Board |
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SB20 eWaste Consumer Information (CIWMB) |
