GREENspot DROPoff was started in 2009 by founder Barry Keyes to provide Californians with a free, convenient and responsible way to dispose of e-waste. GREENspot took the hassle out of recycling by creating a large network of drop off locations that was within 5 miles of most Californians.

Our Mission

Our mission at GREENspot is to:

• Divert electronic waste from landfills
• Provide a free recycling location within 5 miles of every American
• Give back to the communities through our GREEN2 program
• Educate the general public on the dangers of e-waste

Environmental Pledge

Our committment to the environment comes first and foremost. That's why we only use E-Stewards and R2 certified recyclers who do not ship material overseas and maintain a zero landfill policy

Overview

Mike Wachtel, CEO of GREENspot teaches elementary school students about the importance of recycling e-waste

Did you know most recyclers charge you a fee to come and collect your e-waste. Why not? You don't want to go all the way down to the recycler to get rid of that old computer. Hey we cant blame you. That's why we developed GREENspot DROPoff.

At GREENspot DROPoff we've partnered with businesses, and the recyclers to make e-waste disposal easy and free for you! Just go to your local GREENspot DROPoff location, sign out your e-waste by filling out the DROPoff Log (it's the law) and DROPoff those old electrical items. It's that easy! But more than easy, it's free for you!

GREEN2 Fundraising

Our goal at GREENspot DROPoff is to go beyond free and convenient recycling—to help our communities while helping the environment. So more than just a convenient DROPoff network, we've partnered with local schools and charities to help raise money. We call it our GREEN2 program—charities get GREEN while going GREEN. 

Every GREENspot location has bins (called gaylords) that are used for the collection of e-waste. When these fill up, we pick up the material and bring it to a certified recycler. We work with multiple recyclers that service particular geographic regions which helps us reduce our environmental footprint.

Sorting

Once the material arrives at the facility, it is sorted by item type. Devices containing cathode ray tubes are processed in one line and most other electronic devices are processed in another. Some recyclers dismantle the electronic devices and further sort into circuit boards, ferrous metals, plastics, etc. CRT devices are dismantled and sent downstream to a facility that specializes in removing lead from the CRT glass panel.

Data Destruction

Hard drives are always removed and destroyed. While every recycler has a different method of doing this, two of the most common methods are:

• Crushing the hard drives in a ten ton process
• Shredding the hard drives

Shredding

After sorting and dismantling the electronic waste, the material is usually shredded in to pieces about the size of a quarter. This material is further seperated by machine process and if necessary, sent downstream for further processing.

Reuse

Once the material is processed, it is sent to manufacturers and other buyers for reuse in new products. The exception is CRT glass. Even though the lead is removed from the glass, it will still contain trace amounts of lead and cannot be used in most consumer products. Typically, this material is sold to manufacturers who will reuse the glass when manufacturing new CRT devices.