Blue Star Recyclers
Blue Star Recyclers is a 501c3 social enterprise in Colorado that recycles, refurbishes, and securely destroys electronics for businesses, government, nonprofits, and residential customers, employing a workforce that is 80% people with autism and other disabilities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersDenver, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Blue Star Recyclers does
Blue Star Recyclers is a 501c3 nonprofit social enterprise founded in 2009 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado. The organization recycles and refurbishes consumer and commercial electronics — including computers, laptops, TVs, monitors, printers, phones, small appliances, and gaming devices — for business, government, nonprofit, and residential customers, with services spanning drop-off, on-site pickup, secure data destruction (shredding and wiping with certificates of destruction), and event hosting. Approximately 80% of the workforce consists of people with autism and other disabilities, a model the organization credits with achieving the lowest turnover, absenteeism, and lost-time accident rates in the electronics recycling industry alongside over 98% work-task engagement.
The company operates four Colorado locations (with the Colorado Springs residential facility permanently closed on August 31, 2023, while business services in that market continue) and holds e-Stewards, NAID AAA, and ISO 14001:2004 certifications that position it for enterprise and government work. Two ancillary programs extend the model: a Refurbishment and Resale program that sells refurbished computers to community members with limited technology access, and the Counties of Inclusion Employer Training Program, which indirectly created more than 200 jobs in 2024 by training other employers on inclusive hiring.
Revenue is generated primarily through per-unit and per-service recycling fees, supplemented by hardware resale and philanthropic donations (including a 2024 Colorado Gives campaign targeting $115,000, of which $68,690 was raised). The organization states it is over 90% self-sustainable through recycling fees alone and accepts no government funding. Distribution is regional and direct, with a sales-led motion targeting B2B/B2G/B2N clients (handled via [email protected] and a dedicated Business Development Manager), a separate consumer drop-off/pickup motion, and partnerships with organizations such as Goodwill for internship pipelines.
Blue Star Recyclers firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Blue Star Recyclers
- Legal name
- Blue Star Recyclers
- Website
- https://bluestarrecyclers.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Blue Star Recyclers is a 501c3 social enterprise in Colorado that recycles, refurbishes, and securely destroys electronics for businesses, government, nonprofits, and residential customers, employing a workforce that is 80% people with autism and other disabilities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Blue Star Recyclers industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Electronics Recycling Services
- NAICS
- Materials Recovery Facilities (562920), Materials Recovery Facilities (56292), Waste Collection (56211)
- SIC
- Refuse Systems (4953)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Consumer Electronics Recycling (TVs, AV, Small Electronics) (BPALAIAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Electronics Recycling & Material Recovery (Dismantling/Separation) (BPALAIAE), E-Waste (WEEE) Collection, Refurbishment & Recycling (IMAIAFAH), Consumer E-waste Collection & Take-Back Programs (EUAIAIAA), Electronics Dismantling & Pre-processing (Depollution, Sorting, Shredding) (EUAIAIAC)
Keywords
Where Blue Star Recyclers is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Denver
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Blue Star Recyclers business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Electronics Recycling Fees: Fees charged to residential and business customers for electronics recycling services. Fees cover operational costs, data security, environmental compliance, and worker wages. Some fees apply for residential drop-offs; business services include pickup and documentation.
- Refurbishment and Resale: Refurbishing electronics (particularly computers) and reselling to community members with limited technology access. This creates stable revenue streams as e-recycling industry evolves.
- Data Destruction Services: Secure data device shredding or wiping with certificates of destruction provided. This service adds value to electronics recycling for businesses and government clients concerned about data security.
- Donations: 501c3 nonprofit accepts donations through Colorado Gives and direct contact. 2024 Colorado Gives campaign raised $68,690 toward $115,000 goal for expansion initiatives.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Residential electronics recycling with fees |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Business recycling services with custom quotes |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Blue Star Recyclers product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Blue Star Recyclers provides electronics recycling, secure data destruction, and pickup services for residential, business, government, and nonprofit customers. As a 501c3 social enterprise, it employs adults with autism and other disabilities to perform the recycling, refurbishment, and data destruction work. Revenue from recycling fees, refurbished electronics sales, and donations sustains over 90% self-sustainability and funds real wages for its disabled workforce.
Product overview
Blue Star Recyclers is a 501c3 social enterprise nonprofit operating as a single unified service offering: electronic waste recycling with a dual focus on environmental sustainability and job creation for people with disabilities. The core portfolio consists of residential and business electronics recycling services, supported by data security destruction, pickup logistics, and event hosting capabilities. Two ancillary programs—Refurbishment and Resale and the Counties of Inclusion Employer Training—extend the model into secondary revenue generation and workforce development consulting. The company was founded in 2009 and maintains operations in Denver, Colorado.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Residential Electronics Recycling Drop-off and scheduled pickup electronics recycling service for individual consumers, accepting computers, laptops, TVs, monitors, printers, stereos, phones, microwaves, vacuums, fax machines, hair dryers, and gaming devices at the Denver facility, with some fees applying.
- Business Electronics Recycling Comprehensive electronics recycling solution for businesses, governments, and nonprofits, including secure data device shredding or wiping, pickup services, and documentation/certification of services.
- Secure Data Destruction Services NAID AAA audited shredding or wiping of hard drives and other data devices with certificates of destruction provided to clients for compliance.
- Business Pickup Services On-site pickup services for business, government, and nonprofit clients to collect electronics for recycling, scheduled via sales team.
- Recycling Event Hosting Event coordination services enabling companies, nonprofits, and government groups to host small- to large-scale or drop-box recycling events for employees, clients, or community members.
- Refurbishment and Resale Program Refurbishes electronics and makes them available for purchase to community members with limited technology access, including low-income families and nonprofits.
- Counties of Inclusion Employer Training Program Workforce development initiative that empowers businesses to create more inclusive employment opportunities and stronger communities through training, indirectly creating 200+ jobs in 2024.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 90% self-sustainability achieved through recycling fees
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Blue Star Recyclers
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Blue Star Recyclers technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Blue Star Recyclers partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- e-Stewardscoree-Stewards Certification is a key credential for Blue Star Recyclers, demonstrating they meet the highest environmental standards in the electronics recycling industry. Certification by Orion Registrar validates environmental compliance.
- NAID AAA CertificationcoreNAID AAA Certification validates data security handling processes through third-party audits. This certification is critical for Blue Star's business customers concerned about data destruction compliance.
- ISO 14001:2004 CertificationcoreISO 14001:2004 certification for environmental management systems, demonstrating Blue Star's commitment to managing environmental responsibilities systematically.
- Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation (MEAF)flagshipMEAF published a case study about leveraging Blue Star's employment model to expand to new locations. The case describes how the model will be extended through the e-Stewards Advance+ program with support from MEAF and the May and Stanley Smith Charitable Trust.
- GoodwillcoreGoodwill provides internship pipeline for potential employees. Darius Hudson joined Blue Star after a 3-month internship through Goodwill's workforce development program.
- Colorado Environmental Leadership ProgramcoreGold Leader member of Colorado Environmental Leadership Program, demonstrating commitment to environmental leadership beyond compliance.
- Colorado Association for Recycling (CAFR)minorProud member of CAFR, the statewide organization promoting recycling and sustainable materials management in Colorado.
- Better Business Bureau of Southern ColoradocoreAccredited member with A+ Rating, demonstrating commitment to ethical business practices and customer satisfaction.
- Social Enterprise AllianceminorProud member of Social Enterprise Alliance, the national organization supporting social enterprises.
- Colorado Springs Business AllianceminorProud member of the regional business alliance supporting economic development in Colorado Springs.
- Colorado Technology AssociationminorProud member of the Colorado Technology Association, connecting technology companies and professionals in the state.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Blue Star Recyclers competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Republic Services: National solid waste and recycling company with growing e-waste and specialty recycling offerings. A broad incumbent that competes for the same business and government recycling contracts as Blue Star.
- Waste Management, Inc. Largest U.S. waste services company that has expanded into electronics recycling and ITAD as part of its broader environmental services portfolio. Represents a large incumbent that could encroach on Blue Star's market with scale advantages.
Direct peers
- ERI (Electronic Recyclers International): One of the largest e-waste recyclers in the U.S., operating multiple certified ITAD facilities. Directly comparable to Blue Star as a customer-facing electronics recycler with NAID AAA and e-Stewards-like certifications, though at national scale.
- All Green Electronics Recycling: National e-waste recycler with certified data destruction, pickup services, and event hosting for enterprise clients. Operates as a direct competitor in the same electronics recycling and ITAD category Blue Star serves.
- HOBI International: ITAD and electronics recycling company offering data destruction, asset recovery, and recycling services to enterprise clients. Closely matches Blue Star's business, government, and nonprofit customer mix and core ITAD service stack.
- CompuCycle: Texas-based R2-certified electronics recycling and ITAD provider offering secure data destruction and refurbishment/resale. Overlaps directly with Blue Star's residential and business e-waste recycling plus data destruction services.
- Goodwill Industries International: Operates electronics recycling programs and refurbishment/resale of used electronics as a social enterprise employing people with barriers to employment. Highly comparable to Blue Star's dual mission and community-led model, though at a much larger scale.
- GreenCitizen: Certified e-waste recycling company serving both businesses and consumers with pickup, drop-off, and certified data destruction. Comparable customer segments and service mix to Blue Star.
- Cascade Asset Management: ITAD company providing certified electronics recycling, data sanitization, and asset recovery to enterprise and government clients. Closely aligned with Blue Star's business and government ITAD focus.
- Sadoff E-Recycling & Data Destruction: Midwest-based e-waste recycler and ITAD provider with NAID AAA and R2 certifications, secure data destruction, and pickup services. Direct comparable to Blue Star's certified recycling and data destruction offering.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Blue Star Recyclers social profiles
Digital presenceBlue Star Recyclers compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Blue Star Recyclers financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Blue Star Recyclers leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Blue Star Recyclers funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Blue Star Recyclers M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Blue Star Recyclers
What does Blue Star Recyclers do?
Blue Star Recyclers provides electronics recycling, secure data destruction, and pickup services for residential, business, government, and nonprofit customers. As a 501c3 social enterprise, it employs adults with autism and other disabilities to perform the recycling, refurbishment, and data destruction work. Revenue from recycling fees, refurbished electronics sales, and donations sustains over 90% self-sustainability and funds real wages for its disabled workforce.
Is Blue Star Recyclers a public or private company?
Blue Star Recyclers is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Blue Star Recyclers founded?
Blue Star Recyclers was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Blue Star Recyclers based?
Blue Star Recyclers is headquartered in Denver, United States, in the North America region.
How does Blue Star Recyclers make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Electronics Recycling Fees are the primary driver. The others are refurbishment and Resale, data Destruction Services and donations.
Who are Blue Star Recyclers's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Republic Services and Waste Management, Inc.. Direct peers are ERI (Electronic Recyclers International), All Green Electronics Recycling, HOBI International, CompuCycle, Goodwill Industries International, GreenCitizen, Cascade Asset Management and Sadoff E-Recycling & Data Destruction.
Does Blue Star Recyclers have an API?
No public API is recorded for Blue Star Recyclers.
What industry is Blue Star Recyclers in?
Blue Star Recyclers's product category is Electronics Recycling Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPALAIAH, Consumer Electronics Recycling (TVs, AV, Small Electronics), with a secondary code of BPALAIAE, Electronics Recycling & Material Recovery (Dismantling/Separation). Its NAICS code is 562920 and its SIC code is 4953.