Formed in 1982, RethinkWaste is a joint powers authority made up of eleven public agencies in San Mateo County, California (Belmont, Burlingame, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Hillsborough, Menlo Park, Redwood City, San Carlos, San Mateo, parts of unincorporated San Mateo County and the West Bay Sanitary District) that focuses on the delivery of innovative waste reduction and recycling programs.

RethinkWaste owns and manages the Shoreway Environmental Center in San Carlos, California, which receives all of the recycling, compost, and garbage collected in its service area.