What looked like a "jackpot" to a TJ Maxx dumpster diver ended up sparking fury over the company's actions.
In the dumpster, many of the discarded items seemed to have been damaged on purpose before they were thrown out in an apparent effort to prevent reuse.
Here's what to know
In a video, GlamourDDive (@GlamourDDive) searched through a bin full of merchandise that still looked usable or could be fixed.
The creator explained, "They cut and destroy things! I hate when that happens. … There's a few things that I can still take. … But they definitely destroyed a lot."
Among the items visible in the footage were electronics, mugs, cleaning products, decor with missing pieces, and a perfume bottle without its sprayer.
Several times, the dumpster diver suggested that at least some of the discarded merchandise could still be saved. While looking at a Halloween decoration with a detached piece head, the creator said, "That can easily be glued back."
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
Much of the reaction centered on why the merchandise was trashed at all.
"Why don't they donate!?" one person asked.
Another person wrote, "The fact that they always would rather destroy it than donate it is disgusting to me."
A third commenter suggested, "I worked at TJ Maxx and we had to cut and break things in front of a camera so they can see we actually did it."
More background
Unsold goods do not always wind up on clearance racks or with donation groups. Sometimes they are simply discarded, and in some cases, that happens only after the items are made unusable.
Discarded products represent a combination of wasted raw materials, manufacturing energy, transportation pollution, and packaging. Once those items find their forever homes in landfills, communities are left to deal with the environmental burdens. This all happens while advertising encourages people to overconsume.
Even if some goods are unsellable, others may still be suitable for donation, recycling, or salvage. It's up to stores to create better policies that make it so there is less waste.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
