Office worker sparks outrage with photo of upsetting discovery in back room: 'Such a shame'

Few things are more frustrating than knowing that dozens of vintage computers your employer has been hoarding for decades are headed for a landfill. 

Unfortunately, this happens far too often nowadays as companies realize the market value of older computers may not be high enough to justify the time and effort involved in selling them.

When one employee discovered the fate of old Apple and IBM computers at their job, they shared the news with tech enthusiasts, who were understandably outraged. 

What happened?

In the r/vintagecomputing subreddit, the original poster shared a photo of a "room full of old computers" at their job, which were destined for the dump. 

The discarded computers included iMacs (including throwback neon-colored G3s), IBM computers, Power Macintoshes, and even a "perfect condition Macintosh 128k" — the original Macintosh model released by Apple, as the OP mentioned in a comment.

"That's definitely a machine I'd 'work late' and sneak out the back with. The rest are neat vintage things but that's genuinely historic," one Reddit user replied. 

"These can't just be thrown out. The world still needs them," another commenter shared. 

"I recently took some old electronics to a city dump site. It was like a PC graveyard. Hundreds of [monitors], towers and laptops. In 100 years, there won't be any antique stores. Nothing we make lasts that long," someone else added.

"Man I would love one of those colorful iMacs. Such a shame they are throwing them out," another lamented. 

While the OP managed to convince their employer to let them keep the orange iMac G3, they said that almost all the other machines were being thrown away. 

Which of these factors would most effectively motivate you to recycle old clothes and electronics? Giving me money back 💰 Letting me trade for new stuff 👕 Making it as easy as possible ⚡ Keeping my stuff out of landfills 🗑️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Why is e-waste concerning?

Electronic waste contributes to environmental pollution in numerous ways. The World Health Organization reported that around 68 million tons of e-waste were produced worldwide in 2022, with only about 22% being formally recycled. The rest ends up in landfills or informal e-waste recycling sites, where they release harmful chemicals into the air, soil, and waterways. 

Pregnant people and children are especially vulnerable to the toxic fumes and pollutants at these sites, as the lead, mercury, and other heavy metals in e-waste can cause adverse pregnancy outcomes, neurodevelopmental disorders, and respiratory illnesses. 

E-waste also contributes significantly to the warming climate, with one University of California, Irvine, study finding that pollution from e-waste jumped 53% between 2014 and 2020. Also, the demand for new electronics fuels increased resource extraction and manufacturing, further contributing to the release of heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere. 

The economy also takes a big hit from the massive amounts of wasted metals and resources in e-waste. According to the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, billions of dollars' worth of valuable metals and raw materials — including iron, copper, and gold — are squandered each year.

Are companies doing anything about this?

The OP didn't say where they work, so it's unknown what policies the company has about e-waste recycling. 

However, Apple is helping to reduce e-waste with its Apple Trade In program, which allows customers to trade in an eligible device for store credit or to have it recycled. This program, along with several other refurbishment programs it offers, resulted in 15.9 million accessories and devices being sent to new owners for reuse in 2024, per the company website. 

Best Buy offers a similar service for recycling or trading in old electronics, providing a store gift card in exchange. 

What else is being done about e-waste?

More e-waste organizations are emerging to responsibly handle used electronics. The startup Trashie offers device recycling with its Tech Take Back Box, which allows customers to send in unwanted gadgets for great rewards. 

The next time you clean out your junk drawer and find old electronics, why not make money by selling them online or trading them in for store credit? It's a win-win for your wallet and the planet.

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