Student makes concerning discovery in school dumpster: 'I hope that's not the case'

Have you ever wondered what schools do with their old computer systems once they get an upgrade? That's what one student asked in a Reddit post.

The OP posted a photo of a school dumpster packed with discarded computers and electronics, raising tough questions about how we handle old tech and what's being lost in the process.

The image shows a large metal dumpster filled with desktop towers and other computer equipment. "What do you think my school is doing with all the PCs inside?" the user asked.

Electronic waste, or e-waste, represents a massive economic and environmental problem. According to the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, a record 62 million tonnes of e-waste were produced in 2022, up 82% from 2010. 

Behind those figures are materials such as copper, gold, and lithium that take enormous resources to mine and manufacture, though they are then often tossed before their useful lives are over.

That means every trashed computer counts as wasted labor, wasted energy, and wasted money. Unlike plastic bottles or cardboard, e-waste carries an outsized economic harm because of the valuable parts inside. And when those parts aren't recovered, they can leach dangerous pollution into soil and water.

The good news is many organizations are working to keep this from happening. Companies such as Dell refurbish and recycle old devices, while policies in the European Union and elsewhere are pushing manufacturers toward a "right to repair" model that extends product life cycles.

Even better, individuals can take action, too, by reselling or recycling their old devices instead of sending them to landfills.

Commenters had a range of reactions.

"Where I live, that dumpster would be heading to a landfill. What a missed opportunity for recycling. I hope that's not the case," one user lamented.

What do you usually do with your old electronics? Store them at home 📦 Donate them 🙏 Trade them for cash 🤝 Throw them away 🗑️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Another pointed out that responsible disposal can be the best course of action for old tech, stating: "They look like old Dell Optiplex machines that aren't worth keeping running any more given they're old hardware. Chucking them in the skip and sending them to an e-waste facility is probably for the best."

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