Someone went shopping at Target without spending a dime. The Redditor went through the e-waste bin and posted their find in the r/DumpsterDiving subreddit: five slightly damaged but still usable phones.
The Samsung Galaxy and Google Nexus and Pixel devices had bad screens but were fixable. As one respondent said, "I once found a S20 plus. I'm currently using it right now. Only cracked back screen." E-waste bins have proved to be a treasure trove — one person dumpster-dove for a 2018 Chromebook and 2021 Windows 8 Pro.
Throwing away laptops and smartphones may be more costly than buying them thanks to their composition — namely rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Recycling lithium is a lengthy process that requires significant effort. Therefore, not repurposing this material is a missed opportunity to create more jobs that empower a circular economy. The need for such batteries is likely to increase, as they also power electric vehicles, whose sales have increased 7.3% in 2024, per Kelley Blue Book data referenced by Cox Automotive.
Gold's conductivity and pliability make it perfect for small wires in circuits, making most electronics a literal gold mine. Unfortunately, almost $57 billion worth of gold, silver, platinum, and copper end up in landfills with these electronics, according to Emew Clean Technologies. Recently, researchers developed a new method to extract a precious metal from e-waste in a move that can reduce future mining needs.
Plus, improper e-waste disposal adds to the already overwhelming environmental pollution that reaches air, soil, and water. It's also a potential fire hazard if damaged in a landfill or dumped in random spots such as parking lots.
Consumers have several ways to responsibly handle old electronics — for store rebates or cash back. Samsung users can trade in old devices and may get rebates toward new purchases. In addition to recycling old clothes and accessories with Trashie, use its Tech Take Back Box. TCD's guide can help users learn more about making money on old electronics.
Many commenters were impressed by the find, and some offered advice on what to do with those phones. Someone exclaimed, "S*** you're lucky! Google Pixel would be my ideal phone if I could afford it."
A Pixel owner said, "I just sold a pair of absolutely junk 3a and 4a Pixels for some decent change AS IS parts only."
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Giving me money back 💰 
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