Passerby in disbelief after noticing valuable item in trash bin: 'Seems to work great'

Dumpster diving can get a bad rap, but there are real treasures to be found among the trash.

A post on the r/DumpsterDiving subreddit piqued users' interest after someone discovered an impressive piece of machinery in the garbage.

The Redditor shared a picture captioned with, "Found this ~$700 Campbell Hausfeld air compressor today." The photo shows the machine with minor signs of usage but in very good condition for outdoor equipment. "Seems to work great with no leaks," the user added.

The idea of dumpster diving sends a shiver down some people's spines. While it's true there may be sanitary issues with rooting around in trash cans, you can find gems without getting your hands dirty in some cases.

In a shocking study by The Independent, the United Kingdom's largest supermarkets were found to be discarding 190 million meals' worth of edible food annually. Often, grocery stores throw out perfectly good food, and the act of saving it from being trashed can reduce food waste and cut down on pollution.

Other dumpster divers have found heaps of brand-new merchandise and toys simply because a store refurbishment rendered these items supposedly useless.

Because of the mass overconsumption that sweeps the planet, many products are discarded before anyone gets a chance to use them. Stores often trash unsold goods, as it is cheaper for the corporation to do that than donate them to charity or keep things on the shelves if they aren't selling.

Perhaps if you see a store throwing out new items, you might even find a treasure of your own. Your wallet will thank you for the savings, and the planet will be grateful for the reduction of waste. Be careful to use gloves and watch out for sharp objects, as you never know what could be lying just underneath the treasures.

If it isn't practical for you to become a dumpster diver, or perhaps the idea alone doesn't appeal to you, you could instead advocate for stores to change their policies surrounding waste disposal, including by making donations to charities instead of just trashing things.

One commenter responded to the Reddit post by saying, "Incredible find!"

Should the government be able to control how we heat our homes? Definitely 👍 Only if it saves money 💰 I'm not sure 🤷 No way ❌ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"Don't forget to drain the rusty water out," someone else wrote, to which the original poster remarked, "First thing I did!"

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