Accidentally discarded 8,000 Bitcoins worth 1 trillion won... "I will buy the entire trash heap"

Tried to Retrieve Lost Hard Drive Worth 8,000 Bitcoins
Court Blocks Access to Landfill After a Decade of Searching

A British man who lost a computer hard disk containing 8,000 bitcoins is reportedly considering buying the landfill site himself. On the 10th (local time), foreign media including the UK Daily Mail reported the story of computer engineer James Howells. Howells acquired 8,000 bitcoins in 2009 during the early days of bitcoin mining. However, in 2013, it is known that his ex-girlfriend accidentally threw away the hard drive containing the bitcoins along with the trash. The hard drive Howells discarded contained an electronic wallet with bitcoins currently worth over 1 trillion Korean won.

A British man who lost a computer hard drive containing 8,000 bitcoins is reportedly considering buying the landfill site where it was buried. On the 10th (local time), British Daily Mail and other foreign media reported the story of computer engineer James Howells. Photo by Daily Mail

After realizing he had thrown away the hard drive, he began tracking it down. The hard drive was taken by a garbage collection truck. Howells guessed that the hard drive was buried in a landfill site in Newport, Wales, UK. It is known that about 110,000 tons of waste have accumulated at this landfill. He tried to dig up the hard drive by visiting the landfill himself, but the Newport City Council denied permission to access and search the landfill. This is because digging through the landfill could cause the release of toxic substances and negatively impact the environment.

Over the following decade, Howells moved his residence near the landfill and has been actively searching for the hard drive. He repeatedly requested access permission from the Newport City Council and even offered to share some bitcoins if found. However, the council opposed, claiming the offer was a bribe. Eventually, he requested access permission through the court, but it was rejected.

This is a stock photo of a landfill and is unrelated to the article content.

Meanwhile, the Newport City Council recently announced plans to close the landfill. In response, Howells said, "Buying the landfill site myself is definitely an option I am considering." The Newport City Council has not yet made an official statement regarding Howells' potential acquisition of the landfill. Experts predict that if Howells purchases the landfill, he will face significant legal and environmental regulatory challenges. Meanwhile, the Newport City Council plans to close the landfill in the next fiscal year and build a solar power plant on the site.