- A Welshman has sued the city council for $530 million for not letting him search landfill for a discarded hard drive
- James Howells threw out the drive containing 7,500 bitcoins in 2013, but the council has repeatedly refused him access to search landfill for it
- The case revolves around whether modern technology can safely excavate the drive amidst environmental concerns
Welshman James Howells has launched a legal battle against Newport City Council, claiming they have prevented him from recovering a hard drive containing bitcoins worth around $530 million. Howells accidentally threw out the hard drive in 2013 as part of a clearout and has made news internationally in his attempts to retrieve it from a landfill. However, the council has refused on environmental grounds, citing the dangers of disturbing the landfill, but Howells thinks that modern technology can aid him.
Coins From 2009 Lost
Howells stepped up his efforts to retrieve the drive in 2017, which contains a haul of bitcoins he mined from 2009 to 2011, contacting the local council and asking to be able to search the landfill site. The council refused, saying that it was too dangerous, but Howells hasn’t given up. Instead, he is taking his battle to the courts.
As part of his outlandish plan, Howells has assembled a team of environmental health and data recovery experts who would utilise AI to operate a mechanical arm to sort through the recovered rubbish, with each piece then being sifted through by hand in a nearby tent in search of the drive. In an image of a dystopian future, robot dogs will be employed to make sure opportunistic thieves cannot steal the drive.
Council Could Earn Millions
Howells has offered the council 10% of the Bitcoin’s value if the search is successful, which he believes could not only retrieve the drive but also help modernize Newport’s waste management practices. “Until the court tells me no, I’m not giving up,” Howells said, signaling his commitment to pursuing the case through all levels of the UK legal system.
The council, however, has described the case as “weak,” maintaining that the environmental risks posed by the landfill, which contains hazardous materials, make excavation unfeasible. The case is set to be heard in court later this year, and both sides remain firm in their positions.
