A savvy salvager recently hit the jackpot at Dollar General and posted about their dumpster diving haul on TikTok.

After grabbing what they could, the creator posted a video of their findings on their Dumpster Diving (@dumpster.diving91) account.

@dumpster.diving91 This DG threw out a dumpster FULL OF BRAND BEW CLOTHING 😳🙌🏼 #dumpster #dumpsterdiving #insane #jackpot ♬ original sound - Dumpster Diving

"They threw out a dumpster's worth of brand new clothing," the OP shared.

Indeed, several carts' worth of brand new clothes were parked next to an already-overflowing dumpster, where more cartloads had already been deposited.

Sharing the sight of their car filled with their finds, the OP shared how they got "so many grab bags" and boxes of everything from coffee to soda and even holiday decor.

"They are already throwing away Christmas stuff," the creator said. "It is straight crazy."

While many people were excited for the finds, they were also quick to point out the cruelty of the store throwing away so many perfectly good items.

"They could [have] donated those socks to the homeless or needy," one person lamented.

"That's so sad," one commenter said, reflecting the mood of the responses.

This is a common thought that people have when they see the waste generated by retail stores. From beauty products to clothing and even to food, it's a well-kept secret that most major chains willingly throw away perfectly usable items on a regular basis. One commenter called it "sickening," while another said "it makes me so mad."

Should it be illegal to throw away old clothes? Heck yes 👍 No way 👎 I'm not sure 🤷 Only if it's free to recycle them 🤌 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Stores do this for a variety of reasons. Occasionally, a power outage will mean that a grocery retailer has to empty its freezers, even if the power was only out for a few minutes. But often, they're simply dumping what hasn't yet sold to make room for more merchandise.

Some clothing brands even go so far as to destroy their own merchandise in order to keep it from being devalued by ending up in thrift shops or discount bins.

And, as another commenter pointed out, the store also receives a deductible credit on their taxes for tossing the items. "The store never loses," they wrote, frustrated.

Coming face to face with the waste that those consumerist practices generate, though, is uncomfortable for most people. That's part of the reason that dumpster diving has become so popular in recent years; not only does the practice connect people with brand-new items for no cost, but it keeps those items from going to waste.

And considering that our ever-growing landfills generate tons of toxic air, water, and soil pollution each year, reducing how many items end up increasing the size of those landfills each year is of paramount importance for our collective health.

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