Comment Re:Hmm... (Score 1) 364
Yes, the number was exaggerated, but the problem is still impossibly immense. When the trucks are full, they go to way-stations where the garbage is pooled. Once that has happened, it is then shipped to some alternate source. Dumping particles on top of each other like that will ensure a relatively random distribution, even if we assume that it wasn't randomized to begin with.
Once it is picked up at the way-station, then it is sent to a dump where it will be mixed with other debris. Sure, it will not be 32,600 tons of filth to sort, but it will be far from cheap to close the dump (so that nothing new will enter -- something else left out of the original statement) while 1000 people look for a hard drive which will very likely have extraordinarily corrupt data.
So, while I may have exaggerated, I'll wager you're over-simplifying. I think it far more likely to be something which takes months and costs at least several million dollars to get something which isn't worth it.
Once it is picked up at the way-station, then it is sent to a dump where it will be mixed with other debris. Sure, it will not be 32,600 tons of filth to sort, but it will be far from cheap to close the dump (so that nothing new will enter -- something else left out of the original statement) while 1000 people look for a hard drive which will very likely have extraordinarily corrupt data.
So, while I may have exaggerated, I'll wager you're over-simplifying. I think it far more likely to be something which takes months and costs at least several million dollars to get something which isn't worth it.