A landfill site in Newport, Wales, where a hard drive allegedly containing 8,000 Bitcoin is buried, is set to close by the 2025-26 financial year. The site has been in operation since the early 2000s, and the Newport council is planning its closure and capping. James Howells, a local IT worker, has been in a decade-long dispute with the council over his lost hard drive, which he claims contains Bitcoin mined in 2009, currently valued at around $768 million. Howell's attempts to gain permission for excavation were shut down by a judge, citing a lack of realistic prospects for success. The council has noted that excavation could cause significant environmental harm, despite Howell's claims that AI technology could aid in the search without public costs. The situation reflects a larger issue, as the 8,000 BTC may represent a small fraction of the estimated 3 million coins lost in the digital black hole.

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