Recycled electronic waste from laptops, smartphones and other devices is being used to create all the medals for Tokyo’s Summer Olympics and Paralympics in 2020.
The concept isn’t new; about 30% of the bronze and silver medals used in the 2016 Olympics in Rio were made from recycled materials. However, for the first time, ordinary citizens have been proactively involved by donating consumer electronics in Japan, in the Olympic-Committee-run project.
Japan has collected 67,180 tons of electronic waste, including over 5-million mobile phones, in the period between April 2017 and the cutoff date of 31 March 2019, with 90% of the country’s municipal authorities taking part in the project.
The target of 2,700 kg of bronze has been met, while 93.7% of the 30.3 kg gold needed and 85.4% of the 4,100 kg of silver needed has been accumulated.
The designs for the Tokyo 2020 medals will be unveiled later this year.
The medals will be produced after the gold, silver and bronze elements have been extracted by the smelting contractors, which have been accredited by the Japanese government.
Featured image: Getty
