As part of the project to move towards an “innovative future for all”, the organizing committee for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics is collecting electronic wastes so that the precious metals can be recycled and forged into medals.
With the goal of collecting 2,700kg of bronze, 4,100kg of silver, and 30.3kg of gold, the project has collected roughly 5.07 million used mobile phones from NTT DOCOMO shops located across Japan, an estimated 47,488 tons of used small electronic devices including mobile phones from 1,594 municipal authorities in Japan, and 30,000 used company mobile phones from JAPAN POST.
Classifying and dismantling the electronic devices in line with the government’s Act on Promotion of Recycling of Small Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment, the metals are extracted and refined by smelting contractors.
As of October 2018, the project has been able to collect 100% of the target goal for bronze, 85.4% of silver, and 93.7% of gold.
The design of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic medals are set to be unveiled summer 2019.
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