Sustainability will be at the heart of the Olympic games in Tokyo in 2020 — and now, Japanese olympic organizers have made a suggestion that will bring the focus on sustainability front and center at the summer games: They want to make medals out of recycled materials.
If they go through with the idea, the gold, silver, and bronze medals — awarded to athletes who place first, second, and third, respectively — will be created using materials from discarded and recycled electronics, such as cell phones and computers.
According to The Telegraph, the concept was first shared by members of a 19-person task force focused on developing a “legacy plan” for the 2020 Olympics, with the focus on creating a positive legacy.
Once the concept is finalized, they will submit the idea to the Tokyo Organizing Committee for approval later this month. There are some basic requirements for medals; gold medals are required to be made from at least 92.5 percent silver, and must contain a minimum of 6 grams of gold. All Olympic medals have been required to be at least 60 mm in diameter and 3 mm thick.
Per The Telegraph, the same committee is also thinking about how to use recycled materials (such as aluminum, glass, and wood) when constructing the stadiums and buildings that will host the games.