Kanchan from garbage: All Olympic medals were made in Japan from e-waste

From 2017, people were asked to submit useless gadgets

32 kg gold, 3500 kg silver and 2200 kg bronze extracted from 79 thousand tons of electronics scrap

There were 62 lakh mobile phones in the wreckage

AHMEDABAD: The medal that athletes dream of winning in the Olympics is the Tokyo Olympics.

However, Japan's Olympic Organizing Committee has adopted a unique approach, passing a resolution to start preparations for the Olympics in 2017, raising awareness about the environment and maximizing the use of alternative sources and energy.

Under such a scheme it was decided to make medals from scrap of electronics gadgets. Millions of tons of damaged cellphones, laptops, computers, audio-video devices have been wasted so far, but new research has found that these tons of scraps are melted down and any of its chips, semiconductors, circuits or other parts are processed into gold. Precious metals like silver, bronze can be produced.

In 2017, the Japanese government appealed to citizens to deposit their damaged electronics in a collection center set up at a nearby municipal office. About 1,600 such centers were set up. In two years, 78,985 tonnes of e-waste was collected, of which 62 lakh were mobile phones. After processing 32 kg gold, 3500 kg silver and 2200 kg bronze were made.

Environmentalists in Japan have also found that one gram of gold can be found in 40 mobile phones. Not e-waste In this way thousands of tons of alternative energy, by-products can be obtained from different types of waste. In the same way, medals will be made in the upcoming 2024 Olympics to be held in Paris as well as energy and electricity will be generated from the solar project. The fuel will also be eco friendly and recyclable.

Best from the West

* 5000 Gold, Silver and Bronze medals were awarded together

* All medals are made from e-waste.

* 78,985 tons of scrap of electronics gadgets collected

* 62 lakh debris included damaged cellphones.

* After processing 32 kg of gold scrap (e-waste), 3500 kg of silver and 2200 kg of bronze were produced.