TOKYO 2020
Die recycelten Olympischen Meddaillen 2020
July 24, 2020 - August 9, 2020 -
Die Olympischen Medaillen für Tokyo 2020 werden aus recycelten kleinen elektronischen Geräten hergestellt, die über zwei Jahre - von April 2017 bis März 2019 - in ganz Japan gesammelt wurden.
Municipal authorities collected 72,000 tonnes of small electronic waste from households right across Japan, while NTT Docomo (the predominant mobile phone operator) collected around six million old and unwanted handsets from members of the public.
The devices were then painstakingly dismantled so that tiny amounts of rare metals could be extracted before being refined and made ready for smelting. The final harvest includes 32kg of gold, 3,500kg of silver and 2,200kg of bronze (95% copper and 5% zinc).
Graphic designer Junichi Kawanishi won a nationwide competition to design the medals which he says symbolise the energy of athletes, the diversity of the games, and the warm glow of friendship.
Even the ribbon has been carefully considered, with its colours added through the addition of CO₂-friendly chemically-recycled polyester fibres.