From reducing greenhouse gas emissions to consuming less energy, there are a number of benefits to metal recycling. While the most common uses for scrap metal are automobile manufacturing, food packaging, and home furnishings, Japan is developing a new project to raise awareness. For the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the organizers will make history by using material from recovered electronics to make the gold, silver, and bronze medals.

The Plan

The Tokyo Olympics organizing committee teamed up with telecommunications provider NTT Docomo and the Japan Environmental Sanitation Center to set up a drive collecting up to eight tons of metal from donated and outdated smartphones and other electronic devices. Collection boxes were placed in Docomo telecom stores throughout the country.

The metal will be reduced to two tons through the production process, and used to manufacture 5,000 Olympic medals. While scrap metal has been used in the past to make medals, this is the first time they will be mined from electronics. Even the gold metals will be made from 100% recycled materials.

The Goal

While the primary objective of this project is to promote metal recycling and sustainability, it’s also an attempt to reduce the soaring costs of the 2020 games. Originally estimated at $30 billion (three times as much as the London Olympics), the committee released a new budget in December 2017 that lowered the costs down to $17 billion.

If you’re looking to raise awareness and reduce your carbon footprint, turn your junk vehicle over to a metal recycling center. The team at T&S Automotive, the premier scrap yard in Thomasville, NC, offers generous and fair incentives for junk vehicles, used auto parts, and scrap metals like aluminum and steel. Call (336) 882-7989 to speak with a representative and schedule a scrap-metal pick up. You can also visit their website for more information about their full range of metal recycling services.