According to The Verge, organizers of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo are considering making the Olympic medals from old smartphones. The country first discussed the idea in June to raise awareness about e-waste.
But that's not the only reason for the recycling. Japan does not have an ample supply of precious metals like other countries. Instead, the gold and silver contained in discarded electronics makes up 16 to 22 percent of the global gold and silver supply. So, the recycled smartphones should contain enough materials for the Olympic medals.
Hannah Abrams is the senior content editor for Promo Marketing. In her free time, she enjoys coming up with excuses to avoid exercise, visiting her hometown in Los Angeles and rallying for Leonardo DiCaprio to win his first second Academy Award.