Japan's Olympic medals could be made from recycled smartphones

The organisers of the 2020 Olympic Games, which will be hosted in Tokyo, are considering using recycled electronics to create the medals for the event.

A report from Nikkei indicates that they may make a statement on sustainability with this approach. The organisers are considering delving into Japan's "urban mine" to accumulate gold, silver, and bronze rather than approaching mining corporations.

However, as pointed out by Engadget, much of Japan's electronics recycling is already being used to build other electronics.

The Olympic planning committee is apparently planning to pitch ideas for electronic recycling collection programs. It seemingly believes that letting citizens get involved will help to establish a better collection system and help reduce electronic waste.