That was still only 24% of all e-waste estimated generated that year.
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Preparations are underway for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Olympic champions at the 2020 Tokyo Games might chew on more than metal.
Rather than asking mining corporations to donate the precious metals to create Japan’s medals, the organisers hope to collect already used copper, silver and gold from the country’s “urban mine”. In 2014, Japan has recovered 143 kg of gold, 1,566 kg of silver and 1,112 tons of copper from discarded small consumer electronics.
In June, officials of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic organizing committee, the Ministry of the Environment and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, as well as telecommunications firms and recycling companies met to discuss a proposal pushed forward to use some of Japan’s e-waste stockpile for the Olympic cause. It’s estimated that 16% of the world’s gold and 22% of the planet’s silver is now sitting inside tech all over Japan. The silver and bronze medals contained roughly 30 percent recycled metals, and 50 percent of the ribbons awarded came from recycled plastic bottles.
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However, there’s one slight issue: now, Japan’s recycled precious materials are used to make new electronic devices, and it’s hard to see the nation’s citizens foregoing a new Blu-ray player or smartphone upgrade in order to help out. At least one Japanese recycled-home-appliance business owner proposes having the private sector establish a collection system for electronic waste.
