Organisers of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games have come up with a circular solution when it comes to medals

Athletes who triumph at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games will receive medals made from recycled metals. Gold, silver and bronze are being salvaged from discarded mobile phones and other small electronic devices to form the 5,000 medals that are required.

Since a call for e-waste went out from the Games’ organising committee in 2017, piles of smartphones, digital cameras, laptops and handheld games have been donated by members of the Japanese public and by businesses. The target for bronze has been met already: in June 2018.

Image: Tokyo, photographed by Jezael Melgoza