The world’s top athletes will soon face off at the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. The winners will receive special medals made with gold, silver, and bronze recycled from old electronics!
Between April 2017 and March 2019, the Olympics organizing committee collected almost 80,000 tons of donated devices, like cell phones, laptops, and cameras. Workers took the devices apart and removed the precious metals needed to make the devices work.
Overall, the committee recycled about 5,732 kilograms (12,637 pounds) of gold, silver, and bronze. That’s as heavy as three cars! The medals are intended to make the Olympic Games more eco-friendly.