10 November,2016 08:04 AM IST | | AFP
Medals for the Tokyo Olympics will be made from old smartphones and other electronic products, organisers said yesterday, as they look to give the Games an environmentally friendly hue
Tokyo: Medals for the Tokyo Olympics will be made from old smartphones and other electronic products, organisers said yesterday, as they look to give the Games an environmentally friendly hue.
"Medals made with recycled metals from discarded mobile phones and other gadgets can be a symbol of sustainability and public participation," spokeswoman Hikariko Ono told reporters.
It remains unclear whether the use of recycled metals would be cost efficient, though officials are keen to rein in soaring costs. Experts have said that the total Games budget could hit an eye-watering $30 billion - four times the initial estimate and almost triple that of the 2012 London Olympics.
