Page 18 - new final magazine big size september 2025

08 Medals from E-Waste

Before the first event even began at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Japan had already achieved something
extraordinary: transforming electronic waste into 5,000 Olympic medals. In a bold and innovative move,
the Tokyo Organizing Committee announced that all the gold, silver, and bronze used for the
Games’ medals — roughly 7 tons of metal in total — had been extracted entirely from discarded
electronics like smartphones, laptops, and other devices.Japan’s success is about more than policy
— it reflects a deeply rooted cultural attitude toward objects. Unlike in many countries where old
items are quickly discarded, many Japanese people prefer to pass them on. Secondhand stores are
popular and often beautifully designed, resembling boutique shops more than thrift stores. These
shops typically partner with professional cleaners to ensure that used goods are hygienic
and appealing

09 Medals from E-Waste

Electronic recycling is about rethinking how we view waste. Think about the smartphone in your
hand. From mining rare materials to assembling the final product, creating one phone consumes
energy at every step. The production phase often accounts for 70% to 80% of the total energy foot-
print of an electronic device. When that phone becomes e-waste, tossing it away means all the
energy used to produce it goes to waste too.
On the other hand, e-waste recycling allows manufacturers to recover parts and materials that can be reused in
new products, saving massive amounts of energy. That’s why experts consider electronic recycling a vital
part of global sustainability goals. It’s not just about keeping devices out of landfills; it’s about
keeping energy in circulation.

10 From Dumpster to Global Demand: Meet 60-Year-Old Turning Tech Trash into
Treasure
Bengaluru resident Vishwanath Mallabadi Davangere turned his hobby of upcycling and art into a
full-fledged venture that has turned 200 kg of e-waste into intricate works of art. So far, the eco-artist
has created more than 500 artefacts. These include a six- foot tall sculpture made from upcycled
computer keyboard keys on a mannequin, and a landscape inspired by Vincent Van Gogh’s The
Starry Night, using upcycled resistors on wood, which was later coated with clear epoxy resin. “It
takes just two-three minutes to create a piece of jewellery, but it might take weeks and months for
sculptures. However, sustainable initiatives and upcycled art are nowadays in demand in
multi-national companies opting for a sustainable culture,” he informs. Vishwanath has been written
about in the India Talent Magazine and has also given a talk at the first International Data Science
Conference on UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), on putting e- waste to good use.

REFERENCES
1.10 Facts About E-Waste Everyone Should Know • Scoutripper
2.6 surprising facts from the UN’s 2024 electronic waste report
3.E-waste Statistics By Top Producing Countries and Fact (2025)pp Kanchan Pandey
4.Electronic Waste in Guiyu: A City under Change? | Environment &
Society Portal Student, XII
5.Of 16 Billion Mobile Phones Possessed Worldwide, 5.3 Billion will Tagore Sr. Sec.
Become Waste in 2022 | UNITAR
6.How Japan Turned E-Waste Into Olympic Gold - Nspirementss School
7.Largest e-waste site | Guinness World Records
8.Energy Savings Behind E-Waste Recycling | Gauvins Green
9.60-YO Turns 200 KG of E-Waste into Stunning Works of Art

-2025
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