Considered the most emblematic jewels of the Olympics and the top prize an athlete dreams of, the Olympic medals represent sporting excellence, but from the in Rio 2016 Olympic Games, it may also become a symbol of sustainability.
Well, the medals athletes receive for being the best in the current Olympic and Paralympic Games represent an example of commitment to the environment, since they are made of precious metals and materials that have been recycled or extracted under positive environmental practices, which is the reason why they are the greenest medals in the history of Olympics.
Proof of that is that the gold used in it requires mercury, and its extraction process was totally supervised at the mine, in order to certify the best practices and working conditions for the miners. The silver and bronze medals contain 30% of recycled material. In the case of silver, it comes from x-ray films, car parts and even mirrors. The copper used in the bronze medals was obtained from the waste generated in the manufacturing process of the actual metal that is made in the Brazilian Treasury Department.
Although you might think that these are the only ecological details in the 2016 Rio Olympic medals, you would be surprised to know that the medal ribbon is made of 50% synthetic yarn that wrap the neck of the winners, have in their composition 50% recycled synthetic yarn from plastic bottles. Similarly, the boxes where winning athletes will keep their medals are made of freijo wood, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, an independent organization that is responsible for certifying sustainable forest management.
But as if that were not enough, to maintain the ecological line that is a characteristic of 2016 Rio Olympics, a curious fact is that the podiums that will be used for the awards ceremony are made of organic materials to celebrate the tropical nature of this amazon country, with the advantage that they were especially designed so that once the games are over, they can be used as furniture.
Weighing approximately 500 grams each, the 5130 medals produced by the Brazilian Treasury Department and created with the guidance of the organizing committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, required a total of approximately 2.5 tons of metals, including gold, silver, bronze and zinc, plus an average of two days for the manufacture of each medal.
Undoubtedly, 2016 Rio Olympic medals will mark a milestone in sports history, and will serve as an example for other sporting events and competitions as well.
ALFA