Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torches To Use Recycled Aluminum From Fukushima

In addition to sourcing its Olympic Games’ medals by recycling discarded smartphones and other small consumer electronics, Tokyo 2020 organizers are also now planning to use recycled aluminum for the Olympic torches used in the pre-Games relay.

The aluminum to be recycled is expected to come from temporary housing constructed in Japan’s Fukushima, a prefecture stricken by earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster in 2011. The torches are expected to consume over 10,000 pieces of aluminum as a symbolic effort to uphold ‘reconstruction Olympics’, one of the primary messages of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Back in April of this year, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic organizing committee revealed its overall vision for the Olympic torch relay. Encompassed by the phrase, ‘Hope Lights Our Way’, organizers said the relay will strive to ‘bring the Japanese people together around messages of support, acceptance and encouragement of one another, while also reflecting the Olympic flame’s ability to promote peace and hope to the world.’

The Olympic torch relay will begin on March 26, 2020 in the Fukushima prefecture.

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Swimmomtoo
5 years ago

This gives “glowing in the dark” a new meaning!
Scary!

sven
Reply to  Swimmomtoo
5 years ago

Nothing scary about it. The aluminum is from temporary housing where they put survivors, so it was in a safe place and not from the nuclear plant. Even then, after almost 8 years, the aluminum would be perfectly safe.

Even if you went to Tokyo and camped out right by the Olympic Torch for the entirety of the Games, you’d still pick up way more radiation just by getting on an airplane and flying to Japan.

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Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having just earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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