Tokyo Games Podiums Made from Used Plastics Unveiled

Tokyo, June 3 (Jiji Press)--The Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics organizing committee on Thursday unveiled podiums made from used plastics for the games this summer. According to the committee, they are the first Olympic and Paralympic victory stands made from used plastics in the history of the sporting events. The podiums, colored traditional Japanese indigo, were designed by Asao Tokoro, who created the emblems for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. The Olympic and Paralympic symbol logos at the center of the podiums were made from aluminum originally used for makeshift housing for people affected by the March 2011 major earthquake and tsunami, which mainly hit northeastern Japan, to highlight Japan's recovery from the disaster, a key theme of the Tokyo Games. The organizing committee made a total of 98 podiums from some 24.5 tons of used plastics. They represent "symbolic efforts to create a sustainable society," Seiko Hashimoto, president of the committee, said at a ceremony to unveil the podiums. In the Tokyo Games, medal ceremonies will be held 878 times--339 for the Olympics and 539 for the Paralympics. Medals for the games were made from metal collected mainly from waste mobile phones. Victory ceremony theme music and clothing for volunteers for the Tokyo Games were also unveiled at Thursday's ceremony. END