The Olympic and Paralympic medals for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will be made thanks to the recycling of mobile phones.

The Japanese public will be asked to donate old phones and small appliances to gather two tonnes of gold, silver and bronze for the 5,000 medals.

Collection boxes will be placed in local offices and telecoms stores from April and will remain there until the metal required has been collected.

Organisers hope to gather eight tonnes of metal to create the two tonnes of gold, silver and bronze required for manufacturing the 5,000 Olympic and Paralympic medals.

The project aims to promote sustainability and reduce costs.

“A project that allows the people of Japan to take part in creating the medals is really good,” said Tokyo 2020 sports director Koji Murofushi. “There’s a limit on the resources of our earth, so recycling these things will make us think about the environment.”

Members of Japan’s Olympic organising committee tabled the idea to government officials and companies in 2016.

For Kohei Uchimura, the Olympic gymnastics champion, the idea of the organizers sends “a message to future generations”.

Ashton Eaton, the recently-retired decathlon gold medallist and world record-holder, twitted:  “the Tokyo 2020 medallists will not only feel the weight of the gold, silver or bronze on the podium. They will also feel the weight of an entire nation. The awesomeness of this medal project makes me want to come out of retirement and compete for one.”