Did you know that 7 per cent of the world’s gold is sitting inside discarded electronic devices?
Technology development has made our lives easier, faster and efficient. Laptops, computers, and cell phones have become like a second hand to so many of us. But at what cost to the environment?
Around 50 million tonnes of electronic waste are dumped globally each year.
E-waste is a major concern because the components used to make our favourite gadgets are known to be harmful for human health.
Wealth from Waste
The Royal Mint, UK, the institution that makes coins not just for Britain but also for many of the world’s currencies, has decided it’s time to change things. By crafting jewellery that is entirely composed of precious metals obtained from electronic waste.
Called the 886 collection, it is the first line of high-end jewellery from the company, and is also the first high-end jewellery line in the world to employ entirely recovered gold obtained from electronic waste.
Creative Director of 886 by The Royal Mint, celebrated British designer Dominic Jones, was inspired by The Royal Mint’s heritage as a trusted store of wealth.
The debut collection of elevated essentials includes discreetly luxurious hoop earrings, chains, studs, cuffs and signet rings designed to be worn every day and crafted to last a lifetime.
Each minimalistic, genderless design is available in a range of responsibly sourced precious metals, predominately from recovered and recycled sources, making the effortless style and superior craftsmanship of the 886 by The Royal Mint collection accessible to all.
Every piece above 0.5 grams is engraved with its precious metal gram weight as a marker of its intrinsic value.
Tech to recycle tech
The brand teamed with Canadian clean technology company Excir to use cutting-edge technology in order to recover pure gold from discarded electronic gadgets.
Not just jewellery, the plastic components of the devices can also be utilised to create furniture, and any hard metals, such as copper or zinc, can be broken down and recycled to create new wiring that can be applied to a variety of projects.
886 by The Royal Mint champions quality British craftsmanship, helping to preserve the rare skills of The Royal Mint’s craftspeople.
Over two-thirds of the debut collection is produced in-house at The Royal Mint manufacturing facility in Llantrisant, South Wales. Legacy techniques used to craft medals and coins are combined with innovative engineering skills to create pieces with a distinctive weight, remarkable durability and superior lustre.
886 by The Royal Mint will also collaborate with other British makers to offer distinctive homeware collections that can make use of The Royal Mint’s craftsmanship.
Next time you dispose your gadgets to a landfill, think twice
The first cell phone was created in 1973, and ever since then the market has been inundated with numerous models. But what happens with all the outdated ones that are no longer in use, where do they go? All these turn into e-waste. Any electronic product or anything containing electronic components that has reached the end of its functional life cycle is considered electronic waste, or e-waste.
Toxic chemicals are generated when electronics are incorrectly disposed and wind up in landfills. These are all persistent, bioaccumulative toxins (PBTs), which pose dangers to human health and the environment. When electronic waste is disposed by disassembling, shredding or melting the components, dust particles or pollutants, including dioxins, are released into the atmosphere, causing air pollution and harming respiratory health. E-waste disposal can cause the loss of entire water sources. When cathode ray tubes, which are used in TVs, computer monitors, and other devices, are disposed of, they emit harmful toxin phosphor, lead, barium, and other heavy metals into the groundwater.
Read More: From Landfills to Wardrobes: SOFRIP
