Have you ever wondered how your favorite earrings, new Rolex watch or solitaire engagement ring has impacted the environment? Well in this article we take a closer look at the cost jewelry has on the environment. Personally, I love earrings. I will go out and buy a couple retailing at $2 and in no time have to get rid of them because they changed colour. I know I am not alone, but what does this mean for the environment?

The jewelry industry is a whopping 300-billion-dollar industry. According to National Retail Federation, Americans spent $3.9 billion on jewelry for Valentine’s Day alone in 2019. Wow, I know!!!!!

Nonetheless it has been known to have adverse impacts on the environment and society, due to unsustainable mining processes and unethical working conditions for miners.

Can this luxurious and opulent industry be sustainable?

Sustainable jewelry is the concept of producing jewelry in a way that achieves social, environmental and economic sustainability in the localities where the raw materials are mined, processed and manufactured into the final product.It involves transparency in the acquisition of jewelry; from the traceability of materials, supply chains, and fair trade between miners, middle mean and conglomerates. It also includes transparency on how waste and environmental pollution is managed.

Developing countries are hotspots for mining, especially in conflict prone areas that lack laws and enforcement capabilities to protect local miners. Contamination of land and water resources further strains communities in these areas already grappled with poverty as it negatively affects the surroundings. In Kenya, these negative effects from the jewelry industry are seen in Lake Victoria. Gold mines in Migori County are considered the major perpetrators of these pollution as they use cyanide (a known toxic chemical) to process the gold thus contaminating Rivers Kuja and Migori which discharge into L. Victoria.

TYPES OF JEWELRY

• Costume Jewelry

This is inexpensive jewelry made of non-precious metals and imitation gemstones that have little to no value. It is also made of glass beads, plastic, wood and shells. The metal bases used to make them include brass, copper, stainless steel or non precious alloys coated with silver or gold tones.

Majority of the metals used are collected as scrap metal and recycled. The other components will probably end up in landfills.

• Fine Jewelry

This comprises of jewelry that is made from solid gold, sterling silver, platinum and precious gemstones which are diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, and rubies.

Gold mining is described as “one of the most destructive industries in the world.” Although it’s pretty high up on the list of precious metals, gold requires large amounts of water during mining. Cyanide, mercury and sulphuric acid are toxic compounds used during its extraction. For every ounce of gold, 20 tons of waste is produced.

Diamonds are the most resource heavy and time consuming gemstones to mine.

However, approximately 80% of gold and 90% of silver is obtained through recycling. Recycling of precious metals and the use of cubic zirconia, a lab synthesized crystal, can reduce environmental pollution. In addition to this, old gemstones can be recut or polished to give it a new look.

Not all gemstones are extracted from the earth. Pearls are considered to be a renewable source of semi-precious gemstones as they are created inside living creatures. When an irritant, such as a parasite (not a grain of sand as popularly thought), gets into a clam, oyster or mussel, a defense mechanism is triggered. The sea creature secretes a substance known as nacre that coats the parasite, layer by layer, until a pearl is formed. 

Pearls are mainly comprised of calcium carbonate and it takes several years for just a single one of them to be formed. However, there is a bone of contention surrounding the method in which pearls are extracted. One method is by killing the oysters and clams while another is by skillfully removing the pearls surgically with no harm caused to the sea creatures.

EFFECTS ON MINING ON THE ENVIRONMENT

• It causes air pollution through the emission of dust, gases and suspended particles.
• Harmful trace elements like cadmium and lead are released into the environment and pollute surface water.
• Aquifers are contaminated due to seepage and percolation of leached compounds.
• Deforestation and loss of biodiversity.
• Wastage of land which is rendered unsuitable for other activities.
• Degradation of soil quality and fertility.
• Loss of landscape and aesthetics.

RECYCLING

• Metals can be recycled multiple times without degrading their properties. Recycling allows for preservation of natural resources, reduction of carbon dioxide emissions and saves energy.
• Gold, silver or platinum can me smelted and turned into new jewelry or used in a computer circuit board or other items.
• Steel is the most recycled material on the planet.
• Sorting, shredding and melting occur during the recycling process, therefore, the energy required to recycle metals is much less than the energy and resources needed to extract virgin raw materials.
• Worldwide, 400 million tons of metal are recycled every year.

TIPS AND TRICKS

Consumers

• Buy eco-friendly jewelry.
• Make your own cute jewelry.
• Repair and repurpose fine jewelry into new pieces.
• Support local jewelry brands i.e. Kipato Unbranded, Adele Dejak.
• Sell old jewelry to recycling stores and antique stores.
• Donate jewelry to charity.

Brands should:

• Have an ethics and sustainability policy in place.
• Observe the Kimberley Process.
• Practice recycling and repurposing of old jewelry.
• Be aware of where their metals and stones originate from.
• Get a Fairmined assurance label.

Do you purchase jewelry from local brands? Let me know in the comment section below.