使わなくなったスマホやパソコンを宅配便・引っ越し業者が回収　環境省が7月から北海道・関東・九州・四国で実証事業、トラックの空きスペースで「都市鉱山」からレアメタルを取り出す狙い

Welcome to Japanese Daily News. I'm Maya. Today is July eleventh. Here's a story about turning old gadgets into treasure: Japan is testing a new way to collect used phones and computers using delivery trucks. Let's listen.

Now let's break it down, sentence by sentence.

A pilot test is starting in which delivery and moving companies collect the smartphones and computers people no longer use.

It means a pilot test, a trial to prove something works.

It means a home delivery service.

It will run from this month until next January, in four regions: Hokkaido, Kanto, Kyushu, and Shikoku.

It means a region or area.

Using the empty space in a truck, old appliances are carried along with the regular parcels.

It means luggage or a parcel.

It means to carry or transport.

The collected appliances are sent to recycling companies approved by the Ministry of the Environment.

It means to approve or to recognize.

Inside smartphones and computers there are precious metals: gold, silver, and what are called rare metals.

It means precious or valuable.

It means metal.

A place where lots of old electronic devices gather is called an urban mine.

It means urban mine, the metals hidden inside discarded electronics.

Behind this effort is the aim of securing resources in a stable way.

It means background.

It means an aim or goal.

Because China tightened control of rare earth exports this January, Japan is trying to circulate resources at home.

It means export.

It means circulation, resources going round and being reused.

Still, many people worry about personal data and can't let go of their old phones, and that's a challenge.

It means personal information.

It means an issue or challenge to solve.

Let's listen to the whole story one more time.

Time for a short quiz. Listen and try to answer.

The empty space in delivery and moving companies' trucks.

Gold, silver, and rare metals.

The aim of getting resources in a stable way at home, after China tightened rare earth export controls.

That's all for today. So your old phone in a drawer isn't just junk; it's a tiny piece of an urban mine full of gold and rare metals. Thanks for listening, and see you tomorrow.