By the end of this year, the UK is predicted to become the world’s biggest contributor of e-waste per capita, with Britons generating over 30,000 tonnes a week. Currys, supported by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, has launched its first ever game, ‘Trash Tycoon’, created in Fortnite – which aims to drive real change.
TV presenter and DJ Tyler West, one of the first to try the game, said: “As a Fortnite fan, it’s refreshing to play a map that addresses real-world issues. It’s about time we made gaming a power for good – I can’t wait to dive in with my team and see how I can raise my base while recycling tech junk!”
New research by Currys found that two-thirds of young people are more likely to throw their tech rubbish over recycling. Three out of four currently collect unwanted technology in their homes, even though they have no use for it.
The game’s Tycoon map serves as a visual representation of the 880 million unused and broken tech items gather in UK homes by showcasing a virtual world made entirely of e-waste. The competitive game challenges players to go head-to-head on a mission to mine and recycle as much rubbish as possible, for valuable in-game and real-life rewards worth over £1,000.
Currys already offers its ‘Cash for Trash’ scheme, which rewards customers with a £5 voucher for bringing old, unwanted or broken technology into store for recycling.
Environment Minister Robbie Moore said: “I hope that tackling e-waste in the virtual world can help younger generations understand the importance of responsible waste management in the real world. It is vital that we turn the tide of e-waste, which sees 155,000 tonnes of electrical waste are thrown into the bin every year, which is why we have put forward new proposals to make it easier for households to recycle their electrical goods and to speed up the transition to a more circular economy.”
Moira Thomas, sustainability director at Currys said: “I’m optimistic about the future of e-waste. As the UK’s largest technology retailer, we know that people, particularly Gen Z, want to recycle their old technology, but there’s a lack of knowledge about how to do it responsibly, that’s why we’re confident that Trash Tycoon will break down barriers and help people better understand the issue of e-waste, in a language they can relate to and draw inspiration from through the hugely popular game Fortnite.”
