Topic 4: Many people today are worried about the large quantities of waste produced by ordinary households. What problems are caused by household waste, and what solutions may be possible in both the short and the long term?
Model Essay:
It is inevitable that modern households will produce some waste, but the increasing volumes of refuse over recent years present a challenge for us all. There seem to be two main problems stemming from this situation, and also two steps we could take to address it fully.
Possibly, the major problem is the huge question of how to collect, process and dispose of this material. Household waste comprises elements ranging from foodstuffs to metal, paper and plastics, and local authorities sometimes struggle to handle such a diverse mix of material. The historical solution has been incineration or landfill, but the problems of pollution and long-term ground contamination which arise have led to widespread efforts to recycle at least some of the waste. This leads us to the second concern, which is the high cost of disposing of refuse in an ecologically sound manner. We would all wish as much as possible of our rubbish to be recycled (for example by paper pulping or reusing plastics) but the expense involved must be met by higher taxes and charges for households.
Regarding possible solutions, probably the most immediate short-term solution would be to divert far more government funds into waste processing and recycling facilities at a local level. This would reduce the environmental impact of the waste by reducing pollution, and also lower our demand for raw materials, as more recycled products would consequently be produced. A further, longer-term solution might be to raise the level of public understanding for the need to consume less material in households, especially in terms of packaging and wasted food. A campaign of education along these lines would gradually lessen the volume of waste, especially if reinforced by incentives for consuming less and penalties for excessive waste, as we see being trialled in the UK at present.
Overall, the main problems are both environmental and financial. The possible solutions involve more immediate investment in facilities, and also encouraging long-term changes in household behavior.
(326 words)
Examiner’s notes
This is a logical and well-organised Band 9 essay, with strong academic style and very effective advanced vocabulary. The introduction tells me clearly that the candidate has considered both the topic and the task, and has prepared a problem/solution main body. The ‘problems’ paragraph gives examples in an effective way (‘ranging from . . . to’) and uses complex sentences which present a variety of ideas (in particular the sentence ‘The historical solution . . . some of the waste’ which contains three stages of ideas in a logical sequence.) Signposting is excellent (eg ‘This leads us to . . . Regarding possible . . .’) The ‘solutions’ paragraph offers practical ideas without excessive technical detail, and uses tentative language (‘would . . . might be’) to show that the candidate is discussing possible remedies rather than presenting a complete solution. The candidate emphasizes that she is presenting short and long term solutions. The level of vocabulary is excellent, both in terms of academic English (eg ‘stemming from . . . comprises . . . divert funds . . . reinforced by incentives’) and topic-specific language (eg ‘incineration . . . ecologically sound . . . paper pulping . . . environmental impact.’) We don’t expect candidates to know scientific or very specialised words, but this vocabulary is used widely on this topic in the general media. The summary is rather brief, but it covers the main ideas well, and at 326 words I would not want the essay to be much longer.