Environment: IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Every year, the world produces more plastic waste than the year before, and much of it ends up in landfill or the sea. The growth is driven largely by cheap packaging, changing shopping habits and weak recycling systems, but it could be reduced through a combination of charges, producer responsibility and investment.

The first cause is the low cost of single-use plastics. Plastic is cheap, light and durable, so it is used to wrap almost everything from fruit to electronics, and consumers rarely pay directly for the packaging they discard. This has encouraged a throwaway culture in which items are used once and discarded without much thought. A second cause is the way people now shop and eat. The growth of online shopping and takeaway food means that a single meal or purchase can arrive in several layers of bags, boxes and containers. Finally, many countries lack adequate recycling facilities, so even plastic that could be recycled is buried or burned.

Each of these causes suggests a solution. To discourage unnecessary use, governments could impose a levy on plastic bags, cups and cutlery, or ban items for which simple alternatives exist; when shoppers must pay for a bag, most quickly learn to bring their own. To tackle the packaging used by online retailers and food outlets, laws could make producers responsible for collecting and recycling what they create, which would give them a strong reason to use less of it. Lastly, public investment in modern recycling plants, along with refill stations in supermarkets and deposit schemes for bottles, would make reuse more convenient for ordinary people.

In conclusion, plastic waste is rising because packaging is cheap, consumption habits have changed and recycling is inadequate. Making producers pay for their packaging is probably the most effective measure, since it tackles the problem at its source.