Question: The diagram above shows how plastic is used and plastic waste is processed. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Band 8+ Sample Answer:
(Intro & Overview) The diagram illustrates the two related processes for dealing with plastic waste products once they have been sold, which are recycling and landfill. The former is a cyclical process containing a total of 6 steps, which involves collecting and sorting the items before processing them into sellable products. The later is a linear process which contains only four steps and focuses on the collection and burying of the items.
(Detail 1) Initially for both processes, the plastic products are sold and subsequently used by customers. Products that are not recycled are put in rubbish bins or littered and then collected and transported to landfill sites, where they are buried indefinitely. In contrast, plastic products destined for recycling are taken to a collection point, where they are collected and then transported to a warehouse for sorting. After this step has been completed, these items are delivered to an industrial processing plant where they are converted to usable products. The final step of the process involves transporting the finished items to shops in order to be sold to the general public, and the cycle begins again (182 words).
Words: Nick Kemp, former IELTS examiner.
Image: Cambridge