IELTS Speaking Part 1: Rubbish and recycling Questions and Answers

It's becoming more common, yes. In big towns there are different bins for paper, plastic and general waste. But in smaller places people don't always sort properly. Some people just put everything in one bin because it's easier.

Yes, sorting waste is fairly common, especially in cities and suburban areas. Most households have a couple of coloured bins and councils run regular information campaigns. That said, compliance varies — in rural villages there's less infrastructure and fewer doorstep collections, so people sometimes don't bother.

Yes — at least in urban and many suburban areas waste sorting is now the norm. Local authorities have kerbside collections and there are deposit-return and take-back schemes for certain items, so infrastructure encourages sorting. The sticking point tends to be inconsistent rules between councils and behaviour: contamination of recycling bins is still a problem, and in some rural areas the service isn't as comprehensive.

When I was a kid we tried to recycle sometimes. My parents kept glass bottles and old newspapers, and my school had a box for paper. It wasn't a big part of everyday life though.

Yes, I did to some extent. At home we had a routine — bottles and cans went in one bin, paper in another — and at school we did projects about recycling. I also remember collecting cans for a school fundraiser, so it was a practical habit rather than just something we heard about.

Definitely — early recycling was part of family life and school life. We separated newspapers, glass and tins, and there were community collection drives where children were encouraged to bring items in. Those small chores stuck with me and shaped how I think about waste now: treating recycling as an ordinary household task rather than an occasional activity.

If it's small rubbish I usually pick it up and put it in the nearest bin. If it's too big or dirty I just walk on. Sometimes I tell a nearby shop or the council if it's a lot.

I try to pick it up if it's safe to do so — a crisp packet or a bottle, for example — and put it in a bin or a recycling container. If it looks dangerous or it's a big pile I report it to the council or take a photo and post it on a local community page. I also join local litter-picks now and then.

My default is to deal with small items if it's safe — gloves on, rubbish in a bag, and then sort into a recycling bin or general waste. For larger fly-tipping I report it to the council and will sometimes photograph it for the local community group so others know. I try to model the behaviour too — stooping to pick up litter can encourage others to do the same.

I rinse plastic containers and put them in the recycling bin. Paper I keep clean and put in a paper bin. If something is greasy or too dirty I put it in the normal bin.

I separate items at home: clean plastics and tins get rinsed and go in the recycling, paper and cardboard are kept dry and flattened. I try not to put greasy pizza boxes in the paper bin because they contaminate the load. For things like batteries or electronics I take them to a special drop-off point.

At home I prepare items to avoid contamination — plastics and cans are rinsed and crushed where feasible, paper and cardboard are kept dry and flattened. I avoid 'wishcycling' by checking local guidelines: soft plastics often need a supermarket take-back rather than kerbside recycling, and greasy cardboard goes to compost or general waste depending on the council. For hazardous waste or e-waste I use designated collection points so materials can be processed properly.