3.2.3 Recycling and waste

Content

Geographic inquiry and concept(s)
- How pressure on resources affects the future security of places
Geographic knowledge and understanding
- The disposal and recycling of consumer items, including international flows of waste
Case study or detailed examples
- Neither required by the syllabus
Aims of this lesson
- To understand what the difference between the disposal of waste and recycling is.
- To have knowledge of how our waste passes beyond national boundaries and the impact that this has on the country of destination.

UK was close behind, exporting 675,000 tonnes, with much of the waste sent to Turkey, Malaysia and Indonesia

The Guardian · 30 April 2026

Consumer item
- Consumer goods are products bought for consumption by the average consumer. Alternatively called final goods, consumer goods are the end result of production and manufacturing and are what a consumer will see stocked on the store shelf.

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Outline what is meant by an energy pathway. [2]
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Suggest two reasons why a country that relies on imported energy may face security risks. [4]
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Energy security is the most significant pressure within the water-food-energy nexus. To what extent do you agree with this statement? [10]
Rapid urbanisation puts more pressure on resource security than any other demographic change. To what extent do you agree with this statement? [10]
Climate change poses a greater threat to global food security than to energy security. To what extent do you agree with this statement? [10]