The diagram
illustrates the various stages in the recycling of waste glass bottles.
There are
three main stages shown in the diagram, beginning with the collection of the
used glass bottles and ending with the delivery of products in new bottles to
retail outlets such as supermarkets.
In the
first stage, waste bottles are deposited at collection points, where they are
loaded onto trucks for delivery to a glass recycling facility.
Stage 2
begins with the process of cleaning the bottles with high pressure water and
they are then separated into clear, green and brown glass.
This is
then broken into pieces in the glass factory and passed through a furnace,
where they are burned at a temperature of 600 to 800 degrees Celsius.
This
recycled glass is now in liquid form, and it is joined with new liquid glass
ready for moulding into a bottle shape.
In the
final stage, the new bottles are used for different products, ready for sale in
supermarkets or shops.
In some countries the
average worker is obliged to retire at the age of 50, while in others people
can work until they are 65 or 70.
Meanwhile, we see some
politicians enjoying power well into their eighties. Clearly, there is little
agreement on an appropriate retirement age.
Until what age do you
think people should be encouraged to remain in paid employment?
model answer:
Mandatory retirement age varies from society to
society, perhaps a reflection of economics, population pressures or simply
value systems.
Indeed, retirement at 50 can probably be as easily
justified as that at 70.
It is my belief, however, that the longer an able
person is allowed to work, the better for both the individual worker and the
employer.
Chronological age is not always a true indicator of
ability.
While some 65¬ year-olds may not perform as well as
they did in their past, many workers at this age do just as well or better than
they used to.
People's suitability for a position should be a
reflection of their performance in the job, rather than the number of wrinkles
or grey hairs they have.
Employers concerned about the increasing age of their
employees need only observe their work records.
Those doing poorly may be asked to retire, but those
as yet unaffected by age should stay on.
Indeed, it would appear economical for an organisation
to retain its older employees when possible rather than spend time and money on
training new workers.
Remaining in one's job for as long as one is able
makes sense as life expectancies increase around the world.
As people live longer, they are longer able to
contribute to society in the form of meaningful work.
But they are also in need of income for a longer
period, so a mandatory retirement age of 55 for someone who is statistically
likely to live to 77 becomes increasingly difficult to justify.
At a time when populations are ageing, governments are
less able to provide for their senior citizens, so by keeping able workers in
paid employment for as long as is practicable, public expenditures are less
strained.
Thus, workers who can still demonstrate their capacity
to carry out their work should not be asked to retire simply because they have
reached a certain age.
Societies that insist on early retirement may do well
to look again at their policies.
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