Skip to main content
EnglandComputer ScienceSyllabus dot point

What effect does the manufacture, use and disposal of digital technology have on the environment?

The environmental impacts of digital technology: the energy used in manufacture and operation, the raw materials and rare metals consumed, electronic waste and its disposal, and ways the impact can be reduced.

An OCR J277 1.6.1 answer on the environmental impacts of digital technology: energy use in manufacture and operation, the raw materials and rare metals consumed, electronic waste (e-waste) and its disposal, and how the impact can be reduced.

Generated by Claude Opus 4.89 min answer

Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed

Have a quick question? Jump to the Q&A page

Jump to a section
  1. What this dot point is asking
  2. Energy and raw materials in manufacture
  3. Energy in operation
  4. Electronic waste
  5. Reducing the impact
  6. Try this

What this dot point is asking

OCR wants you to explain how digital technology affects the environment across its whole life: the energy and raw materials used to make it, the energy used to run it, and the electronic waste created when it is thrown away. You should also be able to suggest how these impacts can be reduced. The environment is one of the five impact categories and is a common theme in the extended-response question.

Energy and raw materials in manufacture

Energy in operation

Electronic waste

Reducing the impact

The impact can be cut at every stage. Users can keep devices longer, repair rather than replace, and recycle properly so metals are recovered instead of mined again. Designers can make devices repairable and recyclable (modular parts, replaceable batteries) and use recycled materials. Operators can power data centres with renewable energy and site them where cooling needs less energy. The simplest and most effective single action is to slow the replacement cycle, because that avoids the manufacturing impact entirely.

Try this

Q1. State two environmental impacts of manufacturing a new laptop. [2 marks]

  • Cue. It uses energy (carbon emissions) and consumes raw materials including rare metals that must be mined.

Q2. Explain why electronic waste is harmful if sent to landfill. [2 marks]

  • Cue. It contains toxic substances such as lead and mercury that leak into and pollute the soil and water.

Q3. Suggest two ways an individual could reduce the environmental impact of their phone use. [2 marks]

  • Cue. Keep the phone longer and repair it rather than upgrading every year; recycle the old phone properly so its materials are recovered.

Exam-style practice questions

Practice questions written in the style of OCR exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.

OCR 20216 marksModern smartphones are often replaced every two or three years. Discuss the environmental impacts of this, and suggest how the impacts could be reduced. You should consider both the manufacture and the disposal of the devices.
Show worked answer →

A 6-mark levels-of-response question, so a developed, two-sided discussion with a conclusion or suggestions.

Manufacture: making a phone uses energy and consumes raw materials, including rare metals (such as those in batteries and circuits) that must be mined, which damages habitats and uses water. Replacing phones often means this happens far more frequently than necessary.

Disposal: discarded phones become electronic waste (e-waste). If sent to landfill they can leak toxic substances (lead, mercury) into soil and water; much e-waste is shipped to developing countries and dismantled unsafely.

Reducing the impact: keep devices longer, repair rather than replace, recycle properly so metals are recovered, and design devices to be repairable and recyclable. Manufacturers can use recycled materials and renewable energy.

Markers reward developed points on both manufacture and disposal, plus realistic ways to reduce the impact, and a short conclusion.

OCR 20223 marksExplain what is meant by electronic waste (e-waste) and give two reasons it is an environmental problem.
Show worked answer →

Definition (1 mark): e-waste is discarded electronic devices and equipment, such as old phones, computers, televisions and batteries.

Two reasons (1 mark each): it often contains toxic substances (lead, mercury, cadmium) that pollute soil and water if dumped in landfill; the volume is huge and growing because devices are replaced frequently; much of it is exported to developing countries and dismantled in unsafe conditions; and valuable materials are wasted instead of being recovered through recycling.

Markers reward a clear definition and two genuinely different environmental reasons, not the same point twice.

Related dot points

Sources & how we know this