This is a classic GMAT Critical Reasoning weaken question about recycling policy. Let me walk you through how to think about this one - it's actually quite elegant once you see the key insight.
Let's start by understanding what's happening here:The legislator's argument follows this logic:
- Recycling is environmentally better than burning or landfilling waste ✓
- Current recycling programs are profitable ✓
-
Therefore → All communities should be required to recycle 50% of waste in 5 years
Notice how the legislator uses the word "therefore" - that's your signal that they're drawing a conclusion from the premises above.
Here's what you need to see to crack this question:When we're asked to weaken the
advisability of implementing this proposal, we need to find something that shows why what works now might NOT work when scaled up to the proposed requirements.
Step 1: Identify the assumptionThe legislator assumes that because
some recycling is profitable, recycling
50% of all waste will also be profitable (or at least feasible).
Step 2: Look for the scale problemThink about it - what if current programs are only profitable because they're cherry-picking the easiest materials to recycle?
Step 3: Evaluate Answer Choice BThis is where the magic happens! Choice B tells us that existing programs only handle
20% of solid waste - specifically, the 20% that can match raw materials in quality and price.
Let's think about what this means:
- Current profitable programs: Recycling 20% (the easy stuff)
- Proposed mandate: Recycling 50% (20% easy + 30% harder stuff)
See the problem? To hit 50%, communities would need to recycle an additional 30% of waste that presumably
can't match raw materials in quality and price. This directly undermines the profitability claim!
Why other choices don't work as well:- Choice A (participation rates): Doesn't challenge advisability - mandatory rules would fix participation
- Choice C (finding buyers): Could actually support the proposal - more volume might solve this
- Choice D & E: Minor considerations that don't seriously challenge the core proposal
The answer is B.---
You can check out the
step-by-step solution on Neuron by e-GMAT to master the systematic approach for identifying scope shifts in weaken questions. This pattern appears frequently in GMAT CR, and understanding it will help you spot similar traps quickly. You can also explore other GMAT official questions with detailed solutions on Neuron for structured practice
here.