Environmental Studies · General Awareness

Waste Management and Pollution

2,184 Questions

Waste management and pollution control address waste-to-energy technologies, hazardous disposal, and organic recycling methods. The questions cover landfilling, bioremediation, and marine debris indicators. This topic holds significant weight in UPSC, State PSC, and SSC general studies and environmental exams.

Waste-to-energy technologiesHazardous waste disposalBiogas storage methodsOrganic waste compostingPlastic pollution

Waste Management and Pollution Questions

Multiple choice solid waste and its management conservation of environment

Rag pickers remove

  1. plastic, polythene, paper and metal wastes

  2. rags, cardboard, glass articles

  3. both (a) and (b)

  4. food articles.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation
Rag pickers remove recyclable materials from the wastes such as plastic, polyethene, paper, metal wastes, rags, cardboard, glass articles etc. because all these items can be recycled and reused. For example, the paper is recycled into a usable form, metals and plastic can be melted and recycled any number of times, glass articles are recycled to form new articles as the quality of glass is not affected on recycling. 
Food articles are biodegradable and hence, they are not recycled.
Hence, options A and B are correct.
So, the correct answer is 'both (a) and (b)'.
Multiple choice solid waste and its management conservation of environment

In which solid waste disposal method, solid waste is reduced to fine particles in grinding machines?

  1. Incineration

  2. Pulverization

  3. Compositing

  4. Landfilling
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Pulverization is a waste treatment process where solid waste is shredded or ground into smaller particles to facilitate easier handling, composting, or landfilling.

Multiple choice solid waste and its management conservation of environment

The 3 R principle in waste management involves

  1. Reduce, Regain, Reuse

  2. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

  3. Reduce, Reform, Reset

  4. Reduce, Retain, Regain
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The 3R principle stands for Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, which are the core pillars of sustainable waste management.

Multiple choice solid waste and its management conservation of environment

Collection' is first fundamental function of;

  1. Solid waste management

  2. Solid waste disposal

  3. Environmental Management

  4. All of above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

In the hierarchy of solid waste management, the collection of waste from households or businesses is the first fundamental step before transportation, processing, and disposal.

Multiple choice solid waste and its management conservation of environment

In recyclable pakaging system, containers are used to collect storage of waste, bringing up to disposal site, unloading and returning to original location, known as

  1. Stationary Container System

  2. Hauled Container System

  3. Colloidal Solids

  4. Collection System
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

In a Hauled Container System, the container is hauled to the disposal site, emptied, and returned to the original location, which is common in industrial or large-scale waste management.

Multiple choice solid waste and its management conservation of environment

Which of the following is an important step before the last step of solid waste management?

  1. Collection

  2. Recovery

  3. Disposal

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

There are various steps which are involved in the safe management of the solid waste. Reduce, reuse, recycling, sorting, processing, recovery and disposal are major steps of integrated waste management. The important step before the last step is the energy recovery. The forms of wastes which can be recovered to obtain energy can be segregated and the remaining waste forms can be disposed. This reduces the energy which will be required for the transport and the final disposal of the waste.

Thus, the correct answer is option B. 

Multiple choice solid waste and its management conservation of environment

 ............ is the most common method of disposal in most European countries.

  1. Automated vacuum collection

  2. Curbside collection

  3. Pyrolysis

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Curbside collection is the method of waste disposal in the European countries. There are special bins which are used for the collection of the wastes from the residential areas. The wastes are then recollected in special trucks. These trucks are used for the transport of the wastes to the areas outside the premises of the city.

Thus, the correct answer is option B. 

Multiple choice solid waste and its management conservation of environment

 ............. is a disposal method in which solid organic wastes are subjected to combustion.

  1. Landfill

  2. Incineration

  3. Recycling

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Incineration is a waste treatment process that involves the combustion of organic substances contained in waste materials. Incineration can be described as thermal treatment. Incineration of waste materials converts the waste into ash, flue gas and heat. 

Thus, the correct answer is option B.

Multiple choice solid waste and its management conservation of environment

Incineration is also known as 

  1. Thermal treatment

  2. Landfill

  3. Decomposition

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Incineration is a waste treatment process that involves the combustion of organic substances contained in waste materials. Incineration can be described as thermal treatment. Incineration of waste materials converts the waste into ash, flue gas and heat. 

Thus, the correct answer is option A.

Multiple choice solid waste and its management conservation of environment

 Waste minimisation can improve

  1. Efficient production practices

  2. Economic returns

  3. Quality of products produced

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Waste minimization is a holistic approach that improves efficiency, reduces costs (economic returns), and often leads to better process control, which improves product quality.

Multiple choice solid waste and its management conservation of environment

Waste hierarchy gives information about

  1. Waste minimization

  2. Incineration

  3. Recycle

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Answer is option A i.e. "Waste minimization"
Waste Hierarchy is based on the principle that it is better to not to create waste. It helps in managing waste according to best for the environment. The aim of the waste hierarchy is to extract the maximum practical benefits from products and to generate the minimum amount of waste.

Multiple choice solid waste and its management conservation of environment

Tipping is a technique of

  1. Sewage disposal

  2. Waste disposal

  3. Smoke treatment

  4. Effluent
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation
A. Sewage disposal is the process of transport of sewage to the sewage treatment plant where harmful contaminants are removed from it so that it can be discharged into water bodies.
B. Waste disposal is the management of different types of wastes generated from the community of people.
C. Smoke treatment is the technique of reducing exhaust smoke that is produced from the burning of fuels in vehicles.
D. Effluent is the liquid or waste water discharged in water bodies after its treatment in sewage treatment plants.
Tipping, also known as sanitary landfilling, is a technique of waste disposal in which solid waste is dumped into land pits and then covered by layers of soil so that flies and other vectors are not attracted there.
So, the correct answer is 'Waste disposal'.
Multiple choice solid waste and its management conservation of environment

Which sentence is not true in context with house hold waste management?

  1. Buy loose fruits and vegetables to avoid packaging

  2. Throwing waste in garbage

  3. Increase the use of polythene

  4. Use rechargeable batteries
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Waste management includes activities that are required to manage waste from its inception to its final disposal. Household waste management includes separating household wastes in different parts and proper disposal of it or converting it into useful resources. There are several ways in which this can be achieved.

1. Buy loose fruits and vegetables to avoid packaging.
2. Throwing waste in garbage.
3. Use rechargeable batteries.
4. Decrease or stop the use of polythene. Using cloth bag instead of plastic bag.
5. Do vermicomposting.
6. Reduce paper usage.
7. Reuse containers.
Thus, the correct answer is 'Increase the use of polythene.'

Multiple choice solid waste and its management conservation of environment

How many categories are there in solid waste?

  1. Two

  2. Three

  3. Five

  4. Four
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Solid waste is generally classified into three main categories: municipal waste, industrial waste, and hazardous waste. These categories help in managing waste disposal and treatment processes effectively.

Multiple choice solid waste and its management conservation of environment

In which waste disposal method large areas of low lying waste lands are available?

  1. Pulverization

  2. Landfilling

  3. Incineration

  4. Sea Disposal
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Landfilling is the method of disposing of waste by burying it in low-lying areas or depressions in the ground. It is specifically suitable for large areas of low-lying land that require reclamation.