Environmental Studies · General Awareness

Waste Management and Pollution

2,230 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 perfect competition and monopoly market structure and pricing economics

Organic waste i.e. food waste, manure, leaves, grass trimmings, paper, wood, feathers, crop residue, etc., are dumped in large pits called _________.

  1. Landfill Pit

  2. Compost Pit

  3. Drainage Pit

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

Organic waste is decomposed in compost pits to create fertilizer, distinguishing these pits from landfills or drainage systems.

Multiple choice perfect competition and monopoly market structure and pricing economics

Which type of waste must be disposed of with utmost care?

  1. Toxic

  2. Soiled

  3. Organic

  4. Options A and B
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Both toxic waste (hazardous chemicals) and soiled waste (potentially infectious medical waste) require specialized handling and disposal to prevent environmental and health risks.

Multiple choice perfect competition and monopoly market structure and pricing economics

Hospital waste such as discarded syringe needles, bandages, swabs, plasters, cloth soiled with blood and other body fluids are termed as ___________.

  1. Organic waste

  2. Recyclable waste

  3. Soiled

  4. Toxic waste
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Soiled waste refers to medical or biological waste contaminated with body fluids, which requires specific disposal protocols to prevent infection.

Multiple choice perfect competition and monopoly market structure and pricing economics

Nonbiodegradable waste can be further segregated into ________________.

  1. Recyclable waste

  2. Toxic waste

  3. Soiled

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

Non-biodegradable waste is a broad category that includes materials that do not break down naturally, such as recyclables, toxic materials, and soiled items that require specific disposal methods.

Multiple choice perfect competition and monopoly market structure and pricing economics

In ________ process, solid wastes are dumped in a low lying area and as a result of bacterial action, refuse decreases considerably in volume and are converted gradually into humus.

  1. Segregation

  2. Dumping

  3. Composting

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

Dumping in low-lying areas involves the decomposition of solid waste through bacterial action, which reduces its volume and turns it into humus over time.

Multiple choice zoology introduction to microbiology microbial pollution control environmental use of microorganism microbes in waste treatment and biogas

In secondary treatment, solid reducers, ranges from

  1. 70-92%

  2. 80-90%

  3. 20-60%

  4. 10-70%
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Secondary treatment typically removes 70-92% of solids and BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) from wastewater. The lower range (70-80%) represents less efficient systems, while well-operated plants achieve 85-92% removal.

Multiple choice zoology introduction to microbiology microbial pollution control environmental use of microorganism microbes in waste treatment and biogas

Sewage sludge is used as a

  1. Manure

  2. Biogas generator

  3. Tipping

  4. Both A and B
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Sewage sludge is a product of wastewater treatment. Once treated, sewage sludge is then dried and added to a landfill, applied to agricultural cropland as fertilizer, or bagged with other materials and marketed as “bio-solid compost” for use in agriculture and landscaping.

Hence, the correct answer should be 'Both A and B'.

Multiple choice evs sources of water conservation of natural and energy resources energy conservation and sources reduce, recycle, reuse importance of the conservation of natural resources

Method of managing used envelope: Reuse: : Method of managing fuels.

  1. Recycling

  2. Use for repurpose

  3. Reduce the use

  4. Refuse the use
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The waste management hierarchy emphasizes the 3Rs: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. If reusing an envelope is a management method, reducing the consumption of fuel is the corresponding conservation strategy.

Multiple choice chemistry energy production hazards and safety measures of radiations harmful effects and safety precautions for radiations nuclear physics

Which statement describe general waste?

  1. Much of the general waste at St. Paul's Hospital includes common items found in household garbage.

  2. Much of the general waste at St. Paul's Hospital is different and must be treated in special ways

  3. Much of the general waste at St. Paul's Hospital is not the same as other garbage and is dangerous if not disposed of properly

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

Much of the general waste at At. Paul hospital includes common items found in household garbage. 

General waste also called residual waste is material from business and household that can be recycled. 

Multiple choice physics energy production hazards and safety measures of radiations harmful effects and safety precautions for radiations nuclear physics

PPE is 

  1. equipments for handling radioactive waste.

  2. equipments for handling radioactive substance.

  3. Personal Protective Equipment

  4. none of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

PPE is personal protective equipment refers to protective clothing, goggles, helmets or other garments required to protect the wearer's body from injury and infection. The purpose of PPE is to reduce employee exposure to hazards.

Multiple choice biology garbage in, garbage out recycling of paper ways to reduce non degradable garbage recycling

Paper and Glass are the wastes that can be

  1. Reuse

  2. Recycle

  3. Decompose

  4. Both A and B
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation
The 'three Rs' that will help us to conserve natural resources for long-term use are reduced, recycle and reuse.
Reduce- Make use of smaller or less in amount, degree or size. For example, electricity and water.
Recycle- Convert (waste) into reusable material. For example, plastic cups and buckets, glass tumbler, paper, metal objects.
Reuse- Use again or more than once. For example, used envelopes, plastic carry bags, bottles of jam. 
Thus, the correct answer is option B.
Multiple choice biology garbage in, garbage out recycling of paper ways to reduce non degradable garbage recycling plastic waste thermocol reduce, recycle, reuse

Ways by which you can save paper is

  1. Collect used paper and recycle it

  2. Spread awareness about e-waste

  3. Spread awareness about the importance of soil

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

About 80,000-1,60,000 trees are cut down daily to make up to the need of paper products worldwide. Recycling of paper is the process wherein used paper is converted into a resuable form. Recyling has many benifits:

  • It heps save trees from cutting down.
  • Saves tons of water used in making fresh new virgin trees. Since recycling of paper requires less water.
  • Saves electricity usage. Since recycling of paper consumes less electrical power.
Thus collecting waste paper and recycling it helps save trees and paper.

Multiple choice biology garbage in, garbage out recycling of paper ways to reduce non degradable garbage recycling plastic waste thermocol reduce, recycle, reuse

To minimise garbage we should

  1. Recycle paper

  2. Use vermicomposting at home and deal with our kitchen waste

  3. Insist on the use of paper bags

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation
  • The paper can be recycled in order to minimize waste production.
  • Vermicomposting is the process in which the earthworms are used for the breakdown of the organic matter and production of compost. 
  • The paper bags are biodegradable and recyclable materials and so the use of these materials should be increased. 
Thus, the correct answer is option D. 
Multiple choice biology garbage in, garbage out recycling of paper ways to reduce non degradable garbage recycling plastic waste thermocol reduce, recycle, reuse

Every ton of paper recycled saves

  1. More than 3.3 cubic yards of landfills

  2. Less than 3.3 cubic yards of landfills

  3. Garden

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation
Every ton of paper recycled saves more than 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space, and if measured by weight, more paper is recovered for recycling than plastic, aluminum, and glass combined. And according to EPA, by recycling one ton of paper 17 trees, 7,000 gallons of water and 463 gallons of oil can be saved.
So, the correct answer is option A.