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

During paper recycling, .......... is used to bleach pulp.

  1. Bleaching powder

  2. Hydrogen peroxide

  3. Water

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

Paper recycling is a process wherein, the paper that is used, discarded by the consumer, is collected and transported to paper mills. The papers are mixed with water and chemicals, broken down, converted into paper pulp and transformed into reusable form. The pulp is colored and bleaching is performed to remove the color. The chemicals which are used for bleaching are hydrogen peroxide, sodium hydrosulfite or sodium dithionite. These chemicals help in deinking of the pulp and increasing brightness. 

Thus, the correct answer is option B. 

Multiple choice zoology bioenergy biogas environmental use of microorganism microbes in waste treatment and biogas

The residue left after methane production from cattle dung is:

  1. burnt

  2. burned in land fills

  3. used as manure

  4. used In, civil construction
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation
The residue left after methane production from cattle dung is used as manure because it supply some organic materials and minerals to the soil.
So, the correct answer is 'used as manure'
Multiple choice zoology microbes in human welfare biogas environmental use of microorganism microbes in waste treatment and biogas

Primary sludge is used for

  1. Preparation of compost

  2. Preparation of manure

  3. Biogas production

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

Primary sludge is the solid material removed during the primary sedimentation process of sewage treatment. It is organic-rich and can be processed via anaerobic digestion for biogas production, composting, or manure preparation.

Multiple choice economics environment pollution strategies to control environmental pollution strategies to control pollution strategies to control environmental pollution and green chemistry

Which method is used to degrade the waste by microorganism in the absence of oxygen?

  1. Dumping

  2. Composting

  3. Digesting

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

Anaerobic digestion is a series of biological processes in which microorganisms break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen. One of the end products is biogas, which is combusted to generate electricity and heat, or can be processed into renewable natural gas and transportation fuels.

Multiple choice economics environment pollution strategies to control environmental pollution strategies to control pollution strategies to control environmental pollution and green chemistry

Biodegradable wastes are deposited in land fills and are converted into ________.

  1. compost

  2. dust

  3. pesticides

  4. none of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Biodegradable waste includes any organic matter in waste which can be broken down into carbon dioxide, water, methane or simple organic molecules by micro-organisms and other living things using composting, aerobic digestion, anaerobic digestion or similar processes.

The process of composting requires making a heap of wetted organic matter known as green waste (leaves, food waste) and waiting for the materials to break down into humus after a period of weeks or months.

Multiple choice economics environment pollution strategies to control environmental pollution strategies to control pollution strategies to control environmental pollution and green chemistry

Among the following industrial waste can be managed by :

  1. recycling

  2. burning of combustible waste material

  3. dumping

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

  1. Recycling is the process of converting waste products into new products to prevent energy usage and consumption of fresh raw materials. Recycling is the third component of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle waste hierarchy. The idea behind recycling is to reduce energy usage, reduce volume of landfills, reduce air and water pollution, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and preserve natural resources for future use.

  2. A landfill site (also known as a tip, dump, rubbish dump, garbage dump or dumping ground and historically as a midden) is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of waste treatment (although the burial part is modern; historically, refuse was just left in piles or thrown into pits).

  3. Incineration or combustion is a type disposal method in which municipal solid wastes are burned at high temperatures so as as to convert them into residue and gaseous products. The biggest advantage of this type of method is that it can reduce the volume of solid waste to 20 to 30 percent of the original volume, decreases the space they take up and reduce the stress on landfills.

Multiple choice economics environment pollution strategies to control environmental pollution strategies to control pollution strategies to control environmental pollution and green chemistry

Methods used for the management of waste is/are:

  1. recycling

  2. incineration

  3. digesting

  4. all of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation
  1. Recycling is the process of converting waste products into new products to prevent energy usage and consumption of fresh raw materials. Recycling is the third component of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle waste hierarchy. The idea behind recycling is to reduce energy usage, reduce the volume of landfills, reduce air and water pollution, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and preserve natural resources for future use.
  2. Incineration or combustion is a type disposal method in which municipal solid wastes are burned at high temperatures so as to convert them into residue and gaseous products. The biggest advantage of this type of method is that it can reduce the volume of solid waste to 20 to 30 percent of the original volume, decreases the space they take up and reduce the stress on landfills.

  3. Anaerobic digestion is a collection of processes by which microorganisms break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen. The process is used for industrial or domestic purposes to manage waste or to produce fuels.

Multiple choice economics environment pollution strategies to control environmental pollution strategies to control pollution strategies to control environmental pollution and green chemistry

Identify an example of a successful way to dispose of hazardous waste.

  1. Deep injection

  2. Well burn it in an incinerator plant

  3. Put it in a metal cask and throw it in the ocean

  4. Bury in a metal drum in a regular landfill
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Deep injection is a liquid waste disposal technology. This alternative uses injection wells to place treated or untreated liquid waste into geologic formations that have no potential to allow migration of contaminants into potential potable water aquifers.

Other methods result into pollution and are not a feasible solution. 

Multiple choice economics environment pollution strategies to control environmental pollution strategies to control pollution strategies to control environmental pollution and green chemistry

Which of the following is not a method for the disposal of hazardous wastes?

  1. ISV

  2. Landfills

  3. Deep-will injection

  4. Surface impoundments
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

In situ vitrification (ISV) is a process which uses an electric current to melt soil or other earthen materials at extremely high temperatures and thereby immobilize most inorganics and destroy organic pollutants by pyrolysis. While other methods can be successfully used to dispose hazardous wastes, ISV will cause air and soil pollution.

Multiple choice economics environment pollution strategies to control environmental pollution strategies to control pollution strategies to control environmental pollution and green chemistry

Which of the following is not a major option for managing hazardous waste?

  1. Reducing the production of waste while increasing the amount generated.

  2. Reducing the volume and/or hazard of the waste.

  3. Long-term storage or disposal.

  4. Dumping at sea
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Reducing the volume and/or hazard of the waste, long-term storage or disposal, dumping at sea are ways of managing hazardous wastes. Reducing the production of waste while increasing the amount generated is a preventive method rather than a disposal method.

Multiple choice economics environment pollution strategies to control environmental pollution strategies to control pollution strategies to control environmental pollution and green chemistry

Industrial waste include:

  1. chemical solvents, paints

  2. sandpaper, paper products

  3. industrial by-products, radioactive waste

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

Industrial waste is the waste produced by industrial activity which includes any material that is rendered useless during a manufacturing process such as that of factories, industries, mills, and mining operations. It has existed since the start of the Industrial Revolution. Some examples of industrial wastes are chemical solvents, paints, sandpaper, paper products, industrial by-products, metals, and radioactive wastes.

Multiple choice economics environment pollution strategies to control environmental pollution strategies to control pollution strategies to control environmental pollution and green chemistry

Waste management is ________.

  1. to develop products and processes that are kind to the environment. This can involve reducing the waste a process creates, using renewable materials, lessening the energy required to form a product, etc

  2. the collection, transportation, disposal or recycling and monitoring of waste

  3. the process of creating a clean and green environment

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

Waste management is the precise name for the collection, transportation, disposal or recycling and monitoring of waste. This term is assigned to the material, waste material that is produced through human being activity. This material is managed to avoid its adverse effect on human health and environment.

Multiple choice economics environment pollution strategies to control environmental pollution strategies to control pollution strategies to control environmental pollution and green chemistry

Sludge is:

  1. created from combination of gases released from industries and water

  2. a semi-solid slurry and can be produced as sewage sludge from wastewater treatment processes

  3. a type of household waste

  4. a type of industrial waste
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Sludge is a semi-solid slurry and can be produced as sewage sludge from wastewater treatment processes or as a settled suspension obtained from conventional drinking water treatment and numerous other industrial processes.