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 wastewater story origin of waste products waste generation waste and its types

In domestic sewage, suspended solids, colloidal and dissolved materials constitute

  1. $10\%$
  2. $5.6\%$
  3. $2.7\%$
  4. $0.1\%$
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The wastewater mixture will contain large numbers of microscopic organisms, mostly bacteria that are capable of consuming the organic component (fats, proteins, and carbohydrates) of the mixture and bringing about rapid changes in the wastewater. The solid components of wastewaters actually represent a very small part of most discharges, usually less than 0.1% by weight. However, it is this small component of the wastewater that presents the major challenges in wastewater treatment, operation, and disposal.

So the correct answer is '0.1%'.

Multiple choice geography waste generation and management - methods of safe disposal of waste treatment and disposal of waste waste management - need for management of waste sanitation and solid waste management

Problem of solid waste disposal can be reduced through _____________________.

  1. lesser pollution

  2. recycling

  3. population control

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

Recycling means a process of converting waste material into new products. It reduces the quantity of waste material and that can be brought into potential use in one form or another and thus filters the solid waste of trash.

Multiple choice geography waste generation and management - methods of safe disposal of waste treatment and disposal of waste waste management - need for management of waste sanitation and solid waste management

Disposal of waste without negatively effecting public health and environment is called ______________.

  1. Solid Waste Management

  2. Environmental Sanitation

  3. Dry Sanitation

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

Disposal of waste without negatively affecting public health and the environment is called Solid Waste Management. It is a term that is used to refer to the process of collecting and treating solid wastes. It also offers solutions for recycling items that do not belong to garbage or trash.

Multiple choice geography waste generation and management - methods of safe disposal of waste treatment and disposal of waste waste management - need for management of waste sanitation and solid waste management

Waste management programme functions on the theory of _____________.

  1. waste collection

  2. sanitation

  3. reduce, reuse, recycle

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

Reduce, reuse, recycle is the slogan around which whole waste management works. It involves steps of segregating waste and reducing them by the method such as "composting" then bringing into use some waste articles in one or other forms and the last step recycling so that the waste could be brought into use once again. This helps in diminishing the carbon footprint and waste effluent in the environment.

Multiple choice geography sanitation and solid waste management treatment and disposal of waste waste generation and management - methods of safe disposal of waste waste management - need for management of waste

The term Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is generally used to describe _____________________.

  1. wastes from industrial processes, construction and demolition debris

  2. wastes from private homes, commercial establishment and institutions

  3. mining wastes

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

The term municipal solid waste (MSW) is generally used to describe most of the non-hazardous solid waste from a city, town or village that requires routine collection and transport to a processing or disposal site, Sources of MSW include private homes, commercial establishments, and institutions, as well as industrial facilities.

Multiple choice geography sanitation and solid waste management treatment and disposal of waste waste generation and management - methods of safe disposal of waste waste management - need for management of waste

The work of disposal of all domestic and industrial waste is called __________________.

  1. waste management

  2. sanitation

  3. pollution

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

Waste management refers to the collection, transportation and disposal of garbage, sewage, domestic and industrial waste products. It includes recycling of waste product, making them reusable and techniques of depleting non-biodegradable waste.

Multiple choice geography sanitation and solid waste management treatment and disposal of waste waste generation and management - methods of safe disposal of waste waste management - need for management of waste

Problem of solid waste disposal can be reduced through_________.

  1. Recycling

  2. Lesser pollution

  3. More timber

  4. Population control
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Recycling is the process of converting waste  materials into new materials and objects. It is an alternative to "conventional" waste disposal that can save material and help lower greenhouse gas emissions. Recycling can prevent the waste of potentially useful materials and reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, thereby reducing: energy  usage, air pollution, and water pollution.

Multiple choice geography pollution - types and sources study of water pollution threats to water resource major hazards in india and prevention pollution and environment

Domestic wastewater that is mixed with other wastes such as plastic, detergents, animal dung and human faecal materials is known as ______________.

  1. industrial waste

  2. radioactive waste

  3. municipal waste

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

Municipal waste refers to the waste generated by households and businesses in a community, which includes a mix of organic and inorganic materials.

Multiple choice geography pollution - types and sources study of water pollution threats to water resource major hazards in india and prevention

All of the following are examples of low-level radioactive waste except :

  1. spent fuel rods

  2. contaminated reactor water

  3. contaminated cleaning equipment

  4. contaminated clothing
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Spent fuel rods are highly radioactive and are classified as high-level radioactive waste, unlike contaminated clothing or equipment which are low-level.

Multiple choice biology waste products reduce, recycle, reuse importance of the conservation of natural resources recycling

Plastic is one of the most harmful .......... waste.

  1. Biodegradable

  2. Non biodegradable

  3. Biotic

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

The substance which can be easily decomposed by natural decomposers is called as biodegradable wastes such as humans and animal excreta, plant wastes. Whereas the substance that cannot be decomposed by the natural decomposers and harm the environment is called as non biodegradable such as plastics, nuclear wastes or radioactive wastes, chemical wastes like DDT. Abiotic is the nonliving component of the ecosystem which consists air, water sunlight etc. Biotic is the component of an ecosystem which consists all living things like animals and plants. Thus, the correct answer is option B.

Multiple choice biology waste products reduce, recycle, reuse importance of the conservation of natural resources recycling

Which one is non-biodegradable?

  1. DDT

  2. Sewage

  3. Livestock waste

  4. Market garbage
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation
A. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane or DDT is a crystalline, colourless and odourless compound which is used as an insecticide.
B. Sewage is the wastewater which is generated from the homes and factories.
C. Livestock waste is generated from livestock industries of meat, egg and milk.
D. Market garbage is the rubbish stuff produced from various factories and industries.
Out of all these options, DDT is non-biodegradable which means that it cannot be degraded by the action of microbes.
So, the correct answer is 'DDT'.
Multiple choice biology waste products reduce, recycle, reuse importance of the conservation of natural resources recycling

Biodegradable wastes should be separated and kept in blue colour bins for garbage collectors.

  1. True

  2. False

  3. Either

  4. Neither
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation
Biodegradable wastes can be decomposed by the action of microbes. They are kept in green coloured bins for garbage collectors. Green bins are meant for collecting wet waste such as kitchen waste, fruit peels, food items etc. Blue coloured bins are meant for collecting dry waste which include plastic items, glass jars, metal cans, paper bags, polybags etc. which can be recycled or reused. 
Hence, the statement given in the question is incorrect.
So, the correct answer is 'False'.