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

Multiple Choice Questions
Which one is non biodegradable

  1. sewage

  2. market garbage

  3. liverstock waste

  4. DDT
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation
DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) is a colorless and crystalline organochlorine known for its insecticidal properties.  It is nonbiodegradable and tends to accumulate and magnify in amount due to subsequent uses posing grave environmental impacts.
So, the correct answer is option D, DDT.
Multiple choice biology waste products reduce, recycle, reuse importance of the conservation of natural resources recycling

Find incorrect statement for Non-biodegradable pollutants:

  1. The non-biodegradable pollutants are decomposed by microbes

  2. They are degraded slowly

  3. They are often harmful

  4. DDT, BHC, plastics, broken glass are examples of non-biodegradable pollutants
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Non-biodegradable wastes are those that cannot be decomposed or dissolved by microbes or any natural agents. They remain on earth for thousands of years without any degradation.

So, the correct answer is 'the non-biodegradable pollutants are  decomposed by microbes

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

Waste are of two types, biodegradable and non-biodegradable.

  1. True

  2. False
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Wastes are of two types biodegradable and non-biodegradable. Biodegradable waste is an organic matter which can be broken down into simple organic molecules by micro-organisms using composting or digestion. Biodegradable products include paper, clothes, fruit, cardboard, vegetables.

Non-biodegradable waste is a type of waste that cannot be broken down into its base compounds by micro-organisms in a reasonable amount of time. Non-biodegradable products include plastic, metal, construction waste and electronics. 
Thus, the correct answer is option A.

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

 Which of the following is a biodegradable organic substance?

  1. Plastics

  2. Oils

  3. Pesticide

  4. Garbage
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The term biodegradable is used to describe materials that decompose through the actions of bacteria, fungi, and other living organisms. Organic substances are carbon containing substances. Thus, garbage can be biodegradable organic substance.

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

DDT (dichloro diphenyl trichloroethane) is an example of 

  1. Biodegradable waste

  2. Non-biodegradable waste

  3. Vermicompost

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

The substance which cannot be broken down easily like pesticides, insecticides (DDT), mercury, glass particles etc. These remains as such in environment for a very very long time. 

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

Non-biodegradable wastes are 

  1. Biological in origin

  2. Commonly man made

  3. Degraded by microbes

  4. Do not accumulate in nature
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Non-biodegradable wastes can not be broken down by decomposes because they do not have enzymes for the same. They are commonly man made. They are not degraded by micro organism. They pile up and accumulate in nature. 

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

Biodegradable waste can be _______

  1. Naturally degraded

  2. Artificially degraded

  3. Lead enter food chain and lead to biomagnification

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

Biodegradable wastes are naturally degraded by microbes they can also be disposed of thoughts waste treatment plants or converted into an agriculture resources of nature and compost. 

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

Non-biodegradable articles are the ones which cannot be decomposed.

  1. True

  2. False
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation
Non-biodegradable substances are the substances that can't be decomposed or degraded into simpler molecules by the action of microbes. Therefore these substances remain in nature for a long period of time. Such substances include plastic, polythene, metals, paints, polystyrene etc. These substances are also harmful for nature. They can be decomposed only by chemical agents.
Hence, the statement given in question is incorrect as non biodegradable articles cannot be decomposed or degraded.
So, the correct answer is 'True'.
Multiple choice biology waste products reduce, recycle, reuse importance of the conservation of natural resources recycling

Rules of effective environmental waste management or three R's are:

  1. Reduce, Return, Recycle

  2. Reduce, Recover, Recycle

  3. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

  4. Reduce, Remove, Recycle
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The three R's - reduce, reuse and recycle - saves our environment and they all help to cut down on the amount of waste generated in the environment.


So, the correct answer is 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle'

Multiple choice chemistry man made materials plastic and environment pollution due to plastics environmental impact: plastics

Why the waste created by plastics is not friendly with environment ?

  1. Plastics are non biodegradable

  2. Plastics are biodegradable

  3. On burning it causes pollution due to evolution of poisonous gases

  4. (1) & (3) both
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Plastics is not environment friendly because it is non biodegradable and on burning it leaves poisonous gases.
Option D is correct.