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

Which of the following statements is incorrect?

  1. Adopting poor sanitation keep environment healthy.

  2. Large amount of waste is generated at hospitals and airports.

  3. Improper dispose off waste can lead to epidemic break out.

  4. Treatment plants reduce pollutants in waste water.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Adopting good and not poor sanitation keep environment healthy.

Multiple choice

What is sewage?

  1. Animal and plant wastes

  2. Human faecal wastes mixed with waste water

  3. Gaseous waste from the industries

  4. Non – biodegradable waste
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Human faecal wastes mixed with waste water is sewage.

Multiple choice

Which one of the following is not a point of origin of sewage?

  1. Toilets

  2. Commercial organization

  3. Treatment activities

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

Treatment activities are where sewage goes for processing, not where it originates. Toilets, kitchens, and commercial organizations are all sources that generate sewage - these are points of origin. Treatment facilities are the destination where sewage is processed.

Multiple choice

Which transport system carries sewage from point of being produced to the point of disposal?

  1. Mud pits

  2. On-site sanitation system

  3. Sewerage system

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

The sewerage system is the network of pipes that transports wastewater and sewage from homes, businesses, and industries to treatment plants or disposal points. This includes both sanitary sewage (from toilets, sinks) and stormwater runoff. The other options refer to components or sources, not the transport system itself.

Multiple choice

Pyrolisis and gasification are methods to obtain energy from which of the following?

  1. Wastes having high moisture content
  2. Wastes having high organic content

  1. Only 1

  2. Only 2

  3. Both 1 and 2

  4. Neither 1 nor 2
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Pyrolysis is a process of chemical decomposition of organic matter brought about by heat. In this process, the organic material is heated in the absence of air until the molecules thermally break down to become a gas comprising smaller molecules (known collectively as syngas). Gasification can also take place as a result of partial combustion of organic matter in the presence of a restricted quantity of oxygen or air. These methods are suitable for obtaining energy from wastes rich in organic content and low in moisture.

Multiple choice

Why is disposal of plastics a major problem?

  1. It is a degradable substance.

  2. It is a non-biodegradable substance.

  3. It is a biodegradable substance.

  4. It is a reusable substance.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Disposal of plastics is a major problem because they are non-biodegradable - they cannot be broken down by natural processes. Unlike biodegradable materials that decompose over time, plastics persist in the environment for hundreds of years. While some plastics can be reused, the core issue is their non-biodegradable nature.

Multiple choice

Directions: Fill in the numbered blank (iii) with the best option from those given.

Directions: Fill in the numbered blank with the best option from those given.

Pollution is one of the major ______ (i) ______ to the ______ (ii) ______.  There are many types of pollution like air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, noise pollution.  We must ____ (iii) ____ towards reducing the pollution.  There are many ways to do this. For example, one can use vehicles and automobiles _____ (iv) _____ on eco-friendly fuels.  One can also ____ (v) _____ the use of polythene bags.  One can even use natural manure in place of chemical fertilisers for the crops.

  1. think

  2. apply

  3. work

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

The pollution passage discusses taking action to reduce environmental damage. The phrase work towards reducing pollution is the correct collocation in English - work towards means to make effort to achieve a goal. Think towards, apply towards, and try towards are all grammatically incorrect or nonsensical combinations. The passage advocates active effort, not just thinking or attempting.

Multiple choice

Directions: Fill in the numbered blank (v) with the best option from those given.

Directions: Fill in the numbered blank with the best option from those given.

Pollution is one of the major ______ (i) ______ to the ______ (ii) ______.  There are many types of pollution like air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, noise pollution.  We must ____ (iii) ____ towards reducing the pollution.  There are many ways to do this. For example, one can use vehicles and automobiles _____ (iv) _____ on eco-friendly fuels.  One can also ____ (v) _____ the use of polythene bags.  One can even use natural manure in place of chemical fertilisers for the crops.

  1. punish

  2. disallow

  3. minimise

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

The pollution passage suggests practical actions for environmental protection. Minimise the use of polythene bags is standard environmental language meaning to reduce or limit usage. Punish is too harsh and doesn't fit individual action. Disallow suggests prohibition which is unrealistic for personal choices. Neglect means to ignore, which is opposite of the intended environmental protection message.

Multiple choice

Directions: Fill in the numbered blank (ii) with the best option from those given.

Directions: Fill in the numbered blank with the best option from those given.

Pollution is one of the major ______ (i) ______ to the ______ (ii) ______.  There are many types of pollution like air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, noise pollution.  We must ____ (iii) ____ towards reducing the pollution.  There are many ways to do this. For example, one can use vehicles and automobiles _____ (iv) _____ on eco-friendly fuels.  One can also ____ (v) _____ the use of polythene bags.  One can even use natural manure in place of chemical fertilisers for the crops.

  1. atmosphere

  2. earth

  3. environment

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

Pollution poses threats to the environment - the natural world that surrounds us. "Atmosphere" is too specific (only the air layer), "earth" refers to the planet itself, and "air" is just one component. Environment encompasses all natural systems including air, water, soil, and living organisms that pollution affects.

Multiple choice

Directions: Fill in the numbered blank (iv) with the best option from those given.

Directions: Fill in the numbered blank with the best option from those given.

Pollution is one of the major ______ (i) ______ to the ______ (ii) ______.  There are many types of pollution like air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, noise pollution.  We must ____ (iii) ____ towards reducing the pollution.  There are many ways to do this. For example, one can use vehicles and automobiles _____ (iv) _____ on eco-friendly fuels.  One can also ____ (v) _____ the use of polythene bags.  One can even use natural manure in place of chemical fertilisers for the crops.

  1. converted

  2. relying

  3. running

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

Vehicles and automobiles "running on" eco-friendly fuels is the correct phrase. "Running on" describes how a vehicle operates using a particular fuel source. "Converted on" and "relying on" are grammatically incorrect. "Burning on" is not idiomatic - we say vehicles run on fuel, not burn on fuel.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a biodegradable waste?

  1. Vegetable peel

  2. Hay

  3. Sewage

  4. Plastic

  5. Paper waste
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Biodegradable waste can be degraded by microorganisms into relatively harmless compounds. Plastic cannot be degraded. It is non-biodegradable waste.