Environment & Ecology › Pollution & Waste Management – UPSC Prelims PYQs

Consider the following : I. Cigarette butts II. Eyeglass lenses III. Car tyres

How many of them contain plastic?

Consider the following statements :

Statement I : Activated carbon is a good and an attractive tool to remove pollutants from effluent streams and to remediate contaminants from various industries.

Statement II : Activated carbon exhibits a large surface area and a strong potential for adsorbing heavy metals.

Statement III : Activated carbon can be easily synthesized from environmental wastes with high carbon content.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Artificial way of causing rainfall to reduce air pollution makes use of

With reference to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that are used in making many consumer products, consider the following statements :

1. PFAS are found to be widespread in drinking water, food and food packaging materials.
2. PFAS are not easily degraded in the environment.
3. Persistent exposure to PFAS can lead to bioaccumulation in animal bodies.

Which of the statements given above are correct ?

Consider the following statements :

Statement-I : Many chewing gums found in the market are considered a source of environmental pollution.

Statement-II : Many chewing gums contain plastic as gum base.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements ?

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which one of the following is the largest source of sulphur dioxide emissions ?

Consider the following statements regarding mercury pollution :

1. Gold mining activity is a source of mercury pollution in the world.
2. Coal-based thermal power plants cause mercury pollution.
3. There is no known safe level of exposure to mercury.

How many of the above statements are correct?

With reference to coal-based thermal power plants in India, consider the following statements :

1. None of them uses seawater.
2. None of them is set up in water-stressed district.
3. None of them is privately owned.

How many of the above statements are correct?

In the context of WHO Air Quality Guidelines, consider the following statements :

1. The 24-hour mean of PM2.5 should not exceed 15 μg/m3 and annual mean of PM2.5 should not exceed 5 μg/m3.
2. In a year, the highest levels of ozone pollution occur during the periods of inclement weather.
3. PM10 can penetrate the lung barrier and enter the bloodstream.
4. Excessive ozone in the air can trigger asthma.

Which of the statements given above are correct ?

Consider the following :

1. Carbon monoxide
2. Nitrogen oxide
3. Ozone
4. Sulphur dioxide Excess of which of the above in the environment is/are cause(s) of acid rain ?

‘R2 Code of Practices’ constitutes a tool available for promoting the adoption of

Why is there a concern about copper smelting plants?

1. They may release lethal quantities of carbon monoxide into environment.
2. The copper slag can cause the leaching of some heavy metals into environment.
3. They may release sulphur dioxide as a pollutant.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

With reference to furnace oil, consider the following statements :

1. It is a product of oil refineries.
2. Some industries use it to generate power.
3. Its use causes sulphur emissions into environment.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Magnetite particles, suspected to cause neurodegenerative problems, are generated as environmental pollutants from which of the following?

1. Brakes of motor vehicles
2. Engines of motor vehicles
3. Microwave stoves within homes
4. Power plants
5. Telephone lines

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Bisphenol A (BPA), a cause of concern, is a structural/key component in the manufacture of which of the following kinds of plastics?

Which of the following are the reasons/factors for exposure to benzene pollution ?

1. Automobile exhaust
2. Tobacco smoke
3. Wood burning
4. Using varnished wooden furniture
5. Using products made of polyurethane

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

Consider the following statements :

1. Coal ash contains arsenic, lead and mercury.
2. Coal-fired power plants release sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen into the environment.
3. High ash content is observed in Indian coal.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

Why is there a great concern about the 'microbeads' that are released into environment?

Consider the following :

1. Carbon monoxide
2. Methane
3. Ozone
4. Sulphur dioxide

Which of the above are released into atmosphere due to the burning of crop/biomass residue?

Consider the following statements :

1. Agricultural soils release nitrogen oxides into environment.
2. Cattle release ammonia into environment.
3. Poultry industry releases reactive nitrogen compounds into environment.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

As per the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 in India, which one of the following statements is correct?

In India, 'extended producer responsibility' was introduced as an important feature in which of the following?

In the cities of our country, which among the following atmospheric gases are normally considered in calculating the value of Air Quality Index?

1. Carbon dioxide
2. Carbon monoxide
3. Nitrogen dioxide
4. Sulfur dioxide
5. Methane

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

What can be the impact of excessive/inappropriate use of nitrogenous fertilizers in agriculture?

1. Proliferation of nitrogen-fixing microorganisms in soil can occur.
2. Increase in the acidity of soil can take place.
3. Leaching of nitrate to the ground-water can occur.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

With reference to 'fly ash' produced by the power plants using coal as fuel, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. Fly ash can be used in the production of bricks for building construction.
2. Fly ash can be used as a replacement for some of the Portland cement contents of concrete.
3. Fly ash is made up of silicon dioxide and calcium oxide only, and does not contain any toxic elements.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Brominated flame retardants are used in many household products like mattresses and upholstery. Why is there some concern about their use?

1. They are highly resistant to degradation in the environment.
2. They are able to accumulate in humans and animals.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Which of the following are some important pollutants released by steel industry in India?

1. Oxides of sulphur
2. Oxides of nitrogen
3. Carbon monoxide
4. Carbon dioxide

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Due to improper/indiscriminate disposal of old and used computers or their parts, which of the following are released into the environment as e-waste?

1. Beryllium
2. Cadmium
3. Chromium
4. Heptachlor
5. Mercury
6. Lead
7. Plutonium

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

Acid rain is caused by the pollution of environment by

Photochemical smog is a resultant of the reaction among

Lead, ingested or inhaled, is a health hazard. After the addition of lead to petrol has been banned, what still are the sources of lead poisoning?

1. Smelting units
2. Pens and pencils
3. Paints
4. Hair oils and cosmetics

Select the correct answer using the codes given below :

Consider the following statements : Chlorofluorocarbons, known as ozone-depleting substances, are used

1. in the production of plastic foams
2. in the production of tubeless tyres
3. in cleaning certain electronic components
4. as pressurizing agents in aerosol cans

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following:

1. Carbon dioxide
2. Oxides of Nitrogen
3. Oxides of Sulphur

Which of the above is/are the emission/emissions from coal combustion at thermal power plants?

The formation of ozone hole in the Antarctic region has been a cause of concern. What could be the reason for the formation of this hole?

A pesticide which is a chlorinated hydrocarbon is sprayed on a food crop. The food chain is: Food crop – Rat – Snake – Hawk. In this food chain, the highest concentration of the pesticide would accumulate in which one of the following?

Consider the following:

1. Oxides of Hydrogen
2. Oxides of Nitrogen
3. Oxides of Sulphur

Which of the above causes/cause acid rain?

Assertion (A): Coal-based thermal power stations contribute to acid rain.

Reason (R): Oxides of carbon are emitted when the coal burns.

Which one of following is produced during the formation of photochemical smog?

Which one of the following organisms is likely to show the highest concentration of DDT once it has been introduced into the ecosystem?

“The final Agent Orange raid in Vietnam took place in 1970…. areas have begun to bloom again. But 19 years after the war’s end, it seems plain that Agent Orange is killing and maiming human beings, something it never intended to do. The apparent toxic fall-out from those clouds ... is a crop of human miseries including cancers, miscarriages and birth defects — that may persist for decades.” The offensive substance referred to in the above quotation is