UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Electronic waste refers to discarded electrical and electronic equipment and their components. Items like mobile phones, laptops, monitors and printed circuit boards often contain heavy metals and hazardous substances. Improper disposal can contaminate soil and water and expose workers to toxic materials. Therefore, discarded mobile phones and computer motherboards are typical examples of e-waste.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because vegetable peels are biodegradable organic waste, usually suitable for composting. They do not contain the electronic components associated with e-waste.

Option B:
Option B is correct since mobile phones and motherboards clearly fall into the category of obsolete electronic equipment. Their safe recycling requires specialised processes to recover valuable metals and manage toxins.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect as bricks and concrete are construction and demolition waste. While bulky, they lack the electronic circuits and hazardous metals that define e-waste.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because garden leaves are green waste that can be composted or mulched. They do not pose the same toxic risks as discarded electronics.

Statements A, B and D are correct because they describe the nature of e-waste, risks of informal recycling and goals of proper e-waste management. E-waste is a hazardous waste stream due to heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants in discarded electronics. Informal recycling with open burning or acid leaching exposes workers and the environment to toxics. EPR and related policies aim to promote organised collection, safe recycling and sound disposal. Statement C is incorrect because EPR places responsibility primarily on producers, often shared with other actors, not only on consumers.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it omits statement D, which is also true. While A and B correctly describe what e-waste is and why informal recycling is risky, leaving out D ignores the role of policy frameworks in promoting safe collection and recycling. Therefore, this option lists only part of the full set of correct statements.

Option B:
Option B is correct because it includes exactly those statements that accurately represent e-waste management: the hazardous nature of e-waste, the dangers of informal recycling and the importance of organised systems and policies. It also excludes statement C, which wrongly assigns responsibility only to consumers. Hence this option reflects the complete and accurate combination.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it treats B and C as the only correct statements. Although B is true, C misinterprets EPR by ignoring producer responsibility and the shared but differentiated roles of other stakeholders. The exclusion of A and D further weakens this option.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect as it includes all four statements and thereby accepts C as correct. Since C incorrectly defines EPR, any combination that retains it cannot represent the correct set of statements. This option also fails to distinguish between accurate and inaccurate descriptions of responsibility.

E-waste is a growing environmental concern resulting from rapid obsolescence of ICT devices. It includes any discarded or end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment and their components. Such waste can release toxic substances if not handled properly. Therefore, the option describing unwanted electronic equipment correctly defines e-waste in ICT contexts.

Option A:
This option focuses on organic agricultural waste, which is managed through separate environmental processes such as composting. It is not specific to ICT and does not involve electronic components. Hence, it does not represent e-waste.

Option B:
This option correctly identifies e-waste as encompassing various ICT hardware that has reached the end of its useful life. Items like computers, monitors and phones contain metals and chemicals that require specialised recycling. This aligns with standard environmental discussions on e-waste.

Option C:
Paper waste from printing is indeed a concern but falls under general solid waste or paper waste, not e-waste. It does not involve electronic circuitry or hazardous materials unique to ICT devices.

Option D:
Plastic bottles are a form of plastic waste and contribute to pollution but are not classified as e-waste. The term specifically refers to electronic items rather than general plastic products.

E-waste refers to waste generated from discarded electronic devices, many of which contain hazardous substances such as heavy metals and plastics. Improper disposal can contaminate soil and water and affect human health. Responsible recycling and take-back policies are needed to manage e-waste sustainably. Hence, the materials described in the stem are e-waste.

Option A:
Option A, green energy, concerns renewable energy sources and does not describe discarded electronic devices.

Option B:
Option B is correct because environmental studies and ICT policy documents specifically label obsolete electronics as electronic waste or e-waste, emphasising their unique disposal challenges.

Option C:
Option C, biodegradable residue, refers to waste that can decompose naturally, whereas many electronic components persist in the environment for long periods.

Option D:
Option D, open data, denotes publicly accessible data sets and has no relation to physical waste.