UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Statements A, B, C, E and F are correct and highlight both resource recovery and health–environment risks. Valuable metals can be recovered, informal recycling can be dangerous, EPR creates producer responsibility, consumer awareness supports proper disposal and standards protect workers and the environment. Statement D is false because poor e-waste handling can contaminate soil and groundwater with heavy metals and other toxins. Thus, the combination that includes all true statements and excludes D is correct.

Option A:
Option A is correct as it combines technological, economic, regulatory and awareness aspects while excluding the statement that denies environmental relevance of safe management. It aligns with comprehensive e-waste management principles.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it omits F and therefore overlooks the importance of environmental and occupational standards in formal facilities, which are central to safer recycling.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect since it excludes A and thus fails to mention that e-waste is also a resource stream, not just a hazard. Losing the resource-recovery dimension makes the option incomplete.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect as it leaves out B, ignoring the dangerous conditions of informal recycling, which are a major concern in many countries.

Statements A, B and C are correct: A notes the resource recovery potential, B highlights health risks from informal recycling and C explains the EPR approach. Statement D is incorrect because e-waste contains hazardous components that can contaminate air, soil and water, affecting health and environment. Option C, which includes B, C and D, wrongly accepts D and leaves out A, so it cannot be the correct answer. The correct combination must therefore be A, B and C only.

Option A:
Option A is correct because it combines all three true statements and excludes D. It recognises both the opportunity for material recovery and the risks of improper handling, while pointing to policy instruments such as EPR. This aligns well with the unit’s treatment of e-waste.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect as it omits C, thereby ignoring the important regulatory concept of Extended Producer Responsibility in e-waste management. Without C, the description is incomplete.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it includes D as a correct statement, which contradicts scientific evidence on the hazards of e-waste. The presence of this false claim makes the combination unacceptable.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect since it pairs A and C with D and leaves out B. It again treats D as correct and fails to acknowledge the serious health risks associated with informal recycling mentioned in B.