Three Rs waste minimisation – UGC NET Question

The three Rs principle stands for reduce,reuse and recycle,which together aim to minimise waste at source and promote resource efficiency. It encourages consumers and producers to generate less waste, use products multiple times and recover materials. Since the stem explicitly mentions these three verbs,the correct completion is the three Rs principle. It is a cornerstone of sustainable consumption and waste management.

Option A:
End of pipe approaches treat pollution only after it has been generated,for example through filters and scrubbers. While useful,they do not prioritise reducing waste at source as the three Rs do. Hence this option does not align with the proactive waste minimisation described in the stem.

Option B:
Polluter pays is an economic principle assigning the cost of pollution control to those who cause it. It does not specify how waste should be handled in terms of reduction, reuse or recycling,so it is not the best fit here.

Option C:
Three Rs directly encapsulates the idea of reducing resource use,extending product life and recovering materials. It provides a clear hierarchy in which reduction is preferred,followed by reuse and then recycling. This matches exactly the concept outlined in the question.

Option D:
Emission trading deals with the buying and selling of permits to emit pollutants,especially greenhouse gases. It is a market based instrument and not a behavioural principle of waste minimisation as stated in the stem.