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RAS question

Consider the following statements about e-waste: 1. E-waste is one of the fastest growing solid waste streams in the world. 2. The Basel Ban Amendment prohibits hazardous e-waste exports from Annex VII parties to non-Annex VII states. 3. India is among the largest e-waste generating countries in the world. 4. E-waste contains only non-hazardous materials like plastic and glass. Which of the statements given above are CORRECT?

Correct answer: (B) 1, 2 and 3 only.

Statements 1, 2 and 3 are correct: e-waste is one of the world's fastest-growing solid waste streams, the Basel Ban Amendment bars hazardous e-waste exports from Annex VII parties to non-Annex VII states, and India is among the largest e-waste-generating countries.

  1. (A)

    1 and 3 only

  2. (B)

    1, 2 and 3 only

  3. (C)

    2, 3 and 4 only

  4. (D)

    1, 2, 3 and 4

Explanation

E-waste means discarded electrical and electronic devices, and WHO identifies it as one of the world's fastest-growing solid waste streams. That supports Statement 1. WHO also treats e-waste as hazardous waste because discarded devices can release toxic substances when handled unsafely; the Basel Ban Amendment therefore applies to hazardous e-waste exports from Annex VII parties to non-Annex VII states. Statement 3 is correct because the Global E-waste Monitor 2024 places India among the largest e-waste generators. Statement 4 fails because e-waste is not merely plastic and glass: it may contain or release hazardous substances such as lead, mercury and brominated flame retardants.

Why the other options are wrong

  • (A) Option A leaves out Statement 2, although the Basel Ban Amendment restricts hazardous e-waste exports from Annex VII parties to non-Annex VII states.
  • (C) Option C includes Statement 4, but e-waste can contain hazardous substances such as lead, mercury and brominated flame retardants, so it is not only non-hazardous plastic and glass.
  • (D) Option D treats all four statements as correct, but Statement 4 contradicts the hazardous-waste character of e-waste recognised by WHO.

Concept

This tests environmental governance around hazardous waste, especially e-waste, toxic exposure and Basel Convention controls. It recurs in RAS because current environment questions often combine waste streams, international conventions and India's waste-management profile.

Source

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