With reference to polyethylene terephthalate, the use of which is so widespread in our daily lives, consider the following statements :
- 1.Its fibres can be blended with wool and cotton fibres to reinforce their properties.
- 2.Containers made of it can be used to store any alcoholic beverage.
- 3.Bottles made of it can be recycled into other products.
- 4.Articles made of it can be easily disposed of by incineration without causing greenhouse gas emissions.
Which of the statements given above are correct ?
Show answer
Answer: A. Statement 1 is correct: PET (polyester) fibres are blended with wool and cotton to make fabrics stronger. Statement 2 is wrong: PET is not suitable for every alcoholic drink, as some (especially spirits) can interact with it. Statement 3 is correct: PET bottles are widely recycled into fibre and other products. Statement 4 is wrong: burning PET releases carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. So 1 and 3.
Watch for: Words like 'any' and 'without causing' signal overstatements.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Wrong because PET cannot store any alcoholic drink and its incineration emits greenhouse gases.
- C. Wrong because incinerating PET does emit greenhouse gases.
- D. Wrong because PET is not suitable for every alcoholic beverage.
Source to check: NCERT Class 8 Science, Chapter 3 (Synthetic Fibres and Plastics); Central Pollution Control Board notes on plastic waste
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.