Consider the following :
- I.Cigarette butts
- II.Eyeglass lenses
- III.Car tyres
How many of them contain plastic?
Show answer
Answer: C. Cigarette butts contain filters made of cellulose acetate, a plastic. Most eyeglass lenses today are plastic (CR-39 resin or polycarbonate). Car tyres contain synthetic rubber and polymer fibres such as nylon and polyester, and tyre wear is a major source of microplastics. So all three contain plastic.
Watch for: Cigarette filters look like cotton or paper and tyres look like 'rubber', so students miss the plastic in them.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Wrong: all three contain plastic.
- B. Wrong: all three contain plastic.
- D. Wrong: all three contain plastic.
Source to check: WHO, 'Tobacco: poisoning our planet' (2022); UNEP material on microplastics, including tyre wear (unep.org)
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.