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UPSC Prelims 2025 GS Paper 1, question 44

Topic: Environment and ecology

Q44

Consider the following :

I. Cigarette butts

II. Eyeglass lenses

III. Car tyres

How many of them contain plastic?

  1. (a) Only one
  2. (b) Only two
  3. (c) All the threeCorrect answer
  4. (d) None

Solution.

Answer: (c) All the three

  1. Item I is correct: cigarette filters (butts) are made of cellulose acetate, a photodegradable bioplastic polymer that persists as microplastic pollution.
  2. Item II is correct: modern eyeglass lenses are predominantly made of synthetic plastic polymers such as polycarbonate, CR-39 (allyl diglycol carbonate), or high-index polyurethane resins.
  3. Item III is correct: modern car tyres contain 50-60% synthetic rubber elastomers (such as styrene-butadiene and polybutadiene polymers) and nylon/polyester cord reinforcements, making tyre wear a major source of environmental microplastics.