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Q44 (IAS/2025) Environment & Ecology › Pollution & Conservation › Plastic and microplastics Answer Verified

Consider the following: 1. Cigarette butts 2. Eyeglass lenses 3. Car tyres How many of them contain plastic?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: C
Explanation

The correct answer is option C because all three items contain plastic.

Cigarette butts are made from cellulose acetate, a type of plastic.[1] This makes them a significant source of plastic pollution, with over 4 trillion cigarette butts littered globally each year.[2]

Lenses are pieces of transparent material, usually made of glass or plastic, which have curved surfaces.[3] Modern eyeglass lenses are commonly manufactured from plastic materials due to their lightweight nature and impact resistance, though glass is also used.

Car tyres lose material intensively due to wear and tear during the use phase, causing tyre dust[4], which is a form of microplastic pollution. Car tyres are made from synthetic rubber, which is essentially plastic polymer combined with natural rubber and other materials.

Therefore, all three items—cigarette butts, eyeglass lenses, and car tyres—contain plastic components.

Sources
  1. [3] Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 10: Light: Mirrors and Lenses > Activity 10.8: Let us explore > p. 162
  2. [4] https://wwfint.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf_breaking_down_high_risk_plastic_products.pdf
How others answered
Each bar shows the % of students who chose that option. Green bar = correct answer, blue outline = your choice.
Community Performance
Out of everyone who attempted this question.
63%
got it right
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. Consider the following: 1. Cigarette butts 2. Eyeglass lenses 3. Car tyres How many of them contain plastic? [A] Only one [B] Only tw…
At a glance
Origin: Books + Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 3.3/10 · 6.7/10

This question punishes rote-learners who only memorize 'banned lists' without understanding material science. It fuses a basic Class 8 NCERT fact (lenses) with high-level environmental reports (tyre dust & filters). The strategy is to audit 'everyday items' through the lens of environmental persistence—if it doesn't rot, it's likely plastic.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Do cigarette butts (cigarette filters) contain plastic?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"The filter of cigarette butts is made from cellulose acetate, a type of plastic."
Why this source?
  • Explicitly states that cigarette filters are made of cellulose acetate and identifies that material as a type of plastic.
  • Directly ties the filter material to 'plastic,' which answers whether butts contain plastic.
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"It is estimated that over 4 trillion cigarette butts, composed of cellulose acetate, are littered each year globally (Webler & Jakubowski, 2022)"
Why this source?
  • States that cigarette butts are composed of cellulose acetate.
  • Provides quantitative context (trillions of butts) reinforcing that the commonly cited filter material is cellulose acetate.
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"Other Wet wipes, cigarette butts, disposable vacuum filters, plastic tea bags Other single-use short-lived items"
Why this source?
  • Lists 'cigarette butts' among items categorized with other single-use non-packaging plastic items.
  • Places cigarette butts in a section about 'Other single-use short-lived items' within a document addressing high-risk plastic products, implying they are considered plastic pollution.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 5: Environmental Pollution > 5.2.4 Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, zozo. > p. 98
Strength: 4/5
“5.t2.4. Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, zozl, r The manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of foilowing single-use plastic, including poiysfyrene and expanded polystyrene, commodities shall be prohibited with effect from the rstJuly, zozz:- Single use plastic products oi- • ear buds with plastic sticks, piastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, polystyrene flhermocoll for decoration;• plates, cups, giasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straw, trays, wrapping or packing films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, and cigarette packets, plastic or PVC banners less than roo micron, stirrers All Rights Reserved. No part of this material may be reproduced in any form or by any means, with out permission in writing.”
Why relevant

Specifies that cigarette packets are listed among items associated with single‑use plastic/packing films, indicating the tobacco industry uses plastic materials in product packaging.

How to extend

A student could infer that if packaging uses plastic, other components (like filters) might also use polymer materials and therefore test filters for synthetic fibers or polymers.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 5: Environmental Pollution > 5.1o.r. Plastic Waste > p. 84
Strength: 2/5
“r Plastics are considered to be one of the wonderful inventions of the twentieth century. They are widely used as packing and carry bags because of cost and convenience. But plastics are now considered as environmental hazard due to the 'Throw away culture'.”
Why relevant

States plastics are widely used for packing and carry items because of cost and convenience, establishing a general pattern of plastic use in everyday consumer goods.

How to extend

Use the general ubiquity of plastics to consider that cigarette components designed for mass manufacture (filters) may plausibly be made from plastic-derived materials and check manufacturing descriptions or material tests.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 5: Environmental Pollution > 5.12.2. Plastics as a Waste Material in Land Environment > p. 97
Strength: 4/5
“5.12.2. Plastics as a Waste Material- in Land Environment Problems with the uncollected plastic waste, include • (i) Choking of drains by plastic carry bags which may lead to unhygienic environment and water borne diseases, • (ii) Causing of illness and possible death of animals that may feed on plastics from garbage bins, • (iii) Non-biodegradable and impervious nature of plastics disposed on soil which may arrest recharge of ground water aquifers, • (iv) presence of additives and plasticizers, fillers, flame retardants and pigments used in the plastic”
Why relevant

Describes plastics as non‑biodegradable and containing additives/plasticizers, highlighting how discarded plastic items persist and can harm environments.

How to extend

If cigarette butts persist in the environment like other plastic waste, a student could look for slow degradation or presence of plastic additives in butt samples to support/contradict plastic content.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 5: Environmental Pollution > 5.12.1. Plastics as a Waste Material in Marine Environment > p. 96
Strength: 3/5
“These two factors generally result in extended lifetimes for plastics at sea. The plastic waste that has been introduced into the world's oceans must accumulate for the most part intact and unmineralized in the marine environment. While the fate of such plastics is not clear, it is reasonable to expect at least some of it to continue disintegrating into microparticulate debris. Recent reports even indicate an increase in their counts over the last two decades.”
Why relevant

Explains that plastics in marine environments disintegrate into microparticulate debris (microplastics), suggesting that persistent disposal items can become microplastic sources.

How to extend

A student could test collected cigarette butts for generation of microfibers/particles consistent with plastic breakdown to infer whether filters contain plastic.

Statement 2
Do eyeglass lenses contain plastic?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 10: Light: Mirrors and Lenses > Activity 10.8: Let us explore > p. 162
Presence: 5/5
“This curved drop of water is acting like a simple lens. Have you seen a magnifying glass as shown in Fig. 10.14? It is also a lens that helps in reading small print by making the letters appear bigger. A lens is a piece of transparent material, usually made of glass or plastic, which has curved surfaces. Like mirrors, lenses can also be convex or concave. A lens which is thicker at the middle as compared to the edges is called a convex lens (Fig. 10.15a).”
Why this source?
  • Defines a lens as a transparent piece of material usually made of glass or plastic.
  • Explicitly lists plastic as a common material used for lenses, supporting that lenses can contain plastic.
Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 10: Light: Mirrors and Lenses > Safety first > p. 165
Presence: 4/5
“Do not look at the Sun directly or through the lens as it may damage your eyes. lens Lenses are important and are used everywhere around us. The eyeglasses that people wear to help them see clearly are lenses! Cameras, telescopes, and microscopes all use lenses to work. Even our eye has a convex lens inside it. It is quite an amazing lens that can change its shape, which is what allows us to read a book or see something far away. Fig. 10.20: (a) Eyeglasses; (b) Smartphone camera lenses”
Why this source?
  • Identifies eyeglasses as lenses used to help people see clearly.
  • By classifying eyeglasses as lenses, links eyeglasses to the materials (glass or plastic) used for lenses.
Statement 3
Do car tyres contain plastic?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"car tyres, which lose material intensively due to wear and tear during the use phase, causing tyre dust;"
Why this source?
  • Explicitly lists car tyres as a product of specific concern in the context of plastic products.
  • States tyres lose material intensively during use, causing tyre dust — implying they are a source of microplastic.
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"the wear of car tyres, lacquers and dyes, as well as the loss of pellets during production and transport."
Why this source?
  • Mentions the wear of car tyres among sources of plastics released into the environment.
  • Groups tyre wear with other plastic-related sources (lacquers, dyes, pellets), linking tyres to plastic pollution.
Web source
Presence: 3/5
"DC_OUTQUEENS_W_130 CAR W 131 Green Fragment Y PE N/A DC_CAR_W_131 CAR W 132 Green Fragment Y PP N/A"
Why this source?
  • Data table lists fragments labeled 'CAR' with identified polymers (e.g., PE, PP), showing plastic fragments associated with cars.
  • Supports that materials from cars (fragments) are composed of common plastics.

Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 26: Agriculture > 1. RUBBER (Fig. 26.16) > p. 259
Strength: 5/5
“Its yield has been raised from 390 kg of latex per hectare (350 lb per acre) to 1680 to 2350 kg/hectare (1,500 to 2,100 lb per acre) per year (c) The meteoric rise of rubber was due to the discovery of vulcanization of rubber by Charles Goodyear, which led to the manufacture of pneumatic rubber tyres in connection with the automobile industry, later electric wiring. Numerous other industrial uses: hoses, footwear upholstery, etc. (d; Greatest threat is from synthetic rubber which supplies 50% of world rubber today.”
Why relevant

Explains that pneumatic tyres are made from rubber and notes the rise of synthetic rubber supplying ~50% of world rubber — synthetic rubber is a man-made polymer related to plastics.

How to extend

A student could use this to infer tyres often include synthetic polymer materials and then check tyre ingredient lists or polymer definitions to see if those count as 'plastics'.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 5: Environmental Pollution > iv. Discardedmaterials: > p. 79
Strength: 4/5
“r It includes concrete, asphalt, rubber, leather, cans, plastics, glass, discarded food, paper and carcasses.”
Why relevant

Lists rubber separately from plastics among discarded materials, implying tyres (rubber) are distinct from conventional 'plastic' in common classifications.

How to extend

A student could combine this with the synthetic-rubber clue to investigate whether tyres use natural rubber, synthetic polymers, or both, and how 'plastic' is defined.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 5: Environmental Pollution > 5.12.2. Plastics as a Waste Material in Land Environment > p. 97
Strength: 4/5
“5.12.2. Plastics as a Waste Material- in Land Environment Problems with the uncollected plastic waste, include • (i) Choking of drains by plastic carry bags which may lead to unhygienic environment and water borne diseases, • (ii) Causing of illness and possible death of animals that may feed on plastics from garbage bins, • (iii) Non-biodegradable and impervious nature of plastics disposed on soil which may arrest recharge of ground water aquifers, • (iv) presence of additives and plasticizers, fillers, flame retardants and pigments used in the plastic”
Why relevant

Mentions presence of additives, plasticizers and fillers in plastics, indicating that polymer products commonly include such ingredients — tyres also commonly contain additives/fillers.

How to extend

A student could check whether tyre formulations list plasticizers/fillers (e.g., carbon black, oils) to judge material overlap with plastics.

Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 9: Agriculture > 23. Consider the following statements: > p. 361
Strength: 3/5
“• 1. The Standard Mark of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is mandatory for automotive tyres and tubes. • 2. AGMARK is a quality Certification Mark issued by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Which of the statements given above is/are correct? • (b) 2 only • (a) 1 only • (c) Both 1 and 2”
Why relevant

States that BIS Standard Mark is mandatory for automotive tyres, implying specified material/composition standards exist for tyres.

How to extend

A student could look up the relevant BIS tyre standards to see required materials or allowable polymer content to test if tyres contain plastics.

Pattern takeaway: UPSC is shifting from 'Definition' questions (What is a microplastic?) to 'Identification' questions (Which everyday items ARE sources?). They test if you can apply the definition of 'plastic' to items disguised as 'rubber' or 'fiber'.
How you should have studied
  1. [THE VERDICT]: Deceptive Sitter. Statement 2 is direct NCERT (Class 8 Science), but 1 & 3 require realizing that 'synthetic rubber' and 'cellulose acetate' are technically plastics—a link found in UNEP/WWF reports rather than standard textbooks.
  2. [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: Microplastic Sources & Pollution Vectors. Moving beyond 'bottles and bags' to invisible sources like abrasion (tyres) and disintegration (filters).
  3. [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: (1) Chewing Gum (Base is Polyvinyl Acetate); (2) Wet Wipes (contain Polyester); (3) Paper Cups (Lined with Polyethylene); (4) Tea Bags (Polypropylene sealant); (5) Tyre Dust (Contains 6PPD-quinone, a toxic additive).
  4. [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: Stop categorizing materials by common names ('Rubber', 'Filter'). Categorize by chemical origin. If a modern product is cheap, durable, and mass-produced, assume it contains synthetic polymers (plastic) unless explicitly labeled '100% Natural'.
Concept hooks from this question
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Environmental impacts of plastic waste
💡 The insight

Plastics persist in land and marine environments, causing drainage choking, harm to animals, groundwater recharge issues, and long lifetimes at sea.

High-yield for UPSC environment and ecology questions: connects pollution science to waste management policy and disaster/health risks. Helps answer questions on marine pollution, landfill effects, and policy responses such as bans and waste treatment. Useful for essays and prelims/GS mains linkage questions on pollution and sustainable development.

📚 Reading List :
  • Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 5: Environmental Pollution > 5.12.2. Plastics as a Waste Material in Land Environment > p. 97
  • Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 5: Environmental Pollution > 5.12.1. Plastics as a Waste Material in Marine Environment > p. 96
🔗 Anchor: "Do cigarette butts (cigarette filters) contain plastic?"
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Regulation and classification of single-use plastics
💡 The insight

Single-use plastic items are identified for prohibition and plastics are classified for regulatory action and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).

Important for governance and environmental law topics: shows how regulatory instruments target specific plastic items and implement EPR. Enables answers on policy frameworks, implementation challenges, and legislative measures in GS papers and policy essays.

📚 Reading List :
  • Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 5: Environmental Pollution > 5.2.4 Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, zozo. > p. 98
  • Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 5: Environmental Pollution > Amendment rules eozz > p. 99
🔗 Anchor: "Do cigarette butts (cigarette filters) contain plastic?"
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Health impacts of tobacco smoke
💡 The insight

Tobacco products and cigarette smoke are linked to lung diseases including emphysema, chronic bronchitis, asthma and cancer.

Relevant for public health and environment intersections in UPSC: useful for questions on non-communicable diseases, environmental health risks, and preventive policy. Connects to topics on health systems, pollution-related morbidity, and tobacco control measures in GS papers and ethics/case studies.

📚 Reading List :
  • Science-Class VII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 6: Adolescence: A Stage of Growth and Change > 6.4.5 Avoiding harmful substances — learn to say NO > p. 83
  • Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 29: Environment Issues and Health Effects > h) Emphysema > p. 416
  • Science , class X (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Life Processes > More to Know! > p. 89
🔗 Anchor: "Do cigarette butts (cigarette filters) contain plastic?"
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Lens materials (glass vs plastic)
💡 The insight

Lenses are commonly manufactured from glass or plastic, so eyeglass lenses can be plastic.

High-yield for optics questions: knowing typical lens materials helps answer questions about durability, weight, and usage contexts. Connects to material properties and technological choices in eyewear and instruments, enabling elimination-style reasoning on exam items.

📚 Reading List :
  • Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 10: Light: Mirrors and Lenses > Activity 10.8: Let us explore > p. 162
🔗 Anchor: "Do eyeglass lenses contain plastic?"
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Eyeglasses as functional lenses
💡 The insight

Eyeglasses are a practical application of lenses used to correct vision.

Important for linking theory to application: understanding that eyeglasses are lenses allows application of general lens properties (material, shape, function) to real-world devices. Useful in interdisciplinary questions combining physics and daily-life technology.

📚 Reading List :
  • Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 10: Light: Mirrors and Lenses > Safety first > p. 165
  • Science , class X (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 10: The Human Eye and the Colourful World > The Human Eye and the Colourful World CHAPTER10 > p. 161
🔗 Anchor: "Do eyeglass lenses contain plastic?"
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Lens shape and function (convex vs concave)
💡 The insight

Lenses have convex or concave shapes which determine their optical role in devices like eyeglasses.

Core optics concept often tested: knowing shape-function relationships supports solving ray diagrams, defect-correction problems (myopia/hypermetropia), and reasoning about lens combinations (e.g., bifocals). Links to human eye physiology and corrective measures.

📚 Reading List :
  • Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 10: Light: Mirrors and Lenses > Activity 10.8: Let us explore > p. 162
  • Science , class X (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 10: The Human Eye and the Colourful World > Figure 10.3 > p. 164
  • Science , class X (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 9: Light – Reflection and Refraction > 9.3.3 Refraction by Spherical Lenses > p. 150
🔗 Anchor: "Do eyeglass lenses contain plastic?"
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S3
👉 Tyre materials: natural and synthetic rubber, vulcanization
💡 The insight

Car tyres are manufactured from rubber; vulcanization enabled pneumatic tyre production and synthetic rubber supplies a large share of tyre material.

High-yield for questions on industrial development, the rubber industry and manufacturing technology; links to primary sector economics, industrial policy and the environmental implications of tyre waste; enables answers about material composition, supply chains and substitutes in tyre manufacturing.

📚 Reading List :
  • Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 26: Agriculture > 1. RUBBER (Fig. 26.16) > p. 259
🔗 Anchor: "Do car tyres contain plastic?"
🌑 The Hidden Trap

Biodegradable Plastics (PLA/PHA). Since they tested hidden plastics, the next logical question is on the limitations of their alternatives—specifically that PLA (Polylactic Acid) requires industrial composting heat to degrade and will NOT degrade in the ocean.

⚡ Elimination Cheat Code

The 'Modern Durability' Heuristic. Real glass lenses are heavy and breakable; natural rubber tyres wear out too fast; paper filters dissolve. Modern engineering solves these problems with polymers. If the item needs to be lightweight, shatterproof, or heat-resistant, assume 'Plastic' is present.

🔗 Mains Connection

GS3 Environment (Marine Pollution): Tyre wear particles (TWP) are distinct from bag litter because they are often denser than water and sink, affecting benthic (bottom-dwelling) ecosystems. This complicates 'Ocean Cleanup' strategies that focus only on floating debris.

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