CAT Exam Model Paper 3 with solutions for free online practice

Delhi is producing close to 7500 tonnes of solid waste per day, an amount which is expected to go up to around 14,300 tonnes by 2021. The state of environment report says that even if a reasonable amount of this waste is collected and disposed of, it will require an 800 hectare landfill site. However, if segregation and treatment of waste is done, properly, only 5-10% of the waste will have to be disposed of, the report says. “The most acceptable strategy for solid waste management in Delhi will be to categorize waste streams as biodegradable, re-cyclable and inert matter to maximize recovery and minimize quantity of waste generation.” According to the report, municipal solid waste management is in a mess. The three landfill sites have long been exhausted but no workable plan to replace them is in place. The report also suggests that relatively affluent zones generate about 40% organic waste which hints at wasteful habits of residents there. The city also produces around 5000 tonnes of hazardous waste per year. Though some of it comes from the sludge at common effluent treatment plants; most of it is generated at dyeing and pickling units and electroplating factories. This waste often finds its way to the municipal solid waste dumps, posing a hazard not just to the environment but also to humans.