Page 220 - NCERT Science Class 10 English Medium

Activity
Activity 13.7
Activity 13.7
13.7
Activity
Activity 13.713.7
n Find out what happens to the waste generated at home. Is there a
system in place to collect this waste?
n Find out how the local body (panchayat, municipal corporation,
resident welfare association) deals with the waste. Are there
mechanisms in place to treat the biodegradable and non-
biodegradable wastes separately?
n Calculate how much waste is generated at home in a day.
n How much of this waste is biodegradable?
n Calculate how much waste is generated in the classroom
in a day.
n How much of this waste is biodegradable?
n Suggest ways of dealing with this waste.

Activity 13.813.8
Activity 13.8
Activity 13.8
Activity
Activity 13.8
n Find out how the sewage in your locality is treated. Are there
mechanisms in place to ensure that local water bodies are not
polluted by untreated sewage.
n Find out how the local industries in your locality treat their wastes.
Are there mechanisms in place to ensure that the soil and water
are not polluted by this waste?

Improvements in our life-style have resulted in greater amounts of
waste material generation. Changes in attitude also have a role to play,
with more and more things we use becoming disposable. Changes in
packaging have resulted in much of our waste becoming non-
biodegradable. What do you think will be the impact of these on our
environment?

Think it over

Disposable cups in trains
If you ask your parents, they will probably remember a time when tea in trains was
served in plastic glasses which had to be returned to the vendor. The introduction of
disposable cups was hailed as a step forward for reasons of hygiene. No one at that time
perhaps thought about the impact caused by the disposal of millions of these cups on a
daily basis. Some time back, kulhads, that is, disposable cups made of clay, were
suggested as an alternative. But a little thought showed that making these kulhads on
a large scale would result in the loss of the fertile top-soil. Now disposable paper-cups
are being used. What do you think are the advantages of disposable paper-cups over
disposable plastic cups?

Our Environment 215

2024-25