Question

State two ways in which non-biodegradable substances would affect the environment. List two methods of their safe disposal.

Answer 1

Non-biodegradable substances:

• These are called non-biodegradable because they cannot be decomposed by natural biological processes such as the decomposition by microorganisms.
• These substances persist for a long time in the environment due to this ability.

Effects of non-biodegradable substances on the environment:

• The non-biodegradable substances remain in the non-degraded form for a long time in the environment and thus cause pollution.
• They can enter the food chain in different ways. For example, they can enter the plant tissue through the soil or contaminated water.
• The presence of these substances can affect the physical environment by reducing the fertility of the soil as well.

Methods of safe disposal of non-biodegradable substances:

• Recycling is one of the ways to safely dispose non-biodegradable substances.
• Landfill is another option, where the non-biodegradable substances are dumped in a low-lying region and covered with soil.