Question

Which of the following is an example of biodegradable waste?
A) Glass
B) Metal
C) Plastic
D) Fruits

Answer 1

Wastes are materials that are unwanted and unusable and hence needs to be discarded. They are broadly classified into biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes. Biodegradable wastes are those that contain mostly organic matter that can be decomposed by decomposers to convert them into simpler compounds that can be utilized by plants and other soil organisms. Non-biodegradable wastes are those that cannot be decomposed by decomposers and thus contribute to environmental pollution.

Complete answer: Since biodegradable wastes can be converted into simpler compounds they are said to be better than non-biodegradable waste as they cause less environmental pollution. Among the options given above the first one glass is a non-biodegradable waste which takes over a million years to degrade. The second one metal is also a non-biodegradable waste whose degradation occurs mostly by corrosion and oxidation which are a result of interaction with the environment. The third option plastic is also a non-biodegradable waste that remains in the environment for thousand years or more before getting degraded and causing harmful effects on the environment. The fourth option fruit is a biodegradable waste. Degradation of fruits takes the least time among the four options. Fruits are degraded mainly by the action of microbes either through a cut site or by secretion of various lytic enzymes that degrades the fruit wall through which the microbes then enter inside it.

So the correct option is D) Fruits.

Note: Biodegradable wastes along with causing less harm to the environment also gets degraded faster than non-biodegradable wastes and thus are preferred over them.