Consider the following : I. Cigarette butts II. Eyeglass lenses III. Car tyres How many of them contain plastic?
- (a) Only one
- (b) Only two
- (c) All the three ✓ UPSC's answer
- (d) None
Why the answer is (c)
• Cigarette filters are made of cellulose acetate, a plastic fibre; discarded butts are the single most littered plastic item in the world and take years to degrade — I contains plastic.
• Modern eyeglass lenses are mostly plastics — CR-39 (allyl diglycol carbonate), polycarbonate or high-index resins — chosen because they are lighter and shatter-resistant compared with glass — II contains plastic.
• Car tyres are made of synthetic rubber (a petroleum-derived polymer) blended with natural rubber; tyre wear is a major source of microplastic pollution — III contains plastic.
• All three items contain plastic, option (c).
• The question tests awareness that plastics hide in everyday objects not usually thought of as 'plastic'.
Why the other options are wrong
- (a) Only one
- All three items, not one, contain plastic polymers.
- (b) Only two
- All three contain plastic; none can be excluded.
- (d) None
- Cellulose acetate, polycarbonate and synthetic rubber are all plastics.
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2025, held on 25 May 2025. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.