An Overview of Important Questions Class 6 Science Chapter 16
FAQs on Important Questions Class 6 Science Chapter 16
1. What are the most effective methods to reduce the amount of garbage we generate daily, as discussed in Class 6 Science Chapter 16?
To effectively reduce garbage, students should focus on the principle of the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle). For exams in 2025-26, important points to mention include:
Reduce: Minimise the purchase of items with excessive packaging. Avoid using single-use items like plastic cutlery and bags.
Reuse: Use glass jars or plastic containers for storage instead of throwing them away. Write on both sides of a paper sheet.
Recycle: Segregate waste into biodegradable and non-biodegradable so that materials like paper, some plastics, and glass can be sent for recycling.
2. For a 5-mark question, compare compost and chemical fertilisers. Why is compost considered a better alternative?
Compost is considered a better alternative to chemical fertilisers for several important reasons:
Environmental Impact: Compost is eco-friendly and made from biodegradable organic waste, whereas chemical fertilisers are factory-made and can cause soil and water pollution.
Soil Health: Compost improves soil texture, water retention capacity, and provides essential humus. Chemical fertilisers can harm beneficial soil microbes and degrade soil quality over time.
Cost and Accessibility: Compost can be made at home with kitchen waste at almost no cost. Chemical fertilisers need to be purchased.
Safety: Compost is natural and safe, while chemical fertilisers can leave harmful residues in crops.
3. What is vermicomposting, and what is the specific role of redworms in this process?
Vermicomposting is a method of preparing compost with the help of a specific type of earthworm, most commonly redworms. The role of redworms is crucial because they consume the organic waste (like vegetable peels and fruit waste) and digest it. Their excreta, known as worm castings, are very rich in nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which makes the resulting compost a high-quality, natural fertiliser.
4. How does modern packaging contribute significantly to the problem of increasing garbage?
Modern packaging significantly increases garbage because it often uses materials that are difficult to dispose of. Key contributing factors include:
Multi-layered Packaging: Items are often wrapped in multiple layers of plastic, foil, and cardboard, most of which cannot be reused or recycled easily.
Non-Biodegradable Materials: A large portion of packaging is made from plastic, which is non-biodegradable and persists in the environment for hundreds of years, filling up landfills.
Single-Use Design: Most packaging is designed for one-time use and is thrown away immediately, adding to the volume of daily garbage.
5. If you are provided with a green and a blue dustbin for waste segregation, how would you correctly dispose of kitchen waste and old plastic toys?
This is a practical application question based on the concept of waste segregation. As per the standard colour code for municipal bins in India:
The green dustbin is for biodegradable waste. Therefore, all kitchen waste such as vegetable peels, leftover food, and tea leaves should be put in the green dustbin. This waste can be turned into compost.
The blue dustbin is for non-biodegradable or recyclable dry waste. Therefore, old plastic toys should be put in the blue dustbin. This waste cannot be composted and needs to be sent for recycling.
6. Why is burning dry leaves and other plant-based garbage a harmful practice? What is the scientifically recommended method for its disposal?
Burning dry leaves and plant waste is a harmful practice because it releases large amounts of smoke and toxic gases into the atmosphere. This causes severe air pollution, which can lead to respiratory problems like asthma and bronchitis. The scientifically recommended and beneficial method for disposing of this type of waste is composting. By putting this organic material in a compost pit, it decomposes naturally and turns into nutrient-rich manure that can be used to improve soil fertility, thus recycling the nutrients back into the ecosystem.
7. What are the long-term consequences for a landfill site if it is exclusively filled with non-biodegradable waste like plastic bags and glass?
If a landfill is filled only with non-biodegradable waste, several serious long-term consequences would arise:
The waste would not decompose or break down. Plastic and glass items would remain in the ground for hundreds or thousands of years, occupying valuable land space indefinitely.
Over time, rainwater can seep through the waste and pick up harmful chemicals from plastics. This polluted water, called leachate, can contaminate groundwater and nearby water bodies.
The land becomes completely unusable for agriculture or construction for a very long time.
8. List three important reasons why plastics are often considered a 'bane' for the environment, making this a frequently asked exam question.
Plastics are considered a bane for the environment for the following three key reasons:
They are Non-Biodegradable: Plastics do not decompose naturally. They break down into smaller microplastics that pollute soil, oceans, and waterways for centuries.
Harm to Wildlife: Animals often mistake plastic bags or fragments for food. Ingesting plastic can cause choking, internal injuries, and death to both land and marine animals.
Toxicity on Burning: When plastic waste is burned, it releases poisonous fumes and toxic gases into the air, causing severe air pollution and health hazards for humans and animals.
9. How does the chapter title 'Garbage In, Garbage Out' explain the core principle of waste management?
The title 'Garbage In, Garbage Out' perfectly summarises the core problem of waste. It implies that what we put into our environment as 'garbage' (the input) is what we get back as a problem in our environment (the output), like landfills and pollution. The principle of waste management, particularly Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, is the solution to this problem. By changing the 'input'—by reducing what we throw away and converting waste into useful things through recycling—we can change the 'output' from a harmful problem to a manageable, or even beneficial, resource.






















