Question

Burning of plastics causes:
(A) Water pollution
(B) Air pollution
(C) Sound pollution
(D) All of the above

Answer 1

Hint: Plastics are polymers of organic compounds which mainly contain carbon and hydrogen along with other elements and when these elements are burnt in air they release huge amounts of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide.

Complete answer:
The burning of plastic bags releases toxic gases such as dioxins, furans, mercury, and polychlorinated biphenyls into the atmosphere that pose a threat to the atmosphere, vegetation, human and animal health.
The dioxins settle on the crops and finally end up in our meals. These dioxins are persistent organic pollutants that are carcinogenic and can disrupt thyroid and respiratory system functions.
Phalates, the chemicals that are used to give the plastics their desired chemical qualities such as flexibility and softness are endocrine disruptors and can cause a plethora of other health related issues that include fertility issues and neonatal impacts on babies to allergy and asthma.
Burning of plastics also aggravates the problems of heart diseases and other respiratory ailments such as asthma and emphysema. It also causes nausea to people, and damages the nervous system.
The other stuff that is released due to the burning of fossil fuels are soot and smoke which are the contributors to air pollution.
Hence, the correct answer here is option B.

Note:
The plastics are now being replaced by different biodegradable materials such as jute and bamboo as well as paper products. These materials being biodegradable they need not be burnt to reduce their concentration, they automatically degrade after a certain time by natural forces.