e-waste, UNEP - Current Affairs Questions and Answers

1)   Scientists have used which e-waste as electrode  to generate electricity?

a. LED glass
b. LCD glass
c. Tube light
d. Both a and b
e. All the above
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Both a and b

Explanation:
Scientists at IIT, Madras have come up with a novel technique where e-waste can be used as a resource not only to treat waste water.

It can also be used to generate electricity simultaneously, making it an important innovation to deal with fast growing menace of such hazardous waste in the country.

Under this technique, scientists use e-waste component like "LED\LCD (liquid crystal coated polaroid) glass" as an electrode material in 'Microbial Fuel Cells' (MFCs).

This is primarily a technology used for only waste water treatment.

Use of e-waste as an electrode, however, helps it to generate electricity and recover metals for reuse.

Use of waste to study waste and generate electricity is a novel concept.

Technologies available in the country at present are generally meant for only recovering and recycling components like glass, plastic, printed circuit board, hard drives, batteries and valuable metals.

But this new technology, the scientists claim, can use LED\LCD glass component of e-waste for the twin jobs–waste water treatment and electricity production.

IIT Madras: Know More

  • Director: Bhaskar Ramamurthy
  • Founded: 1959
  • Chairperson: Pawan Kumar Goenka
  • Motto: Sanskrit:सिद्धिर्भवति कर्मजा/ (English:Siddhirbhavati Karmaja)


2)   International Tiger Day has been celebrated on which day?

a. 28th July
b. 29th July
c. 30th July
d. 31st July
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: 29th July

Explanation:
UNEP (United Nations Environmental Programme) celebrated International Tiger’s Day on 29th July 2016.

  • Of 100000 tigers roaming the nation a century ago only 3200 are left behind, according to a WWF 2014 report.
  • Between 2000 and 2014, authorities across Asia seized parts of as many as 1590 tigers killed for traditional medicine, according to wildlife trade monitoring network Traffic.
  • WWF has warned that poaching and habitat loss could bring extinction for the Asian big cats.
  • India is home to 50 percent of the world’s tiger population with 1706 tigers.
  • Of 9 species, 3 are extinct while 6 exist in the world today. The tigers that are not extinct include Siberian Tigers, Bengal tigers, Indochinese tigers, Malayan and Sumatran tigers and South China tigers.
  • 3 extinct species are Bali, Caspian and Java tigers.


3)   Consider the following statements

1. UNEP was awarded with Nobel peace prize in 2001.
2. The winner of Miss Earth beauty pageant serves as the spokesperson of UNEP.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?


a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both
d. None
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:
UNEP was never awarded with Nobel peace prize.