Hazardous Wastes (Management, Handling and Transboundary) Regulations etc — MCQs

All questions with answers and explanations

Read the full set here, or use the practice card above to test yourself one question at a time.

1. India's domestic hazardous waste regulation is implemented through:

   • A standalone Act of Parliament
   • Rules made under the general rule-making powers of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (correct answer)
   • A Presidential Ordinance renewed annually
   • State-specific legislation with no central framework

   Explanation. There is no standalone hazardous waste Act — the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 are made under Sections 6/8/25 of the EPA, 1986.

2. The currently governing regulation for hazardous waste management is:

   • The Hazardous Wastes (Management, Handling and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 1989
   • The Hazardous Wastes (Management, Handling and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2008
   • The Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 (as amended) (correct answer)
   • The Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016

   Explanation. The 2016 Rules were made under sections 6, 8 and 25 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, in supersession of the 2008 Rules.

3. The 2016 Rules widened their scope beyond strictly hazardous waste to also cover:

   • Only radioactive waste
   • Certain "other wastes" listed in Parts B and D of Schedule III (correct answer)
   • Only municipal solid waste
   • Only agricultural waste

   Explanation. Rule 3 defines "other wastes" as the wastes in Parts B and D of Schedule III, including such waste generated in India. The Rules cover them alongside hazardous waste.

4. Before generating, storing, transporting, or disposing of hazardous waste, a unit must obtain:

   • Nothing — hazardous waste is unregulated in India
   • Authorisation from the State Pollution Control Board (correct answer)
   • Approval from the local Gram Panchayat only
   • A licence from the Ministry of Commerce

   Explanation. Authorisation from the State Pollution Control Board is mandatory for generating, storing, transporting, treating, or disposing of hazardous waste.

5. The purpose of the "manifest" required for every hazardous waste consignment is to:

   • Set the market price of the waste
   • Create a documented trail of the waste's type, quantity, generator, transporter, and destination for the Board to track (correct answer)
   • Exempt the generator from any further compliance
   • Replace the need for State Board authorisation

   Explanation. The manifest gives the State Board a paper/electronic trail from generation to final disposal, enabling monitoring and audit.

6. Under the 2016 Rules, import of hazardous waste into India for disposal is:

   • Freely permitted with no restrictions
   • Prohibited outright (correct answer)
   • Permitted only from Basel Convention member countries
   • Permitted only for government-owned facilities

   Explanation. No import of hazardous and other wastes for dumping or destroying is permitted.

7. Import of hazardous waste for recycling, recovery, reuse, or co-processing is permitted:

   • Freely, without any authorisation
   • Only with the Ministry's permission, and for Part A wastes also the prior informed consent of the exporting country (correct answer)
   • Only if the importer is a foreign-owned company
   • Only through the Reserve Bank of India

   Explanation. Import is permitted only for recycling, recovery, reuse and utilisation, including co-processing. Hazardous waste in Part A of Schedule III needs the exporting country's prior informed consent and the Ministry's permission. Other wastes in Part B need the Ministry's permission.

8. Under the 2016 Rules, import of wastes specified in Schedule VI is:

   • Not permitted (correct answer)
   • Permitted freely
   • Permitted only for disposal
   • Permitted with a State Board authorisation only

   Explanation. No import of wastes specified in Schedule VI is permitted.