Managing waste: biodegradable and non-biodegradable substances sheet5-mark answer frameDistinguish between biodegradable and non-biodegradable substances with examples. Suggest ways to manage the waste we produce at home.
How to lay out the answer. Follow the frame, then write it in your own words.
- 1 · Define both. Biodegradable: broken down by decomposers. Non-biodegradable: not broken down by biological processes.
- 2 · Give examples.
- Biodegradable: peels, leftover food, paper, cotton
- Non-biodegradable: plastic, polythene, glass, metal cans, DDT
- 3 · Say why non-biodegradable waste is harmful. It stays for a long time, blocks drains, harms animals and can enter food chains.
- 4 · Suggest solutions.
- Separate wet and dry waste
- Compost kitchen waste
- Recycle paper, glass and metal
- Use cloth bags and refillable bottles
- 5 · Real life. A steel tiffin and a cloth bag in a school bag cut plastic waste every day.
- 6 · Close in one line. Less non-biodegradable waste means a cleaner, healthier environment.
Scoring tip: A two-column table for the difference, with two examples each, saves time and scores well.
