UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Govt. bars export of lithium-ion battery waste

Q1. With reference to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) under the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. EPR obligations extend to entities that import batteries for sale in India, and are not confined to domestic manufacturers.
  2. A producer may meet its recycling obligation by obtaining EPR certificates from registered recyclers or refurbishers through a centralised online mechanism.
  3. Environmental compensation recovered from producers who miss their EPR targets is credited to the Consolidated Fund of India for general expenditure.
  4. EPR targets are set separately for different categories of batteries rather than as a single uniform target.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2, 3 and 4
  • C. 1, 2 and 4 only
  • D. 3 and 4 only

Q2. With reference to the regulation of exports from India under the Foreign Trade Policy, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Goods that are not specifically listed as prohibited or restricted in the ITC(HS) classification are freely exportable.
  2. Export restrictions under the Foreign Trade Policy are confined to economic objectives and cannot be imposed to protect natural resources or the environment.
  3. The list of dual-use items controlled for export (SCOMET) is notified as part of the export schedule of the ITC(HS) classification.
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 1 only

Q3. India has barred the export of battery waste and scrap containing lithium-ion black mass, with immediate effect. The government has stated that the aim is for black mass generated in India to be recycled and refined within the country. Which of the following inferences can be drawn from the above?

  1. The measure seeks to retain the refining stage of the battery value chain within India, and not merely the shredding stage.
  2. India no longer needs to secure lithium through primary mining or the acquisition of overseas mineral assets.
  3. Recyclers that earlier sold black mass abroad are left with fewer potential buyers for their output.
  4. Domestic refining units are likely to have more feedstock to process, which can improve their capacity utilisation.
  • A. 2 and 4 only
  • B. 1, 3 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1 and 3 only

Q4. With reference to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A transboundary shipment of hazardous waste may proceed only after the written consent of the states concerned, including states of transit, has been obtained.
  2. Amendments adopted in 2022 subject transboundary movements of e-waste to prior informed consent even where the e-waste is not hazardous.
  3. The prior informed consent procedure applies only to movements of waste from developed countries to developing countries.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1 and 2 only

Q5. Consider the following materials: Which of the materials given above are typically found in the black mass recovered from spent lithium-ion batteries?

  1. Lithium
  2. Graphite
  3. Cobalt
  4. Lead
  • A. 1, 2, 3 and 4
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3 only

Q6. Consider the following statements regarding the international regime governing cross-border movement of wastes: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Under the prior informed consent procedure of the Basel Convention, a state of import can withhold its consent and thereby prevent a proposed shipment of hazardous waste from taking place.
  2. Since the Basel Convention seeks to promote recycling, it exempts wastes shipped across borders for metal recovery from the prior informed consent procedure.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 2 only
  • C. Both 1 and 2
  • D. Neither 1 nor 2