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UPSC Prelims 2021 · Environment · Warming World
'R2 Code of Practices' constitutes a tool available for promoting the adoption of
- (a) environmentally responsible practices in electronics recycling industry
- (b) ecological management of 'wetlands of International Importance' under the Ramsar Convention
- (c) sustainable practices in the cultivation of agricultural crops in degraded lands
- (d) 'Environmental Impact Assessment' in the exploitation of natural resources
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: (a) environmentally responsible practices in electronics recycling industry
R2 (Responsible Recycling) is a standard for environmentally responsible electronics recycling.
The idea
Old electronics contain toxic metals (lead, mercury, cadmium) and also personal data. A recycler can easily do it badly: burn wires in the open, dump the rest, export it to poorer countries. R2 is a voluntary certificate that tells a customer this recycler follows safe practices.
First try to reuse or repair → Then recover materials → Destroy stored data → Protect workers from toxic exposure → Track where every part goes afterwards
Why the others are wrong
(b) Ramsar sites use management plans, not R2.
Also know
R2 stands for Responsible Recycling. India is among the largest producers of e-waste in the world, and most of it is still handled by the informal sector. The global treaty on movement of hazardous waste, including e-waste, is the Basel Convention.
🔒 R2 = Responsible Recycling standard for e-waste recyclers (SERI).