Air, water, soil and noise pollution and solid waste management on one page. For explanations, go back to the [chapter](/science-technology/pollution-waste/): [Air](/science-technology/pollution-waste/air-pollution/) · [Water](/science-technology/pollution-waste/water-pollution/) · [Soil and Noise](/science-technology/pollution-waste/soil-and-noise-pollution/) · [Solid Waste](/science-technology/pollution-waste/solid-waste-management/).

{{< callout type="tip" title="How to use this sheet" >}}
Scan top to bottom the week before Prelims. **Bold** lines are the facts examiners return to most often. Rules and survey results are dated; quote them with the year.
{{< /callout >}}

## Air Pollution

| Fact | Detail |
|------|--------|
| **PM2.5 vs PM10** | ≤ 2.5 µm (deep lungs, blood; combustion) vs ≤ 10 µm (dust) |
| CO | Forms **carboxyhaemoglobin** |
| SO₂ | Coal, smelting; acid rain; **lichens** are indicators |
| Ground-level ozone, PAN | **Secondary** pollutants of photochemical smog |
| **Classical smog** | SO₂ + smoke + fog; **reducing**; London 1952 |
| **Photochemical smog** | NOₓ + hydrocarbons + sunlight; **oxidising** |
| **Acid rain** | **pH < 5.6**; SO₂, NOₓ; Taj "marble cancer" |
| **NAAQS** | **2009; 12 pollutants**; PM2.5 40 annual / 60 daily µg/m³; PM10 60 / 100 |
| WHO AQG 2021 | PM2.5 annual **5 µg/m³** |
| **AQI** | **Oct 2014; 8 pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, NO₂, SO₂, CO, O₃, NH₃, Pb); 6 bands**; worst sub-index |
| AQI bands | 0–50 Good · 51–100 Satisfactory · 101–200 Moderate · 201–300 Poor · 301–400 Very Poor · 401–500 Severe |
| **Air Act** | **1981** (after Stockholm 1972) |
| BS-VI | **1 April 2020**; BS-V skipped |
| **NCAP** | **10 Jan 2019**; 131 cities; revised target up to **40%** PM10 cut by 2025-26 (base 2019-20) |
| GRAP | Delhi-NCR; four stages; enforced by CAQM |
| Ujjwala | 1 May 2016, Ballia; LPG against indoor smoke |

## Water Pollution

| Fact | Detail |
|------|--------|
| **BOD** | Oxygen used by microbes; **5 days at 20 °C**; high BOD = polluted |
| COD | Chemical oxidation; **COD ≥ BOD** |
| CPCB Class A | DO ≥ 6 mg/L, BOD ≤ 2 mg/L |
| Polluted stretch | BOD > 3 mg/L; Priority I (worst) to V |
| **Eutrophication** | Nitrates + phosphates → algal bloom → low DO → fish die |
| **Biomagnification** | Persistent chemicals (DDT, mercury) rise up the food chain |
| **Mercury** | **Minamata** disease (Japan) |
| **Cadmium** | **Itai-itai** (Japan) |
| **Nitrate** | **Blue baby syndrome** |
| Fluoride | Fluorosis; limit 1.0 mg/L acceptable, 1.5 permissible |
| Arsenic | Arsenicosis; limit 0.01 mg/L |
| Sewage treatment | Primary (physical) → **secondary (biological, flocs; cuts BOD)** → tertiary |
| **Water Act** | **1974**; created **CPCB and SPCBs**; Article 252 |
| Microplastics | Pieces < 5 mm |

## Soil and Noise Pollution

| Fact | Detail |
|------|--------|
| Bioremediation | Microbes; **Oilzapper** (TERI + Indian Oil) |
| Phytoremediation | Plants; **Indian mustard** for lead |
| Endosulfan | **Supreme Court ban 2011**; Kasaragod |
| DDT | Banned in agriculture; vector control allowed |
| Over-irrigation | Waterlogging and salinisation |
| Soil Health Card | Feb 2015, Suratgarh |
| Decibel | Logarithmic; +10 dB ≈ 10× intensity |
| **Noise Rules** | **2000**, under EP Act 1986 |
| Day / night | 6 a.m.–10 p.m. / **10 p.m.–6 a.m.** |
| **Limits day/night dB(A)** | **Industrial 75/70 · Commercial 65/55 · Residential 55/45 · Silence 50/40** |
| **Silence zone** | ≥ **100 m** around hospitals, educational institutions, courts |
| Loudspeakers | Banned at night; state may allow until midnight for **≤ 15 days a year** |
| Court | *In re: Noise Pollution* (2005); Article 21 |

## Solid Waste Management

| Fact | Detail |
|------|--------|
| **SWM Rules 2026** | Notified Jan 2026; **in force 1 April 2026**; replaced 2016 Rules; urban + rural |
| **Four streams** | **Wet, dry, sanitary, special care** |
| Bulk generator | 20,000 m² / 40,000 L a day / **100 kg a day**; EBWGR certificate |
| RDF | Industries to raise use from 5% to 15% over six years |
| Landfill | Only non-recyclable, non-energy-recoverable, inert waste |
| SWM Rules 2016 | Three streams (biodegradable, non-biodegradable, domestic hazardous) |
| Plastic carry bags | 50 → **75 µm (30 Sept 2021)** → **120 µm (31 Dec 2022)** |
| **SUP ban** | **1 July 2022** |
| E-Waste Rules | **2022**; in force 1 April 2023; EPR |
| Battery Rules | 2022; all battery types |
| C&D Waste Rules | 2025; in force 1 April 2026; EPR for ≥ 20,000 m² projects |
| **BMW colours** | **Yellow** anatomical/soiled → incinerate · **Red** contaminated plastics → autoclave · **White** sharps · **Blue** glass |
| Composting vs biomethanation | Aerobic vs anaerobic (biogas) |
| Swachh Bharat | 2 Oct 2014; **SBM-U 2.0** 1 Oct 2021, "Garbage Free Cities" |

## Chhattisgarh Facts

| Fact | Detail |
|------|--------|
| State pollution board | **Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board (CECB)**, Raipur |
| **NCAP cities** | **Raipur, Bhilai-Durg, Bilaspur, Korba** (Korba reported ~47% PM10 fall by 2024-25) |
| Air pollution hotspots | Korba (power, fly ash); Raipur–Siltara–Urla, Raigarh, Bhilai (steel, sponge iron) |
| Polluted river stretches (CPCB) | **Hasdeo, Kelo, Kharun, Mahanadi, Seonath** |
| **Arsenic** | **Ambagarh Chowki** block (Kaudikasa); geogenic, hard-rock |
| **Ambikapur model** | **SLRM** (Solid and Liquid Resource Management), from 2015; women SHGs (swachhata didis) |
| Ambikapur awards | Cleanest small city SS 2017; **2nd cleanest city SS 2019**; first Garbage Cafe 2019 |
| **SS 2024-25** (17 July 2025) | Ambikapur, Patan, Bishrampur in Super Swachh League; **Bilha** cleanest town < 20,000; Bilaspur 2nd (3–10 lakh); Raipur 7-star GFC |

## Don't Confuse

| This | vs | That |
|------|----|------|
| Water Act 1974 — **created** CPCB | vs | Air Act 1981 — **extended** its role |
| AQI — 8 pollutants | vs | NAAQS — 12 pollutants |
| Classical smog — reducing | vs | Photochemical smog — oxidising |
| BOD — microbes | vs | COD — chemicals; COD ≥ BOD |
| Bioaccumulation — one organism | vs | Biomagnification — across trophic levels |
| Minamata — mercury | vs | Itai-itai — cadmium |
| Bioremediation — microbes | vs | Phytoremediation — plants |
| Silence zone 50/40 | vs | Residential 55/45 |
| SWM 2016 — three streams | vs | SWM 2026 — four streams |
| Red bag — contaminated plastics | vs | White container — sharps |

{{< callout type="warning" title="Favourite MCQ traps" >}}
- The **CPCB** was created under the **Water Act, 1974**, not the Air Act.
- The **SWM Rules, 2016** are no longer in force; the **2026 Rules** apply from 1 April 2026, to rural areas too.
- **High BOD** means **dirty** water.
- **Needles** go in the **white** puncture-proof container, not the red bag.
- The industrial noise limit drops by only **5** dB at night (75 → 70); other zones drop by 10.
{{< /callout >}}

---
Source: https://cgpscnotes.in/science-technology/pollution-waste/quick-revision/

Science & Technology Environmental Pollution and Waste Management

Environmental Pollution and Waste Management — Quick Revision

One-page CGPSC quick revision for Environmental Pollution and Waste Management: pollutants, indices, limits, rules and Chhattisgarh facts in tables.

5 min read Updated Oct 2026 #quick revision#cgpsc#pollution

Air, water, soil and noise pollution and solid waste management on one page. For explanations, go back to the chapter: Air · Water · Soil and Noise · Solid Waste.

How to use this sheet

Scan top to bottom the week before Prelims. Bold lines are the facts examiners return to most often. Rules and survey results are dated; quote them with the year.

Air Pollution

Fact	Detail
PM2.5 vs PM10	≤ 2.5 µm (deep lungs, blood; combustion) vs ≤ 10 µm (dust)
CO	Forms carboxyhaemoglobin
SO₂	Coal, smelting; acid rain; lichens are indicators
Ground-level ozone, PAN	Secondary pollutants of photochemical smog
Classical smog	SO₂ + smoke + fog; reducing; London 1952
Photochemical smog	NOₓ + hydrocarbons + sunlight; oxidising
Acid rain	pH < 5.6; SO₂, NOₓ; Taj “marble cancer”
NAAQS	2009; 12 pollutants; PM2.5 40 annual / 60 daily µg/m³; PM10 60 / 100
WHO AQG 2021	PM2.5 annual 5 µg/m³
AQI	Oct 2014; 8 pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, NO₂, SO₂, CO, O₃, NH₃, Pb); 6 bands; worst sub-index
AQI bands	0–50 Good · 51–100 Satisfactory · 101–200 Moderate · 201–300 Poor · 301–400 Very Poor · 401–500 Severe
Air Act	1981 (after Stockholm 1972)
BS-VI	1 April 2020; BS-V skipped
NCAP	10 Jan 2019; 131 cities; revised target up to 40% PM10 cut by 2025-26 (base 2019-20)
GRAP	Delhi-NCR; four stages; enforced by CAQM
Ujjwala	1 May 2016, Ballia; LPG against indoor smoke

Water Pollution

Fact	Detail
BOD	Oxygen used by microbes; 5 days at 20 °C; high BOD = polluted
COD	Chemical oxidation; COD ≥ BOD
CPCB Class A	DO ≥ 6 mg/L, BOD ≤ 2 mg/L
Polluted stretch	BOD > 3 mg/L; Priority I (worst) to V
Eutrophication	Nitrates + phosphates → algal bloom → low DO → fish die
Biomagnification	Persistent chemicals (DDT, mercury) rise up the food chain
Mercury	Minamata disease (Japan)
Cadmium	Itai-itai (Japan)
Nitrate	Blue baby syndrome
Fluoride	Fluorosis; limit 1.0 mg/L acceptable, 1.5 permissible
Arsenic	Arsenicosis; limit 0.01 mg/L
Sewage treatment	Primary (physical) → secondary (biological, flocs; cuts BOD) → tertiary
Water Act	1974; created CPCB and SPCBs; Article 252
Microplastics	Pieces < 5 mm

Soil and Noise Pollution

Fact	Detail
Bioremediation	Microbes; Oilzapper (TERI + Indian Oil)
Phytoremediation	Plants; Indian mustard for lead
Endosulfan	Supreme Court ban 2011; Kasaragod
DDT	Banned in agriculture; vector control allowed
Over-irrigation	Waterlogging and salinisation
Soil Health Card	Feb 2015, Suratgarh
Decibel	Logarithmic; +10 dB ≈ 10× intensity
Noise Rules	2000, under EP Act 1986
Day / night	6 a.m.–10 p.m. / 10 p.m.–6 a.m.
Limits day/night dB(A)	Industrial 75/70 · Commercial 65/55 · Residential 55/45 · Silence 50/40
Silence zone	≥ 100 m around hospitals, educational institutions, courts
Loudspeakers	Banned at night; state may allow until midnight for ≤ 15 days a year
Court	In re: Noise Pollution (2005); Article 21

Solid Waste Management

Fact	Detail
SWM Rules 2026	Notified Jan 2026; in force 1 April 2026; replaced 2016 Rules; urban + rural
Four streams	Wet, dry, sanitary, special care
Bulk generator	20,000 m² / 40,000 L a day / 100 kg a day; EBWGR certificate
RDF	Industries to raise use from 5% to 15% over six years
Landfill	Only non-recyclable, non-energy-recoverable, inert waste
SWM Rules 2016	Three streams (biodegradable, non-biodegradable, domestic hazardous)
Plastic carry bags	50 → 75 µm (30 Sept 2021) → 120 µm (31 Dec 2022)
SUP ban	1 July 2022
E-Waste Rules	2022; in force 1 April 2023; EPR
Battery Rules	2022; all battery types
C&D Waste Rules	2025; in force 1 April 2026; EPR for ≥ 20,000 m² projects
BMW colours	Yellow anatomical/soiled → incinerate · Red contaminated plastics → autoclave · White sharps · Blue glass
Composting vs biomethanation	Aerobic vs anaerobic (biogas)
Swachh Bharat	2 Oct 2014; SBM-U 2.0 1 Oct 2021, “Garbage Free Cities”

Chhattisgarh Facts

Fact	Detail
State pollution board	Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board (CECB), Raipur
NCAP cities	Raipur, Bhilai-Durg, Bilaspur, Korba (Korba reported ~47% PM10 fall by 2024-25)
Air pollution hotspots	Korba (power, fly ash); Raipur–Siltara–Urla, Raigarh, Bhilai (steel, sponge iron)
Polluted river stretches (CPCB)	Hasdeo, Kelo, Kharun, Mahanadi, Seonath
Arsenic	Ambagarh Chowki block (Kaudikasa); geogenic, hard-rock
Ambikapur model	SLRM (Solid and Liquid Resource Management), from 2015; women SHGs (swachhata didis)
Ambikapur awards	Cleanest small city SS 2017; 2nd cleanest city SS 2019; first Garbage Cafe 2019
SS 2024-25 (17 July 2025)	Ambikapur, Patan, Bishrampur in Super Swachh League; Bilha cleanest town < 20,000; Bilaspur 2nd (3–10 lakh); Raipur 7-star GFC

Don’t Confuse

This	vs	That
Water Act 1974 — created CPCB	vs	Air Act 1981 — extended its role
AQI — 8 pollutants	vs	NAAQS — 12 pollutants
Classical smog — reducing	vs	Photochemical smog — oxidising
BOD — microbes	vs	COD — chemicals; COD ≥ BOD
Bioaccumulation — one organism	vs	Biomagnification — across trophic levels
Minamata — mercury	vs	Itai-itai — cadmium
Bioremediation — microbes	vs	Phytoremediation — plants
Silence zone 50/40	vs	Residential 55/45
SWM 2016 — three streams	vs	SWM 2026 — four streams
Red bag — contaminated plastics	vs	White container — sharps

Favourite MCQ traps

The CPCB was created under the Water Act, 1974, not the Air Act.
The SWM Rules, 2016 are no longer in force; the 2026 Rules apply from 1 April 2026, to rural areas too.
High BOD means dirty water.
Needles go in the white puncture-proof container, not the red bag.
The industrial noise limit drops by only 5 dB at night (75 → 70); other zones drop by 10.

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