Consider the following:
- I.Cigarette butts
- II.Eyeglass lenses
- III.Car tyres
How many of them contain plastic?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (c) All the three
All three contain plastic. Cigarette filters are made mainly of cellulose acetate fibres, which are microplastics; many eyeglass lenses are plastic (for example CR-39 and polycarbonate); and tiny plastic particles are shed by car tyres as they wear.
- ✓ I The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Secretariat says cigarette filters are mainly composed of microplastics known as cellulose acetate fibres.
- ✓ II Many spectacle lenses are made of plastic: a peer-reviewed study of spectacle lens materials covers CR-39, polycarbonate and Trivex, and calls CR-39 lenses the most basic form of plastic lenses.
- ✓ III IUCN counts particles worn off car tyres among the tiny plastic particles that reach the oceans.
Remember · Cigarette filters (cellulose acetate), eyeglass lenses (CR-39, polycarbonate) and car tyres (which shed microplastics) all contain plastic.
Sources
- WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Secretariat: World No Tobacco Day campaign raises alarm on tobacco industry environmental impact (31 May 2022) ↗ “These cigarettes contain filters mainly composed of microplastics known as cellulose acetate fibres.”
- IUCN: Invisible plastic particles from textiles and tyres a major source of ocean pollution (22 February 2017) ↗ “Tiny plastic particles washed off products such as synthetic clothes and car tyres could contribute up to 30% of the ‘plastic soup’ polluting the world’s oceans”
- Radiation protection properties of spectacle lens materials (peer-reviewed paper, hosted by NIH/PMC) ↗ “CR-39 lenses are the most basic form of plastic lenses, and the abbe value is the highest, which means that the optical quality is the best. … the radiation protection properties of spectacle lens (CR-39, Polycarbonate and Trivex) materials were investigated”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2025, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·