GRADE 9 Pre-technical – HANDLING WASTE MATERIALS Quiz

1. What is the main reason we should separate different types of waste at the place where it is generated (for example, in a school workshop)?

To allow recycling, safe disposal and easier handling
Because it makes the bins look nicer
To make it harder for cleaners to collect the waste
So that all waste can be burned together quickly
Explanation:

Separating waste at the source makes it easier to recycle materials, dispose of hazardous items safely and reduce health risks during handling and collection.

2. Which of the following is an example of hazardous waste commonly found in workshops that needs special handling?

Used paper from the classroom
Kitchen peels and vegetable scraps
Leftover paint and paint thinner
Clean water from a sink
Explanation:

Leftover paint and paint thinners contain chemicals that can harm people and the environment and must be stored and disposed of according to safety rules.

3. What is the best immediate action if a classmate gets a cut from a rusty nail while handling scrap material?

Ignore it and keep working
Tell the classmate to wash the wound and report to a teacher or go to a health clinic
Try to remove other nails with your hands
Put the nail back in the scrap pile
Explanation:

Cleaning the wound and getting adult help or medical attention reduces infection risk and ensures proper care such as tetanus protection.

4. Which practice follows the 'Reduce' part of the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) in a school workshop?

Using reusable tools and buying materials in bulk to avoid waste
Buying many single-use items each term
Throwing scrap wood into the general bin
Burning off-cuts in the open
Explanation:

Reducing means using fewer resources and creating less waste, for example by choosing durable tools and buying only what is needed.

5. Why should electronic waste (like old batteries or broken phones) not be thrown with ordinary rubbish?

They can release harmful chemicals into soil and water and should be taken to special collection points
They take up less space when mixed
They will decompose quickly in the open
They will make compost richer
Explanation:

Electronic waste contains heavy metals and toxic substances; proper recycling or disposal prevents pollution and health hazards.

6. Which is a safe way to store sharp waste (nails, broken glass) before disposal at school?

Hide it under other rubbish
Put it in a strong, clearly labeled container and inform a teacher
Place it loose in the general dustbin
Mix it with food scraps in the compost
Explanation:

Sharp waste must be contained and labelled to protect cleaners and waste handlers from cuts and injuries.

7. What should you do with leftover vegetable and garden waste from the school garden?

Burn it every afternoon
Dump it near a river
Throw it in the classroom bin
Use it for composting to make soil for the garden
Explanation:

Composting converts organic waste into useful fertilizer for the garden and reduces the amount of waste sent to landfill.

8. Who in Kenya is mainly responsible for making and enforcing rules on waste management?

National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and local county authorities
A foreign charity always
Only the headteacher with no outside rules
The school canteen manager
Explanation:

NEMA and county governments set and enforce waste management regulations in Kenya, while schools must follow these rules.

9. Which of these is an advantage of recycling materials from the school's workshop?

It makes materials weaker and unusable
It increases the amount of new raw materials needed
It saves resources, can earn money and reduces waste sent to landfill
It raises pollution levels around the school
Explanation:

Recycling conserves resources, lowers waste disposal needs and schools can sometimes sell recyclables to raise funds.

10. What is the safest way for students to handle chemical spills from materials like glue or solvents in a workshop?

Mix it with water and put it in the drain
Wipe with bare hands and throw the cloth on the floor
Tell the teacher, use appropriate protective equipment and follow the spill-cleanup procedure
Ignore the spill so it dries naturally
Explanation:

Chemical spills should be managed by trained staff using PPE and correct methods to avoid harm to people and the environment.

11. Which of the following is the correct description of upcycling?

Turning waste into a product of equal or lower value
Throwing away useful scraps
Transforming waste or old items into something of higher value or use
Burning waste to reduce its volume
Explanation:

Upcycling creatively reuses materials to make better or more valuable products, reducing the need for new resources.

12. Why is open burning of plastic waste near the school dangerous?

It is the cheapest and safest way to remove waste
It produces toxic smoke that can harm health and pollute the air
It makes the plastic disappear safely
It helps recycle the plastic into fertile soil
Explanation:

Burning plastic releases harmful chemicals and particulates that damage lungs, the environment and contribute to pollution.

13. When collecting recyclable paper in school, which practice helps keep it suitable for recycling?

Keep paper dry and free of food or oily stains
Mix paper with food waste so it breaks down faster
Tear it into tiny pieces so it cannot be reused
Soak the paper in water before putting it in the recycle bin
Explanation:

Recyclable paper must be clean and dry; food or oil contamination can make it unusable for recycling.

14. Which of the following items from a workshop should be taken to a hazardous waste collection point rather than the ordinary bin?

Old batteries and used solvent cans
Clean cardboard boxes
Broken wooden ruler
Empty seed packets
Explanation:

Batteries and solvent cans contain hazardous substances that need to be collected and treated separately to avoid pollution.

15. What is a good way for students to help reduce plastic waste at school?

Use refillable water bottles and avoid buying single-use plastics
Throw plastic into the garden
Hide plastic waste in the classroom cupboard
Bring single-use plastic water bottles every day
Explanation:

Using refillable bottles and reducing single-use plastics lowers the amount of plastic waste created.

16. How should sharp objects removed from waste be prepared before disposal to protect waste handlers?

Mixed with liquids so they sink
Left loose in the bin so they can be reused easily
Painted bright colours and thrown away
Wrapped securely or placed in a puncture-proof container and labeled
Explanation:

Sharps must be contained securely and labelled to prevent injuries to cleaners and waste collectors.

17. Which activity is an example of reusing in the school context?

Using empty jars to store screws instead of buying new containers
Buying new plastic trays each term
Throwing away a wooden pallet after one use
Mixing recyclable plastics with soil
Explanation:

Reusing means finding a new purpose for an item rather than discarding it, saving resources and money.

18. Who should students report to if they find illegal dumping of waste near the school grounds?

The teacher or school administration and local county environmental officers if needed
Remove the waste themselves without telling anyone
Ignore it and walk away
A classmate who was not involved
Explanation:

Reporting to adults and authorities ensures the issue is handled lawfully and safely; students should not try to manage hazardous dumping alone.

19. Which container label best helps with waste segregation at a school workshop?

Unlabeled mixed bin for everything
A bin for 'Old books only' but used for food waste
A bin labeled 'Recyclables: paper, metal, plastic' separate from organic and hazardous bins
A bin labeled 'Trash' with no further instruction
Explanation:

Clear labels for recyclables, organics and hazardous waste guide correct disposal and make recycling and safe disposal possible.

20. Why is it important to wear gloves and a mask when sorting waste in the workshop?

To stop teachers from seeing what you are doing
To protect against cuts, infections and inhaling dust or harmful fumes
Because it will make the waste lighter
Because they are fashionable
Explanation:

Personal protective equipment reduces the risk of injury and exposure to harmful substances while handling waste.

21. Which of these school projects turns organic kitchen waste into a useful product for the school garden?

Setting up a compost pit for food and garden waste
Sending all waste to the landfill every day
Tossing food scraps into the storm drain
Making a plastic dump
Explanation:

A compost pit decomposes organic waste into nutrient-rich compost that can improve soil in the school garden.

22. What should students avoid doing with used oil from machines or equipment?

Storing it in sealed labeled containers for collection
Handing it to an adult responsible for disposal
Pouring it onto the ground or into drains
Collecting it for recycling at a proper facility
Explanation:

Used oil pollutes soil and water; it must be stored and taken to a proper recycling or disposal facility.

23. Which of the following best describes a waste audit in a school?

A study that looks at what types and amounts of waste the school produces to find ways to reduce it
Putting all waste in one bin for a week
Burning all waste to see what remains
Counting how many students arrive late each day
Explanation:

A waste audit helps the school understand its waste streams and plan actions to reduce, reuse and recycle more effectively.

24. What is the best action if you find an old battery in the school grounds?

Crush it and put it in the compost
Leave it where it is and ignore it
Take it to a teacher or to a collection point for hazardous items
Throw it into the river
Explanation:

Batteries contain harmful chemicals and must be handled by adults and taken to proper recycling or disposal facilities.

25. How can a school workshop reduce the amount of scrap metal waste?

Carefully measure and plan projects, and collect offcuts for repair, reuse or sale to metal recyclers
Discard all metal offcuts immediately
Bury the metal in the school field
Throw metal scrap into the organic compost pit
Explanation:

Planning reduces leftover scraps; collecting metal offcuts allows reuse in future projects or sale to recyclers, reducing waste.

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