UPSC Prelims 2011 Q1: Environment & Ecology – Renewable Energy & Green Technologies
In the Union Budget 2011 - 12, a full exemption from the basic customs duty was extended to
the bio - based asphalt (bioasphalt). What is the importance of this material?
1. Unlike traditional asphalt, bio - asphalt is not based on fossil fuels.
2. Bioasphalt can be made from non - renewable resources.
3. Bioasphalt can be made from organic waste materials.
4. It is eco - friendly to use bioasphalt for surfacing of the roads.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- (a) 1, 2 and 3 only
- (b) 1, 3 and 4 only
- (c) 2 and 4 only
- (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: (b) 1, 3 and 4 only
Explanation
Bioasphalt: why the 2011-12 Budget exempted it from customs duty
Bioasphalt is a substitute for the asphalt (bitumen) used to surface roads, made from plant and organic material instead of petroleum.
| Statement | Verdict | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Unlike traditional asphalt, bio-asphalt is not based on fossil fuels | Correct | It comes from vegetable oils, sugar and organic waste, not crude oil |
| 2. Bioasphalt can be made from non-renewable resources | Incorrect | The whole point of bioasphalt is that its sources are renewable |
| 3. Bioasphalt can be made from organic waste materials | Correct | Waste wood, manure, sewage and crop residue can be processed into it |
| 4. It is eco-friendly to use bioasphalt for surfacing of roads | Correct | It cuts crude-oil dependence and carbon emissions compared with petroleum asphalt |
Why it matters for the Budget:
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Traditional asphalt | A by-product of petroleum refining |
| Policy goal | Promote renewable, waste-based road materials |
| Tool used | Customs duty exemption to make the import/input cheaper |
Answer: (b) 1, 3 and 4 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Statement 2 is false; bioasphalt is not made from non-renewable resources, and statement 4 is left out.
- (b) CORRECT. Bioasphalt is not fossil-fuel based, comes from organic waste, and is eco-friendly for roads.
- (c) Incorrect. Statement 2 is false, and statements 1 and 3 are left out.
- (d) Incorrect. Statement 2 is false; bioasphalt's sources are renewable, not non-renewable.
Key point
Bioasphalt: made from organic/plant waste, not petroleum; renewable, not non-renewable; eco-friendly road surfacing material.
Remember
Bioasphalt = organic/renewable, not fossil-fuel based.
Common mistakes
- Reading 'non-renewable' in statement 2 as a good thing for bioasphalt; it is the opposite of its selling point.
- Forgetting that traditional asphalt itself is a petroleum by-product.
- Missing that organic waste (not just crops) can be the raw material.
Exam tip
Anything called 'bio-' in these questions is renewable by definition. A statement calling it non-renewable is automatically wrong.
Sources
- Ministry of Finance, Government of India — Union Budget 2011–12: Budget Speech of the Finance Minister (28 February 2011)
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — asphalt