Commercial StudiesICSE Class 9 · Social Responsibility Towards the Environment

E-waste Management, Recycling and Afforestation by Business (ICSE Class 9 Commercial Studies)

Updated 18 October 2026 · Fact-checked

Social responsibility towards the environment means that a business protects and improves the environment beyond just earning profit. Three ways in the syllabus are e-waste management (the safe collection, recycling and disposal of discarded electronic goods; meaning only), recycling (processing used materials into new products) and afforestation (planting trees on a large scale to create forests).

Notice that one responsible business acts in three ways: dispose of e-waste safely, recycle materials, and plant trees to restore the environment.

Illustration drawn for QuestionBuddy.

Understand E-waste Management, Recycling and Afforestation by Business

Social responsibility towards the environment. Social responsibility of business is its obligation to act in ways that protect and improve the welfare of society, beyond earning profit and obeying the law. Towards the environment a business should use natural resources efficiently and avoid waste, prevent or control pollution, manage and dispose of waste safely including e-waste, reuse and recycle materials, restore what it uses by planting trees, make and promote eco-friendly products, and follow environmental laws.
Why: business uses natural resources that belong to society; pollution harms health and future generations; consumers prefer responsible firms (goodwill); laws require it; and saving energy and materials also cuts costs.

E-waste management (meaning only). E-waste is discarded electrical and electronic equipment and parts: old computers, mobile phones, printers, televisions, batteries, chargers, cables, refrigerators. It contains valuable materials (copper, gold, plastics) and harmful substances (lead, mercury, cadmium) that pollute soil and water and harm health if dumped or burnt. E-waste management is the safe collection, storage, transport, dismantling, recycling and disposal of discarded electronic and electrical goods so that useful materials are recovered and hazardous substances do not harm people or the environment. As on the chapter page, in India the E-Waste (Management) Rules under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 make producers responsible for collecting and recycling their products at the end of their life.

Recycling. Collecting used or waste materials and processing them into new materials or products instead of throwing them away; part of the 3 Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle. Businesses can recycle paper, cardboard, glass, metals and plastics; use recycled raw materials; treat and reuse waste water; sell scrap to authorised recyclers; and take back used products or packaging. Benefits: conserves resources, saves energy, reduces landfill and pollution, and often lowers costs. Example: a soft-drink company sends used bottles to a recycler who makes them into fibre for clothing.

Afforestation. Planting trees on a large scale to create forests on land that had no forest or had lost its cover. Businesses can plant green belts around factories and offices to absorb dust, noise and carbon dioxide; replace trees cut for projects by planting more elsewhere; adopt public parks, road dividers or degraded land; support tree-planting drives by local bodies and NGOs; and use paper and wood from sustainably managed plantations. Benefits: cleaner air, less soil erosion, more rainfall and groundwater recharge, wildlife habitat and a better image.

Neighbouring topics: eco-friendly products and legal compliance of environmental norms are on the next page of this chapter.

E-waste Management, Recycling and Afforestation by Business: key facts

Five ways: E-waste management
recycling
afforestation
eco-friendly products
legal compliance; Brief understanding of each.
3 Rs: Reduce
reuse
recycle; Recycling is the third R.
E-waste: Valuable: copper, gold, plastics | harmful: lead, mercury, cadmium; Recover the first, contain the second.

E-waste Management, Recycling and Afforestation by Business in real life

The idea, met in an everyday situation. Answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

A green belt

Suppose a cement company cuts 120 trees to expand its plant and promises to plant 3 trees for every tree cut, at Rs 40 for each sapling (assumed figures).

How many trees will it plant, what is the net gain and what is the cost?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Trees planted = 120 x 3 = 360.
Net gain = 360 - 120 = 240 trees.
Cost of saplings = 360 x 40 = Rs 14,400.

Answer: 360 trees planted, a net gain of 240 trees, at a cost of Rs 14,400 for saplings.

Memory hook: Plant more than you cut.

Tricks to remember E-waste Management, Recycling and Afforestation by Business

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

R-R-R
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Use it when: Recycling.
Green belt
A belt of trees around a factory absorbs dust, noise and carbon dioxide.
Use it when: Afforestation.
Valuable and toxic
E-waste has valuable metals but toxic lead, mercury, cadmium.
Use it when: E-waste.

E-waste Management, Recycling and Afforestation by Business: solved examples

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Try each one before you open the solution.

Example 1: E-waste example · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

Which of the following is e-waste?
(a) vegetable peels (b) an old mobile phone and charger (c) waste paper (d) used glass bottles

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

E-waste is discarded electrical and electronic equipment.

Answer: (b) an old mobile phone and charger

Example 2: Harmful and valuable materials · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

Why does e-waste need careful management? Name two valuable and two harmful materials in it.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

E-waste contains valuable materials such as copper and gold. (1 mark)
It also contains harmful substances such as lead, mercury and cadmium. (1 mark)
If dumped or burnt it pollutes soil and water and harms health, so it must be collected and recycled safely. (1 mark)

Answer: Valuable: copper, gold. Harmful: lead, mercury, cadmium. Safe handling is needed to avoid pollution.

Example 3: Recycling in numbers · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

A factory produces 2,500 kg of paper waste in a month and recycles 40 per cent of it. Find the weight recycled and the weight left to be disposed of. If 25 computers and 40 phones are replaced and 20 per cent of the 65 items can be repaired and reused, how many items are reused?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Recycled paper = 40 / 100 x 2,500 = 1,000 kg. (1 mark)
Left for disposal = 2,500 - 1,000 = 1,500 kg. (1 mark)
Items reused = 20 / 100 x 65 = 13 items. (1 mark)

Answer: 1,000 kg recycled, 1,500 kg left, 13 items reused

Example 4: Case study: the cement plant · 4 marks · Case-basedHOTS / competency

A cement company cuts 120 trees to expand its plant, which releases dust, and promises to plant 3 trees for every tree cut at Rs 40 for each sapling (assumed). It also builds a green belt around the plant.
(i) How many trees will be planted? (1)
(ii) Find the net increase in trees and the cost of saplings. (2)
(iii) Name the responsibility shown and one benefit of the green belt. (1)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

(i) 120 x 3 = 360 trees.
(ii) Net increase = 360 - 120 = 240 trees; cost = 360 x 40 = Rs 14,400.
(iii) Afforestation; the green belt absorbs dust, noise and carbon dioxide.

Answer: (i) 360 (ii) 240 trees; Rs 14,400 (iii) afforestation; absorbs dust

Example 5: Why recycle · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

What is recycling? State three benefits of recycling for a business and the environment.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Recycling is processing used or waste materials into new products instead of discarding them. (1 mark)
Benefits: it conserves natural resources and saves energy. (1 mark)
It reduces landfill and pollution and often lowers costs. (1 mark)

Answer: Meaning plus three benefits: conserves resources and energy, reduces landfill, lowers costs.

Where students lose marks in E-waste Management, Recycling and Afforestation by Business

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

Mistake: Confusing afforestation and recycling
Both are green practices.
Wrong working
Planting trees is recycling
Right working
Planting trees is afforestation; recycling turns waste into new products
Do this: Match each with its meaning.
Usually costs: 1 mark
Mistake: Missing the harm in e-waste
Only the meaning is written.
Wrong working
E-waste is old computers
Right working
E-waste is discarded electronics that contain harmful substances like lead and mercury
Do this: Mention the harm.
Usually costs: 1 mark
Mistake: No example
Points are generic.
Wrong working
Companies should recycle
Right working
A drink company sends used bottles to a recycler
Do this: Give one example.
Usually costs: 1 mark

Exam tips

Give a precise meaning, two ways a business can act and one example for each heading.
For e-waste write the meaning only, plus the reason it matters.
Use the 3 Rs in recycling answers.
Show simple working for numbers and label your assumptions.

Practice questions on E-waste Management, Recycling and Afforestation by Business

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level
Planting a green belt around a factory is an example of:
(a) recycling (b) afforestation (c) e-waste management (d) legal compliance
Hint
Trees.
Answer
(b) afforestation
Q2 · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level
What is meant by e-waste management?
Hint
Collection, recycling, disposal.
Answer
It is the safe collection, dismantling, recycling and disposal of discarded electronic goods so that useful materials are recovered and toxic substances do not harm people or the environment.
Q3 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
An office uses 600 kg of paper a year and buys recycled paper for 35 per cent of its need. Find the quantity of recycled paper bought and the quantity of fresh paper used.
Hint
Percentage of 600.
Answer
Recycled = 35 / 100 x 600 = 210 kg. Fresh paper = 600 - 210 = 390 kg.
Q4 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
A stationery shop has no land of its own but wants to support afforestation. Suggest three ways.
Hint
Think of drives, parks and paper.
Answer
Support tree-planting drives by local bodies and NGOs; adopt a public park or road divider and maintain its plants; buy paper and wood products from sustainably managed plantations.
Q5 · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Explain why a company that dumps old computers in an open ground is not socially responsible, and name the person or body the e-waste rules hold responsible for recycling.
Hint
Think of lead and mercury and producers.
Answer
Dumping lets harmful substances such as lead and mercury pollute soil and water and harm health. As on the chapter page, the E-Waste (Management) Rules make producers responsible for collecting and recycling their products at the end of life; a responsible business hands its e-waste to authorised recyclers.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1.What is e-waste?Show answer
Discarded electrical and electronic equipment.
2.What are the 3 Rs?Show answer
Reduce, reuse, recycle.
3.What is afforestation?Show answer
Planting trees on a large scale to create forests.
4.Name a harmful substance in e-waste.Show answer
Lead, mercury or cadmium.
5.What is a green belt?Show answer
A belt of trees around a factory or office.
6.Why do firms recycle?Show answer
To conserve resources, save energy and reduce waste and costs.

E-waste Management, Recycling and Afforestation by Business: frequently asked questions

Is e-waste management asked in detail?

No. The syllabus asks for the meaning only.

Is recycling only for factories?

No, offices and shops can recycle paper, plastic and e-waste too.

Does afforestation help the business?

Yes, it improves air quality and the image of the business.