The reasons for excessive generation of wastes are: (i) Use and throw policy. (ii) Increased availability of packaged food. (iii) Increased construction wastes. (iv) Non-sorting of dry and wet wastes. Select the correct combination of options.

The chapter explains: "Improvements in our life-style have resulted in greater amounts of waste material generation. Changes in attitude also have a role to play, with more and more things we use becoming disposable. Changes in packaging have resulted in much of our waste becoming non-biodegradable." It also stresses that mechanisms to "treat the biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes separately" are often lacking, and highlights growing construction waste and packaged-food waste as modern contributors.

• (i) Use and throw policy — the shift to disposable items (e.g., disposable cups discussed under 'Think it over') directly increases waste generation. Valid reason.
• (ii) Increased availability of packaged food — changes in packaging, as noted in the text, add to non-biodegradable waste. Valid reason.
• (iii) Increased construction wastes — modern urbanisation and improved lifestyle increase such waste; consistent with the chapter's theme of lifestyle-driven waste generation. Valid reason.
• (iv) Non-sorting of dry and wet wastes — failure to segregate biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste at source (mentioned in Activity 13.7 as something local bodies should but often don't do) worsens the waste problem, since it prevents proper treatment and increases the effective unmanaged waste burden. Valid reason.

Since all four factors (i)–(iv) genuinely contribute to excessive waste generation/accumulation, option (C) — all of them — is correct. The other options incorrectly omit one or more valid causes.