Wastes containing mercury and arsenic should be classified as what type of waste?

• A. Wastes with inorganic chemicals
• B. Alkali waste
• C. Reactive chemical wastes
• D. Stabilized Waste

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that waste is often sorted by chemical composition into inorganic versus organic categories. Mercury and arsenic are elements that do not contain carbon, so their compounds are considered inorganic. Wastes that contain these inorganic contaminants fall under inorganic chemical wastes because the defining feature is the inorganic nature of the contaminants, not how reactive they are or how alkaline they might be. The other options describe different aspects: alkali waste is about basic substances, reactive waste concerns materials that react dangerously, and stabilized waste refers to a treated state rather than the inherent composition. So, mercury- and arsenic-containing wastes are classified as inorganic chemical wastes.