Which of the following wastes is classified as non-halogenated?

• A. Waste containing acetonitrile
• B. Waste containing chloroform
• C. Waste containing polychlorinated hydrocarbons
• D. Waste containing bromine

Answer: (A)

Halogen content in waste is what defines whether something is halogenated or not. A non-halogenated waste contains no halogen elements (fluorine, chlorine, bromine, or iodine). Acetonitrile (CH3CN) has carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen, with no halogen atoms, so it’s non-halogenated. In contrast, chloroform contains chlorine, polychlorinated hydrocarbons have chlorine in their structures, and bromine itself is a halogen, so those wastes are halogenated.