HazmatTable Guide
How Do I Calculate RQ for a Chemical Mixture?
For a mixture, calculate the actual quantity of each listed hazardous substance present and compare that constituent quantity with its RQ.
Short answer
For a mixture, calculate the actual quantity of each listed hazardous substance present and compare that constituent quantity with its RQ.
For a mixture, calculate the actual quantity of each listed hazardous substance present and compare that constituent quantity with its RQ.
Why this matters
A 500-pound drum containing 2% of a substance does not contain 500 pounds of that substance. The concentration and total amount both matter.
A better workflow
Multiply the package quantity by the concentration expressed as a decimal. Example: 500 lb × 0.02 = 10 lb of the constituent. Then compare that 10 lb against the constituent’s listed RQ.
Check your material in HazmatTable
Search the table, compare the listed RQ, and see the source in seconds.
What HazmatTable helps with
- Search a chemical, synonym, waste code or radionuclide.
- See the listed RQ and units without scanning a long PDF.
- Preserve important Appendix A footnotes and source context.
- Compare an entered package quantity with the listed RQ.
- Continue into related shipping and classification guides.
Important: HazmatTable is a reference and workflow tool, not a legal certification of a shipment. The shipper must verify the current HMR and the actual material, quantity, packaging and mode.
Authoritative references: 49 CFR §172.101 / Appendix A and PHMSA hazmat guidance. PHMSA Hazmat · Appendix A source used for this database