What is one method of inerting hazardous materials?

Inerting hazardous materials involves making them stable and less likely to react with other substances, which is vital for safety during storage and handling. Displacement using a non-flammable gas is a widely recognized method for achieving this. By replacing the air in a container with a non-flammable gas, the potential for combustion or dangerous reactions is significantly reduced. This technique works because many hazardous materials are reactive with oxygen or other components found in the air; thus, creating an inert environment minimizes their ability to react.

While the other methods, like heating the substance, mixing with water, or absorbing with sand, may alter the state or mitigate risks in specific contexts, they do not effectively create an inert atmosphere. Heating may increase volatility, mixing with water could lead to reactions depending on the material, and absorbing with sand is more of a containment technique than a true inerting method.