Which of the following situations (long term) would be expected to be most damaging to a polyethylene container such as a Brute trash can?
D. Exposure to 2% ozone in air
At least, that's the answer I was looking for. Ozone will oxidize polyethylene, making it brittle and eventually it will fail.
Normal acids and bases of any strength do not have an impact on polyethylene, so A and B are wrong:
A. The super low pH of concentrated (37%) hydrochloric acid (muriatic acid; pH about -1)
B. The super high pH of 30% sodium hydroxide in water (pH about 15)
HDPE will absorb some hydrophobic organic molecules, as are present in diesel fuel. Especially aromatic compounds. It gets mixed ratings, some places say it is OK and some say only short term (less than 1 year) and some say not recommended. So C is also an acceptable answer.