Process for the treatment of heavy products resulting from the manufacture of chlorohydrocarbons

In a process for the treatment of the heavy products resulting from the manufacture of chlorohydrocarbons, which products consist essentially of high-boiling chlorohydrocarbons found in the stills of distillation columns used for the separation and purification of chlorohydrocarbons, in which the heavy products are subjected to steam distillation to form a top fraction comprising light chlorinated products and a bottom fraction comprising high boiling chlorohydrocarbons, the improvement comprising carrying out the distillation in the presence of a water-insoluble surface-active agent having a solubility in water of less than 1 gram per liter when the water is in equilibrium with a solution containing 10 grams per liter of surface-active agent in 1,2-dichloroethane at 20.degree. C.;

• said solubility being sufficiently low to substantially preclude formation of an emulsion between said high boiling chloroydrocarbons and water.