Reactive exothermic liquid - inorganic solid hybrid process

A method for the treatment of in-situ waste materials and in-process hazardous materials, said materials comprising PCBs, the method comprising the steps of:

• preparing a mixture comprising at least 70 weight percent quicklime, 0.1 to 10 weight percent of aliphatic salts of sodium prepared by reacting an aliphatic acid composition consisting of 50 weight percent palmitic acid, 39 weight percent stearic acid, 5 weight percent oleic acid, 2.5 weight percent margaric acid, 2.5 weight percent myristic acid and 1 weight percent pentadecanoic acid with a compound selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, sodium alkoxide, and mixtures thereof;
• contacting said mixture with said materials to be treated, the weight ratio of said mixture to the dry weight of said waste ranging from 1:5 to 1:10;
• absorbing said materials into said mixture to form a second mixture;
• controlling the amount of water in said second mixture to achieve;
• causing an exothermic reaction between said mixture and water while generating a temperature of at least 200.degree. F.;
• and
• breaking down said materials due to said exothermic reaction with the formation of a water insoluble powder.