Environmentally appropriate degradation and disposal of heteroatom-containing compounds

Process for the degradation of atrazine or melamine-formaldehyde resins having C--X bonds where X is N, or compounds which have one or more C--X bonds, where X is selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br, I, O and S, by cleavage of the C--X bonds, wherein said atrazine or melamine-formaldehyde resins or compounds or articles which contain said atrazine or melamine-formaldehyde resins or compounds are treated with water vapor at a temperature of 300.degree. to 600.degree. C. in the presence of an aluminum catalyst consisting essentially of catalytically active aluminum oxide or AlOOH as active constituent.