Method for treatment of halogen-containing waste material

A method of treating a halogen-containing waste material with a halogen reactive material selected from the group consisting of alkali and alkaline earth metal hydroxides, alkali and alkaline earth metal carbonates and mixtures thereof;

• said method comprises the steps of
• a) adding the halogen reactive material to the halogen containing waste material, the total amount of added halogen reactive material and halogen reactive material inherently present in the waste material being between 0.5 and 1 times the stoichiometrical amount of halogen atoms in the waste material,
• b) heating the waste material and halogen reactive material in a pressure reactor means essentially without addition of water at a temperature within the range between 150° and 750° C. that is sufficient to generate a pressure above 2 bars, said pressure reactor means comprising means for releasing volatile compounds liberated from the waste material so as to control pressure build-up in the reactor means, said reactor means being otherwise closed;
• and
• c) maintaining the pressure reactor means for a sufficient time to convert halogen in the waste material to alkali or alkaline earth metal halides, whereby substantially all halogen possible are reacted to alkali or alkaline earth metal halides.