Abstract: A process for the decontamination of a solid product polluted by a contaminant which can be vaporized by heating under vacuum, and devices for carrying out such a process, wherein the product is introduced into a heating and evacuating enclosure (3, 37, 72), said product is heated, substantially in bulk, within a given temperature range, a vacuum being created in said enclosure which is sufficient to reduce the pressure of the enclosure below the vaporization threshold of the contaminant within said temperature range, said temperature and reduced pressure conditions in the enclosure are maintained for a sufficient time to vaporize substantially all the contaminant contained in said product, the vaporized contaminant is extracted by sucking the atmosphere out of the enclosure, and said contaminant which has been sucked out is condensed.

Abstract: The water-soluble pollutants contained in aqueous industrial, agricultural and domestic waste materials are converted into a water-insoluble solid mass with improved resistance to leaching of the pollutants therefrom by treatment with a particulate metallurgical slag under alkaline conditions, in the presence of a hydration-promoting agent for the slag, e.g., gypsum.