Abstract: A continuous method for the treatment of a spent aqueous caustic stream used to scrub a hydrocarbon process stream to remove oxidizable sulfur-containing compounds includes: a. mixing an oxidizing hypochlorous acid stream produced from an aqueous brine solution with the aqueous caustic stream to form a reactive mixed feedstream; b. contacting the reactive mixed feedstream with at least one catalyst to promote the oxidation of the sulfur-containing compounds and the neutralization of the sodium hydroxide; and c. recovering a neutral treated product stream comprising aqueous sodium sulfate, sodium carbonate and sodium chloride that is odorless, non-toxic and environmentally acceptable for discharge into the sea or into a conventional sewage treatment system.