Abstract: A method of removing organic contaminants from contaminated solids in which the solids are comminuted as necessary to resolve them into particles with a top size of typically not more than 15 cm. A slurry of the remaining particles and a contaminant treatment agent which is a mixture of an alcohol and an alkali hydroxide is agitated for a period which is sufficiently long to separate contaminants from the particles. After initial treatment, particles larger than 2 mm can be separated out and processed separately, typically by surficial cleaning. The slurry is thereafter resolved into a predominantly liquid phase containing fines and one or more less contaminated, separately treatable fractions in which solids predominate.

Abstract: A method of removing halogenated organic contaminants from contaminated solids in which the solids are comminuted as necessary to resolve them into particles with a top size of typically not more than 15 cm. The particulate solids are slurried with a contaminant extraction agent which is a mixture of an alcohol solvent, an alkali hydroxide, and a sulfoxide catalyst in an environment which results in contaminant(s) being scrubbed from the solids particles larger than 2 mm can then be separated out and processed separately, typically by surficial cleaning. A slurry of the remaining particles and the contaminant extraction agent is agitated for a period which is sufficiently long to separate additional contaminant(s) from the smaller sized particles. The slurry is thereafter resolved into a predominantly liquid phase containing fines and one or more less contaminated, separately treatable fractions in which solids predominate.