Sodium 3,5,6-trichloropyridin-2-ol (STCP) is a necessary precursor compound for the production of chlorpyrifos and triclopyr, which are extensively used as pesticide and herbicide, respectively. In the process of STCP production, however, large amount of wastewater containing STCP is discharged, which causes increasingly environmental concerns. Therefore, it is of great significance to develop a rapid and effective method for the disposal of containing STCP contaminants. In this work, the thermal decomposition of STCP in sub- and supercritical water was investigated using a Continuous tubular reactor. While STCP was stable below 280 degrees C, it could be effectively decomposed at elevated temperature. FT-IR spectra of the decomposition products indicated that the pyridine ring structure in the STCP molecule was stable even at temperatures up to 400 degrees C. The decomposition reaction was mainly caused by the substitution of Cl groups in the STCP molecule with OH groups, resulting in polyhydroxylated pyridines as the major decomposition product. Moreover, high pressure favored the substitution reaction. To completely decompose STCP into non-toxic or low toxic compounds, supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) was employed to evaluate the oxidation of STCP using H(2)O(2) as an oxidant. it was found that STCP could be completely oxidized to H(2)O, CO(2) and corresponding inorganic ammonium salts with an oxidation rate of 99%. (C) 2009 The Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.