A dual function zeolite medium (Cr-ZSM-5), capable of physisorbing trichloroethylene (TCE) at ambient temperature and catalytically oxidizing it at elevated temperature (similar to 350 degrees C), was utilized in a novel continuous falling furnace reactor system to store and periodically destroy this chlorinated volatile organic compound, For inlet feed streams between 50 and 1600 ppm of TCE in humid air, overall destruction levels were typically above 99%. Also, since the falling furnace system required heating only during the desorption/reaction portion of the process (5-10% of the cycle time), energy comparison with conventional catalytic reactors is extremely favorable.