Past research in this laboratory on catalytic steam reforming of chlorinated hydrocarbons demonstrated extremely high levels of destruction (0.99999+) at 600-750degreesC, with GHSVs as high as 2.5 x 10(5) h(-1). Feasible operation was demonstrated with chlorinated alkanes, alkenes. aromatics and PCBs using Pt/gamma-Al2O3 catalysts. The major mechanism for deactivation with trichloroethylene was sintering of the gammaAl(2)O(3) support and encapsulation of Pt crystallites. Evidence is presented here that ZrO2 is a superior support for steam reforming of trichloroethylene (TCE), due to its low acidity and ability to store oxygen. Formulations of 0.8 wt.% Pt/ZrO2 tested at a GHSV of 20,000 h(-1) and a H2O/C ratio of 20 operated for 42 days at 750degreesC, with only slight carbon deposits in the first 15% of the catalyst bed. No pyrolysis was found, and the product CO/CO2, ratio was at equilibrium, indicating high water gas shift activity with very low CO concentrations. Kinetic measurements revealed a pseudo-first order rate equation, sintering of the support and Pt was much less than with gamma-Al2O3 supports, and no encapsulation was detected. Slow deactivation occurred due to deposition of catalytic carbon. This carbon was removed by combustion with air, and the rate of deactivation indicated the 42-day run would have lasted seven months. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.