Cement rotary kiln co-processing of hazardous wastes and cement based solidification/stabilization could both immobilize heavy metals. The different retention mechanisms of the two technologies lead to different fixation effects of heavy metals. The same amount of heavy metal compounds were treated by the two types of fixation technologies. Long-term leaching test (160 days), the maximum availability leaching test (NEN 7341) and a modified three-step sequential extraction procedure. proposed by the Commission of the European Communities Bureau of Reference (BCR) were employed to compare the fixation effects of the two fixation technologies. The leaching concentrations in NEN 7341 and long-term leaching tests were compared with identification standard for hazardous wastes (GB5085.3-1996) and drinking water standard (GB5749-2005). The results indicate that the leaching concentrations of the long-term leaching test and NEN 7341 test were lower than the regulatory limits and the leached ratios were small. Both cement based solidification/stabilization and cement rotary kiln co-processing could effectively fix heavy metals. Calcination in a cement rotary kiln and the following hydration that follows during cement application Could fix As, Cd, Pb and Zn more effectively and decrease the release to the environment. Cement solidification/stabilization technology has better effect in immobilizing Cr and Ni. Cr wastes are more fitful to be treated by cement solidification/stabilization. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.