Catalytic hydrodechlorination and hydrodearomatisation of 13 different mono-, di-, tri-, tetra- and pentachlorophenols were carried out simultaneously under mild reaction conditions (298-353 K, 0.3-0.5 MPa). Experimental conditions suitable for complete conversion of the pollutants into nontoxic cyclohexanol and sodium chloride were first determined using a commercial Ru/C catalyst. A new supported ruthenium catalyst was then designed that possesses a carbonaceous support suitable to concentrate chlorophenol through adsorption. Using parachlorophenol as a model molecule, the influence of the base concentration in solution and the kinetics of the reaction under chemical regime were studied. A p-chlorophenol-->phenol-->cyclohexanol consecutive kinetic scheme was considered that drove to numerous possible kinetic models. A dynamic simulation software was used both for helping in model discrimination and for kinetic parameter estimation. The estimated activation energy values amount to ca. 45.0+/-2.7 and 33.2+/-2.4 kJ mol(-1) for the hydrodechloration and the hydrodearomatisation steps, respectively.