The catalytic wet hydrogen peroxide oxidation of tyrosol, a major compound of the polyphenolic fraction present in olive oil mill wastewaters, was studied in batch and continuous reactors using copper-supported pillared Clay Catalysts under mild conditions. The catalysts were prepared by the solid-state reaction of Al-pillared clay synthesized with copper nitrate. The resultant materials were then calcined at 300 degrees C for 3 h under helium or oxygen. The catalytic activity of Cu-supported pillared clays was found to depend on the calcination method. The effects of several operating conditions were also studied. Our experimental results indicate that, under mild conditions and a stoichiometric amount of oxidant, the calcined material under helium (CuNHe catalyst) showed higher activity and stability (TOC abatement of roughly 80% and total elimination of tyrosol after 1 h reaction, without significant leaching of copper ions) than the calcined material under oxygen (CuNOxy). To better understand the catalytic behaviour of copper-supported pillared clay solids, fresh and used catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption, chemical analysis, temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.