Thermal treatment technology was used to remove polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) from heavily contaminated soil. For a soil with an original PCDD/F content of 35,970 ng International Toxic Equivalents (I-TEQ)/kg, >99.99% PCDD/F removal efficiency was obtained with a primary furnace at two different treatment temperatures (750 degrees C and 850 degrees C), while a secondary furnace at 1200 degrees C gave >98% decomposition efficiency. The total PCDD/F I-TEQ contents in treated soils at 750 degrees C and 850 degrees C were 1.56 ng I-TEQ/kg and 2.15 ng I-TEQ/kg, respectively, which were far below the soil pollution standard of Taiwan (1000 ng I-TEQ/kg soil). Although air pollution control devices had significant effects on the removal of PCDD/Fs, the total I-TEQ concentrations in the upstream flue gas of PUF cartridge at 750 degrees C and 850 degrees C (2.61 ng I-TEQ/Nm(3) and 2.38 ng I-TEQ/Nm(3). respectively) were still higher than the stationary emission limit of the Taiwan EPA (0.5 ng I-TEQ/Nm(3)). The above results also suggested that additional APCDs, such as activated carbon injection in front of the filter are needed to enhance PCDD/F removal efficiency. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.