a temperature of about 177 u00b0 c a conventional recovery system can comprise condenser or heat exchanger 42 phase separator 44 and storage vessel 46 the volatile vapors and steam are condensed in exchanger 42 the condensate removed through conduit 48 and introduced into phase separator 44 the condensed organic contaminant is removed from the separator through conduit 50 and stored in vessel 46 the water from the condensed steam can be removed through conduit 52 and used for producing additional steam bed 24 can be reactivated numerous times in this manner however eventually more sever reactivation means will be necessary to remove those contaminants which are not removed by steam stripping at 177 u00b0 c this is accomplished by removing the spent carbon granules from container 20 through conduit 54 and charging the spent carbon to high temperature reactor 60 the spent carbon granules are heated in reactor 60 in the presence of steam introduced through conduit 62 and heater 64 to a temperature from about 760 u00b0 c to about 870 u00b0 c the heavy organic contaminants are stripped off at this very high temperature and the carbon granules become reactivated the reactivated carbon granules are removed through conduit 68 and used for recharging to bed 20 the stripped contaminants are normally partially oxidized in the reactor the vent gases from the reactor are removed through conduit 66 and sent to a high temperature afterburner 69 where the organic vapors are completely converted to non toxic gases and vented to the atmosphere through conduit.