The present application discloses a method and apparatus for purging oxygen from a sealed container interior and a purge substance used in such method. The method is exemplified herein in an improved batch process and apparatus for the thermal decomposition of hydrocarbon containing material in a sealed reactor interior. According to the present invention the improved batch process may comprise, 1) loading the hydrocarbon containing material into and sealing the reactor, 2) purging or expelling oxygen from said reactor, and 3) heating said reactor to a predetermined temperature so as to obtain decomposition products, the improvement residing in the purging step including loading the reactor with an oxyphilic solution prior to sealing and heating the interior of the sealed reactor to a predetermined temperature to induce the oxyphilic solution to drive oxygen out of the interior of the container through said gas evacuation component. The purge substance may be for example, an oxyphilic solution as described herein. Using the method of the present invention, material such as rubber, vinyl-polymers, styrene-polymers, ethylene-polymers, synthetic fibers, domestic waste, biomedical waste, animal waste and vegetation or any other type of hydrocarbon containing material and mixtures thereof may be efficiently processed.