A process wherein the use of a degradation-enhancing reactant or a precursor thereof, e.g., an oxidizing agent, can effectively increase the rate of reaction for the degradation of polymers in an aqueous environment and thereby facilitate the disposal of same. For example, in one aspect, the process comprises contacting a solubilized polymer and a degradation-enhancing reactant, within an aqueous environment, and subsequently reacting the polymer under conditions that are effective to provide at least one environmentally benign degradation product from the polymer.