A system for recovering methylene chloride from an aqueous waste stream is disclosed. The system includes a distillation unit, at least one heat transfer unit, receptacles for methylene chloride and waste product, a temperature probe and a controller configured to selectively divert product flow from the distillation unit to either of the receptacles or to a recycle line back to the distillation unit depending upon the temperature measured by the probe. Also disclosed is a related process of recovering methylene chloride with such a system.