A two-phase laboratory study of textile waste treatment by gamma radiation from a Cobalt-60 source was conducted. Laboratory prepared dye samples, starch sols, starch desize solutions, and PVA desize solutions were exposed to various dosages of radiation and the corresponding reductions of color, COD, BOD, and pH were monitored. Decolorization of certain diazo dyes appeared to be attainable at a dosage of 24,000 rads. Although the irradiation process efficiency (G value) for COD reductions for concentrated solutions (COD approx. 10,000 ppm) was greater than 100, the G values for dilute solutions (COD approx. 50 or 100 ppm) were around 20. Previous work has established 100 as the G value necessary for successful radiation treatment. The second phase of the investigation involved modification of the procedure to include additions of various metals and activated carbon.