Abstract: The process conditions for the high-temperature hydrolysis of chrome shavings in sub-critical water were systematically investigated and the resulting hydrolysate was characterized. The results showed that the hydrolysis rates of chrome shavings could all reach more than 76% when the conditions were 160~180 ℃ of the temperature with the ratio of solid to liquid of 1∶30-1∶40 and hydrolysis time of 1 h. The chromium content in the hydrolysate was 3.06-6.05 mg/g, which is much lower than that in chrome shavings (25.31 mg/g), and the amount of hexavalent chromium was 2.02-3.78 mg/kg chrome shavings. The molecular weight of the hydrolysate was low (<1000 Da), and the components of the hydrolysate were mainly peptides. This method provides a new pathway for the harmless treatment of chrome shavings.