EXHIBIT 10 (ccc)


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<PAGE>

                              THE TIREX CORPORATION

                                   ----------

                          RELEASE AND INVESTMENT LETTER

                                   ----------

      THIS RELEASE AND INVESTMENT AGREEMENT is given this 2nd day of December,
1998, by:

                  Bartholomew International Investments Limited
                                       and
                                Terence C. Byrne
            (hereafter referred to collectively as the "Releasors");

                                       To:

         The Tirex Corporation (hereafter referred to as the "Releasee")

                                     RELEASE

      Whereas, the Releasee is indebted to the Releasors in the aggregate amount
of $164,000 (the  "Indebtedness"),  consisting of: (i) $14,000 lent by Mr. Byrne
to the  Releasee  on or about  November  30,  1998  pursuant  to the  Releasee's
promissory  note which bore  interest  at an annual  rate of 2% over the Bank of
Montreal's  Prime Rate and which was due and payable on demand by Mr. Byrne; and
(ii) $150,000 lent by Bartholomew  International Investments Limited on or about
October 27, 1998 pursuant to the Releasee's  secured  promissory note which bore
interest  at an annual  rate of 2% over the Bank of  Montreal's  Prime  Rate and
which was due and payable on July 26, 1998.

      Whereas, as part of the Releasee's  negotiations to obtain short term bank
debt  financing,  the  Releasors'  have  agreed to forego any  interest  on, and
repayment in cash of, the  Indebtedness  and to accept in full  satisfaction  of
such Indebtedness,  unregistered shares of the Releasee's common stock valued at
fifty  percent  (50%) of the  average of the high ask and low bid prices of such
stock, as traded in the over-the-counter market and quoted in the OTC Electronic
Bulletin Board on December 1, 1998 and release the Releasee from all liabilities
arising out the said Indebtedness and the Releasee has accepted such offer;

      Whereas,  in  effectuation  of the  foregoing  on  December  2, 1998,  the
Releasee  authorized  the  issuance  of a  total  of  2,523,077  shares  of  the
Releasee's unregistered common stock to Bartholomew.


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      Now,  therefore,  in  consideration  of the  premises  set forth above and
intending to be legally bound hereby,  the Releasors do hereby remise,  release,
discharge,  indemnify  and hold  harmless the  Releasee,  and each  shareholder,
officer,  director  and  employee  of the  Releasee,  of and from all  manner of
actions  and causes of action,  suits,  debts,  dues,  accounts,  bonds,  wages,
benefits,  covenants,  contracts,  agreements,  judgments,  claims  and  demands
whatsoever  in law or in  equity,  and  including  without  limitation  all such
actions,  claims and demands, etc. arising out of, being based upon, or being in
any way connected with or related to the Indebtedness.

      In Witness  Whereof,  the Releasors  intending to be legally bound hereby,
have caused this Release to be executed the day and year first above written.

                                Bartholomew International Investments Limited

                                By_________________________________

                                /s/ Terence C. Byrne
                                -----------------------------------
                                    Terence C. Byrne

                              INVESTMENT AGREEMENT

      This  Investment  Agreement is being  executed and  delivered to The Tirex
Corporation,  referred  to herein and in the  Release  set forth  above,  as the
"Releasee"  by  Terence  C.  Byrne  and  Bartholomew  International  Investments
Limited,  referred  to  herein  and in  the  Release  set  forth  above,  as the
"Releasors",  in connection with the Releasors'  acceptance in full satisfaction
of the one hundred-sixty-four  thousand dollar (US $164,000) debt, which is owed
by the  Releasee  to the  Releasors  and which is  referred to herein and in the
Release set forth above, as the "Indebtedness", an aggregate of 2,523,077 shares
of the common stock,  $.001 par value (the  "Shares") of the Releasee  valued at
fifty  percent  (50%) of the  average of the high ask and low bid prices of such
stock, as traded in the over-the-counter market and quoted in the OTC Electronic
Bulletin Board on December 1, 1998 in consideration of the Releasor's  execution
of the above Release.

      The  Releasors  acknowledge  that the  Releasee  has advised them that the
Shares are not being  registered  under the  Securities  Act of 1933, as amended
(the "Act"), on the basis of the statutory  exemption in Section 4(2) and on the
representations made by the them herein.

      The Releasors hereby represent to the Releasee that they are acquiring the
Shares for  investment  for their own accounts and not with a view to the resale
or  distribution  thereof,  and  that  they  does not  intend  to  divide  their
participation  with others or to resell or otherwise  dispose of all or any part
of the Shares unless and until they are subsequently registered under the Act,


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or  an  exemption  from  such   registration  is  available.   In  making  these
representations,  the Releasors  understand  that, in the view of the Securities
and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"),  the statutory exemption referred to
above would not be available, if notwithstanding their representations, they had
in  mind  merely  acquiring  the  Shares  for  resale  upon  the  occurrence  or
nonoccurrence of some pre-determined event.

      The Releasors  hereby accept the condition that before any transfer of the
Shares may be made by them, written approval must first be obtained from counsel
to the Releasee.  The basis of such  approval,  which shall not be  unreasonably
withheld,  shall be  compliance  with  requirements  of the  federal  and  state
statutes regulating  securities.  The Releasors understand that a legend to this
effect  will be placed  on the  certificate  or  certificates  representing  the
Shares, and stop-transfer  instructions to the Releasee's transfer agent will be
issued by the Releasee

      The Releasors  understand that the Shares must be held indefinitely  until
registered  under the Act, or an exemption from such  registration is available.
In the event Rule 144 of the  Commission  hereafter  becomes  applicable  to the
Shares,  the  Releasors  understand  that any  routine  sale of the Shares  made
thereunder can be made only in limited  amounts in accordance with the terms and
conditions of that Rule and that in case that Rule is not applicable, compliance
with  Regulation A or some other  disclosure  exemption  will be  required.  The
Releasors  understand that the Releasee has no obligation to register the Shares
or to comply with  Regulation A or any other  exemption.  However,  the Releasee
shall supply them with any  information  necessary to enable him to make routine
sales of the Shares under Rule 144, if applicable.

      The Releasors  acknowledge  that the Releasee has, during its negotiations
with them,  furnished  them with such  financial  and other data relating to the
Releasee and its business which they considered necessary or advisable to enable
them to form a  decision  concerning  their  acceptance  of the  shares  in full
satisfaction of the monies owed to them in respect of the Indebtedness.

                                Bartholomew International Investments Limited

                                By_________________________________

                                /s/ Terence C. Byrne
                                -----------------------------------
                                    Terence C. Byrne


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