A system for reduction of organic materials, comprising: an infeed module for receiving material comprising organic materials and conveying the material into a reducing atmosphere, the infeed module comprising an infeed conveyor , for conveying the material through the infeed module , at least one purge chamber , a first closure for isolating the at least one purge chamber from an ambient atmosphere outside the system, a gas injection system in communication with the at least one purge chamber , for injecting a reducing gas to displace air from the at least one purge chamber to create a reducing atmosphere having a lowered concentration of oxygen in the at least one purge chamber , a microwave tunnel , the microwave tunnel being in sealed communication with the infeed module for isolating the microwave tunnel from the ambient atmosphere outside the system, the microwave tunnel comprising a microwave-impervious microwave chamber comprising a plurality of magnetrons for generating microwave radiation and at least one port for removal of process gas products, and a tunnel conveyor for receiving the material from the infeed module and transporting the material through the microwave chamber , at least a second closure for isolating the at least one purge chamber from the microwave tunnel , and at least one controller for controlling process parameters of the infeed module and the microwave tunnel , characterized in that : the system further comprises at least a second purge chamber in sealed communication with the at least one purge chamber and selectively isolated therefrom by a closure, whereby air in the second purge chamber is displaced by the reducing gas or another reducing gas to create a second reducing atmosphere in the second purge chamber having a lower concentration of oxygen than the reducing atmosphere in the first purge chamber . an infeed module for receiving material comprising organic materials and conveying the material into a reducing atmosphere, the infeed module comprising an infeed conveyor , for conveying the material through the infeed module , at least one purge chamber , a first closure for isolating the at least one purge chamber from an ambient atmosphere outside the system, a gas injection system in communication with the at least one purge chamber , for injecting a reducing gas to displace air from the at least one purge chamber to create a reducing atmosphere having a lowered concentration of oxygen in the at least one purge chamber , a microwave tunnel , the microwave tunnel being in sealed communication with the infeed module for isolating the microwave tunnel from the ambient atmosphere outside the system, the microwave tunnel comprising a microwave-impervious microwave chamber comprising a plurality of magnetrons for generating microwave radiation and at least one port for removal of process gas products, and a tunnel conveyor for receiving the material from the infeed module and transporting the material through the microwave chamber , at least a second closure for isolating the at least one purge chamber from the microwave tunnel , and at least one controller for controlling process parameters of the infeed module and the microwave tunnel , <EOS>