Anaerobic digestion of aggregate cellulose pulp

A process for transforming waste material into useful products, the process comprising steps of:

• a) receiving a stream of municipal solid waste (MSW) material;
• b) removing one or more selected chlorine containing components from the stream of MSW material to reduce a relative chlorine content of the stream of MSW material;
• c) retaining in the stream of MSW material substantially all paper components so as to maintain a relative carbon content of the stream of MSW material;
• d) removing at least a majority of all metal and inorganic components from the stream of MSW material;
• e) after steps (b), (c) and (d), receiving in a hydrolyzer the stream of MSW material including at least 70% by mass of the stream of MSW material received in step (a);
• f) hydrolyzing the stream of MSW material in the hydrolyzer by exposing the stream of MSW material to pressurized steam so that the steam crosses cell membranes of organic material contained in the stream of MSW material;
• g) discharging the stream of MSW material from the hydrolyzer to a reduced pressure zone so that a rapid decompression of the stream of MSW material ruptures cell walls of the organic material thereby forming an aggregate cellulose pulp having an expanded surface area;
• and
• h) receiving the stream of MSW material including the aggregate cellulose pulp in an anaerobic digester and digesting the stream of MSW material to generate a biogas, the stream of MSW material received in the anaerobic digester including at least 70% by mass of the stream of MSW material received in step (a).