Methods of processing municipal solid waste (msw) using microbial hydrolysis and fermentation

A method of processing MSW comprising the steps of

• fermenting a stream of unsorted MSW in a microbial fermentation reactor with a microbial consortium comprising a live lactic acid bacteria with agitation at a non-water content of 10 to 50% by weight and at a temperature of 35 to 55° C. for a period of 1 to 72 hours under conditions sufficient to maintain a live lactic acid bacteria concentration of at least 1.0×10{circumflex over ( )}10 CFU/L and wherein the live lactic acid bacteria has a cellulase activity of at least 30 Filter Paper Units/Liter (FPU/L), and
• removing a stream of fermented unsorted MSW from the reactor and subjecting it to a separation step whereby non-biodegradable solids are removed to provide a slurry of bio-degradable components;
• wherein both prior to and during the fermenting, the unsorted MSW is not heated to a temperature higher than 75° C.