Process for treating municipal solid waste

The process for treating municipal solid waste material in the presence of moisture for the separation and recovery of inorganic matter and organic matter comprising fermentable vegetable material, comprising the following steps:

• (a) feeding said waste material into a pressure chamber,
• (b) agitating said waste material while in said pressure chamber in the presence of moisture,
• (c) subjecting said waste material in said pressure chamber to heat under a pressure ranging from approximately 40 psig to 75 psi for a period ranging from approximately 30 minutes to 90 minutes to cook and sterilize said waste material and soften said organic matter contained therein,
• (d) controlling the moisture content of said waste material cooked in said pressure chamber so that the fines of said organic fraction thereof have a residual moisture content ranging from approximately 60% to 70%,
• (e) releasing the pressure from said chamber,
• (f) discharging the cooked waste material from said chamber, and
• (g) separating and classifying said cooked waste material into various fractions thereof, including an inorganic fraction and the fines of said organic fraction having a residual moisture content ranging from approximately 60% to 70%.