Abstract: A method of treating household refuse wherein selection, communication, etc., the fraction of the total refuse containing biodegradable organic dry matter is delivered to an anaerobic fermentation process. Anaerobic fermentation is carried out until all the dry matter is exhausted, degradation rates of the biodegradable organic dry matter (OTSbiol) of 70% and more being attained. The resultant fermentation residue is subjected to a drying process in which the dry matter portion is increased to at least 90%. The resultant dry material no longer exhibits any biological activity. The exhaustive anaerobic fermentation process enables a maximum amount of biogas to be produced, its energy content being sufficient to supply the drying process.

Abstract: A process for the treatment of organic fall-out products with separation of noxious matter, in particular heavy metals, wherein the organic fall-out products are submitted to an aerobic pretreatment, subsequently to a treatment for disintegrating the cells and wherein the valuable and noxious substances contained in said cells, laid bare by said disintegrating treatment, are separated and the noxious matter eliminated, and the thus obtained solution, free from noxious matter, is submitted to a treatment for recovering the valuable substances contained therein, in particular proteins to be used as forage or fertilizers or the like.This is an economic process for obtaining superior substances, in particular proteins, which are free from noxious matter such as heavy metals, from organic fall-out products such as sewage water or sludge.