Abstract: A separation method (10) comprising the following method steps: (i) Passing an organic waste material to a primary washing step (16) in which a clean organic stream (18) and a fraction with a specific gravity of greater than 1 (20) are produced; (ii) Passing the clean organic stream (18) from step (i) to a drainage step (22) to remove free water therefrom; and (iii) Passing the organic material product (24) of step (ii) to a dewatering step (26) in which the water content of the organic material is reduced to a level suitable for passing to a bioconversion process. An apparatus is also described.