Publisher's Synopsis
Biodegradable organic material from household kitchens and gardens, restaurants, food stores, market places and food processing companies is a potentially valuable resource, if properly treated. Anaerobic treatment has proven effective for converting such material into biogas. In addition, residues from anaerobic treatment could be further processed to allow re-introduction to fertile land, viewed as an important contribution to sustainable material and land management. However, there is great potential for improving current practices, particularly in the area of bio-hydrolysis of particulate materials, which is a process still considered to be rate-limiting. Other concerns include health issues and reduction of costs for processing particulate material. Fifty-two papers and thirty posters were presented during the symposium. Twenty-three papers and fourteen poster papers were then selected following rigorous review and revision for publication in this issue. Topics include municipal solid wastes; anaerobic treatment in landfills; process water treatment; hydrolysis; microbiology of waste treatment processes; co-digestion; treatment of reject water; modelling; agricultural wastes; and novel technologies. It is hoped that the information presented in this issue will contribute to further progress in anaerobic technology as well as the development and implementation of methods leading to sustainable material management practices.
