A method for processing waste into a clean fuel, the waste comprising an organic portion and an inorganic portion, the fuel comprising primarily the organic portion, comprises: (a) maintaining a body of liquid of a selected depth within a float tank; (b) introducing the waste into the float tank and the body of liquid, the liquid body having a bottom and an upper surface and the liquid depth being selected to be sufficiently large to permit the separation of the waste into the organic and inorganic portions; (c) cleaning the waste within the liquid body by separating the inorganic portion from the organic portion, the organic portion floating to the upper surface of the liquid body, the inorganic portion settling towards the bottom of the liquid body, where the inorganic portion is physically separated from the floating organic portion; (d) removing the cleaned organic portion from the liquid surface and the inorganic portion from the bottom; (e) extracting sufficient liquid from the cleaned, separated organic portion to provide the clean fuel.    Also claimed is the appts. for processing waste comprises: (a) a separation tank for separating the waste into the organic and inorganic portions, the separation tank having a bottom and a top opening, the separation tank containing a body of liquid, the liquid body including a top surface and a bottom portion disposed adjacent the bottom of the tank; (b) means for introducing the waste through the top opening into the liquid body; (c) the separation tank having sufficient dimensions to contain a sufficient volume of the liquid body to establish a liquid depth as measured from the bottom of the separation tank to the liquid surface to permit the waste to separate into its organic portion; (d) means for removing the separated organic portion from the liquid surface; (e) means for extracting liquid from the removed organic portion to provide the clean, dry organic material.    USE -   The process and apparatus for treating a heterogenous waste of varying solid and moisture content, such as municipal solid waste (MSW) to provide a homogenous fuel of a predetermined low.