TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - CHEMICAL ENGINEERING - Preferred Process: The dust separation and removal step is provided between the two-stage process. The fuel gas produced in the second stage is quenched and cleaned to make it suitable for use in a gas engine or turbine for production of electricity or in a gas burner for production of steam or in chemical synthesis reactions. The first stage is carried out in a plasma arc furnace. The second stage is carried out in a secondary gasifier using a plasma torch with addition of metered amounts of oxygen, air, and/or steam. The plasma arc furnace is a refractory lined, enclosed furnace provided with direct current graphite electrode adapted to generate a plasma arc to a bath of liquid inorganic material originating from the waste itself and located at the bottom of the furnace. The waste is introduced into the furnace on top of the liquid organic material and organic component in the waste reacts with air, oxygen, and/or steam supplied to the furnace in a predetermined amount adapted to achieve gasification of organic material in the waste into a primary synthesis gas containing carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen gas (H2, carbon dioxide (CO2), and nitrogen gas (N2) if the waste contains nitrogen or if air is added to the furnace, and also containing some soot and complex organic molecules. The organic material in the waste is reacted to form a layer of partially treated waste on top of the slag layer. The fresh waste is introduced into the furnace on top of the partially treated waste layer that is maintained at a temperature between 700-800degreesC and constitutes a cold top for the fresh waste added to the furnace. The primary synthesis gas is subjected to dust separation and removal where dust particles larger than a predetermined size are separated and removed. The removed dust particles are recycled to the furnace. The high temperature where from the first stage is exposed in the secondary gasifier is between 900-1300degreesC. The high temperature is achieved mainly through partial oxidation of the gas from the first stage by injection of predetermined amount of air, oxygen, and/or steam to the eductor. The fuel gas exiting the secondary gasifier is cooled down very rapidly to a temperature below 100degreesC to freeze the thermodynamic equilibrium of the fuel gas and avoid production of secondary pollutants. The fuel gas is subjected to a final cleaning operation to remove any remaining contaminants after cooling. The process is carried out under a negative pressure to preclude exit of toxic fumes or flammable materials from any unit operations. The oxygen-starved environment is used in the process to preclude dioxin formation. Preferred Component: The liquid inorganic material comprises a slag layer that is maintained at a temperature of at least1500degreesC, and metal layer maintained at a temperature of at least1500degreesC and located under the slag layer.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING - Preferred Component: The secondary gasifier is equipped with a plasma torch fired eductor that ensures that gas from the first state of the process entering the secondary gasifier is exposed to a high temperature to transform all soot present in the gas to CO, and to convert all complex organic molecules or simpler molecules of CO, CO2, and H2. The plasma torch provides only a small fraction of the energy required for maintaining the high temperature. The primary gasifier two graphite electrodes are used to create an arc between one electrode and slag during the operation, and second arc from the slag to the second electrode. The eductor provided in the secondary gasifier is made of a high heat metal alloy or is refractory lined or water-cooled. It is equipped with the plasma torch at its inlet. The conversion apparatus further includes dust separator between primary and secondary gasifiers, gas quenching and gas cleaning mechanism following the secondary gasifier, and induced draft fan to operate the apparatus under a negative pressure.