TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The fermentation step is carried out on substantially raw, unseeded waste. The solid level of the waste prior to fermentation is 3 - 15%. The temperature for the fermentation stage is 25 - 46 (preferably 32 - 42)degreesC. The fermentation period is 1 - 6 (preferably 2 - 5) days. The fermentation step is operated in a continuous mode using several reactors in series.The method further involves removing a small proportion of the fermented waste during the pathogen reduction stage, adding air/oxygen to the removed waste and directing heat produced from it to the waste undergoing fermentation; combining the oxidized fermented waste with the heat removed with other fermented waste for subsequent separation; diluting the bio-waste by a wastewater either before, during or after the pathogen reduction stage; digesting the separated fermented liquor by anaerobic digestion methods; and precipitating any orthophosphate contained in the fermented bio-waste prior to separation of the solid and liquid phases.The oxygen or air is added at intervals to the bio-waste during the fermentation step to generate heat. The method of separating the solid and liquid phases is selected from centrifugation, belt press and plate press.A magnesium salt or magnesium oxide is added to the fermented waste to precipitate out the orthophosphate. The liquor has a volatile fatty acid (VFA) of over 5000 mg/l total VFA with less than 50 mg/l phosphate contamination.Preferred Fermented Cake: The fermented cake has at least 20% solids on a dry basis, contains ammonia (over 1000 mg/l), has a tVFA (at least 3000 mg/l) and Escherichia coli (less than 10000 cfu per g dry solids).Preferred Fermented Liquor: The fermented liquor comprises COD (at least 20000 mg/l), ammonia (at least 1500 mg/l), has a tVFA of at least 3000 mg/l and has a suspended solid (less than 3000 mg/l). ACTIVITY - Fertilizer.    No biological data given.    MECHANISM OF ACTION - None given.    EXAMPLE - A bottle was filled with raw sewage sludge and left to ferment in a pathogen reduction step for 4 days at 35degreesC. A sample of the fermented sludge was dewatered to produce samples of fermented cake and fermented liquor. The results for fermented cake were as follows: dry weight = 20.30 wt.%; total volatile fatty acid = 6500 mg/l; ammonia = 2050 mg/l; Escherichia coli = 3.5x102 cfu/g dry solids; Salmonella = absent; and pH of 5.8. The results for fermented liquor were as follows: suspended solids = 1200 mg/l; COD = 22120 mg/l; total volatile fatty acid = 6000 mg/l; ammonia = 1200 mg/l; Escherichia coli = 3.3x102 cfu/g dry solids; and pH of 5.5.