NOVELTY - Process for the treatment of household waste, sewage treatment plant sludge, garden waste and the like, in order ultimately to produce a compost, comprises a mechanical pre-treatment phase, followed by a biological treatment phase, then by a refining phase as defined.    USE - The process and apparatus are useful for treating household waste, sewage treatment plant sludge, garden waste and the like, in order ultimately to produce a compost (claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The process and apparatus are environment friendly, efficient, reliable and provides improved techniques of treating waste.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Process for the treatment of household waste, sewage treatment plant sludge, garden waste and the like, in order ultimately to produce a compost, comprises a mechanical pre-treatment phase, followed by a biological treatment phase, then by a refining phase as defined, the mechanical pre-treatment phase comprising: a first granulometric sorting stage (1) for the waste, without prior crushing, with the aid of at least one first drum (T1) comprising meshes by which coarse elements having a dimension greater than a value L1 which is between 200 mm and 350 mm can be detained in the drum, these coarse elements being directed towards a manual sorting station; a second granulometric sorting stage (2) for elements which have passed through the meshes of the first drum is provided, with the aid of at least one second drum (T2) comprising meshes by which elements having a dimension greater than a value L2 less than L1 and ranging between 80 mm and 120 mm can be detained in the second drum, which elements are directed towards the manual sorting station; and a supplementary sorting stage in respect of elements which have passed through the meshes of the second drum, specifically in order to separate light elements and metallic elements. An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is apparatus for the treatment of household waste, sewage treatment plant sludge, garden waste and the like according to the previously defined process, comprising a waste reception zone, for a mechanical pre-treatment phase, comprising: at least one first drum (T1), for granulometric sorting of the waste without prior crushing, comprising meshes by which coarse elements having a dimension greater than a value L1 can be detained in the drum, these coarse elements being directed towards a manual sorting station (M1); where L1 ranges between 200 mm and 350 mm; at least one second drum (T2), comprising meshes by which elements having a dimension greater than a value L2 ranging between 80 mm and 120 mm, less than L1, can be detained in the second drum, which elements are directed towards the manual sorting station (M1); and supplementary sorting stations in respect of elements which have passed through the meshes of the second drum (T2), in order to separate light elements and metallic elements.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The drawing shows a logic diagram of a mechanical pre-treatment phase of the process.    Coarse granulometric sorting (1)    Secondary granulometric sorting (2)    Air-based sorting (3)    Magnetic sorting (4)    Sorting by eddy currents (5)    Crushing (6)    Mixing and humidification (7)    Composting of the organic fractions (8)