TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ENVIRONMENT - Preferred Method: The step of monitoring comprises: receiving successive waste loads making up the waste stream and recording information on an load-by-load basis, where the information includes a source location, a time of arrival, a weight or volume, and a composition for each load; developing a model for variation of the waste stream as a function of time of day, or as a function of day or date, where the waste stream is associated with at least one outlet for dispensing materials to consumers and the step of controlling comprises selecting materials for dispensing at the outlets. The step of controlling comprises: selectively importing waste from at least one outside source for combination with a locally generated waste stream; segregating portions of the waste stream have different compositions, into separate hoppers, and combining waste from the separate hoppers in selected proportions to form a mixture for processing to produce the feedstock fuel; supplementing the mixture with additional materials to improve a quality of the feedstock fuel; varying a drying process for drying the feedstock fuel prior to introducing the feedstock fuel into a reactor; selecting a temperature, an amount of air introduced or a drying time of the drying process; selecting a type of reactor process for processing the feedstock fuel, where the type of reactor process is a set of processing types including pyrolysis, pyrolysis followed by gasification, single stage gasification or multi-stage gasification; tuning a reactor parameter including a temperature of material entering the reactor, a number, location or direction of gas nozzles for introducing oxygen into the reactor, an air temperature of air used in the reactor, a pressure of the reactor or a size of a reactor core or restriction in it; tracking an output from the reactor and changing at least one of the parameter values based on the tracking; and selectively compacting a portion of the waste stream, selectively reintroducing syngas back into the reactor, using exhaust or syngas to preheat material before introduction into the reactor, and tracking energy usage or production of the reactor. In the method: reduction zone inside of the reactor is controlled mechanically, and the use of the controlled reduction zone is utilized to reduce material clinking in reactor and assist in moving material within the reactor; and tracked output comprises one of an amount or composition of syngas generated, an amount of effluent including volatiles or particulate matter, an amount or composition of ash generated, or a gas temperature on exit from the reactor. The method further comprises providing many reactors for processing the waste stream, where each reactor is independently operated using selected processing parameters.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INSTRUMENTATION AND TESTING - Preferred Components: In the apparatus: the information includes at least one of a source location, a time of arrival, a weight or volume, and a composition for each of successive loads making up the waste stream; and the controller is operative for providing information for varying a drying process for drying the feedstock fuel prior to introducing the feedstock fuel into a reactor, and for providing information regarding one of a temperature, an amount of air introduced or a drying time of the drying process. EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.