The invention is directed to a process for enhancing the plant nutrient
value of relatively low analysis organic waste material (e.g. sewage
sludge) involves treating the waste material with an acid and base in a
pipe-cross reactor or tubular to form a melt; spraying the melt onto a
recycling bed of fines in a granulator and flashing off the water
contained in the melt as steam; rolling the melt onto recycled fine
particles in a granulator to form granulated particles; and drying these
granulated particles to form an enhanced plant nutrient value composition
(e.g. a fertilizer or soil conditioner having a greater NPK value than
the original relatively low analysis organic waste material). The process
further includes drawing off the fumes from the granulator, passing them
through a dryer with the granulated particles, and subsequently oxidizing
the fumes to eliminate volatile organic compounds and/or gaseous
hydrocarbon pollutants be converting such into carbon dioxide and water
vapor.