The invention provides a multi-stage process for the treatment of organic waste comprising drying said waste to reduce the water content to below 15%; subjecting said dried waste to a thermochemical liquefaction process in the presence of a recirculating solvent medium at a temperature of about 275.degree. C. to 375.degree. C. and a pressure of up to 10 atmospheres, thereby obtaining gaseous, liquid and solid products; separating the formed slurry product from condensable gas, water and other liquid fractions boiling out at up to 250.degree. C.; transferring said slurry product obtained from thermal extraction from step c to a pyrolysis apparatus and treating the same at a temperature of about 350.degree. C. to 500.degree. C. to cause additional thermal destruction of unconvertible organic matter of feed material and heavy liquid fractions obtained is step c and their evaporation and removal from pyrolysis apparatus; separating vapor products from condensable oil products; vacuum distillation of oil products from step c for the removal of fractions having a boiling temperature of between 250.degree. C. and 350.degree. C.; and recirculating solvent medium for step b.