 The European Union has taken steps to address the growing problem of municipal solid waste by promoting the recycling of waste and converting it into energy and valuable chemicals. Anaerobic digestion and pyrolysis are two methods used to convert waste into energy and chemicals respectively. Recent research has shown that both methods are effective and can be used to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. This article was authored by Leonidas Mazzakas, Chojoo Gao, Steena Janssen, and others.