Background It is current practice in Europe to use pig manure as fertiliser on agricultural land. However, a third of the manure used is not absorbed by crops, having a considerable negative impact on the environment. It endangers the quality of the groundwater and leads to eutrophication of surface water. This can result in an excessive growth of algae and plants, which, in turn, has an adverse effect on biodiversity and on the suitability of the water for human use. Objectives The project aimed to demonstrate an innovative technological solution for breaking down pig manure into bio-gas for “green” electricity and heat, water and, in smaller amounts, solid bio-fertiliser. If successful, the system would prevent the spreading of nitrates on agricultural land and eliminate ammonium emissions, thereby representing an improvement on existing best available techniques (BAT). The proposed system consisted of an anaerobic digester, a bio-gas co-generation engine and a digester-effluent process, which included an advanced method for oxidising ammonium, organic constituents, metals and colloidal particles. Results The project aimed to employ an innovative technology – the Machiels advanced oxidation process (MAOP) – to process pig manure into environmentally friendly products. Although the lab-scale tests were promising, the full-scale implementation failed. The plan was to be able to annually process 40,000 m3 of pig manure into +/-2,300 MWH of green electricity, +/-4,000 MWh of "green heat", 210 kg/ m3 of solid bio-fertiliser, 540 l/m3 of reclaimed water, and 210 l/m3 of vaporised water. Consequently, the technology would prevent the seepage of the liquid proportion (nitrates) of pig manure into agricultural land and the contamination of surface and ground water. Ammonium would be eliminated entirely using an advanced oxidation process. Unfortunately, the process failed to produce the expected amounts of water; electricity, heat and solid bio-fertiliser. Ultimately, insurmountable administrative and communication problems led to the termination of the project.