Dewatering of liquid waste is an example of what type of treatment?

Dewatering of liquid waste is classified as a physical treatment method. This process primarily involves the removal of water from waste materials, typically utilizing mechanical means such as centrifugation, filtration, or gravity separation. By reducing the water content, dewatering helps to decrease the volume and weight of the waste, making it easier to handle, transport, or further process.

Physical treatment methods, such as dewatering, focus on the physical properties of the material without changing its chemical composition. This is essential for effective waste management, as it allows for the separation of solids from liquids, facilitating more efficient disposal or recovery of the remaining materials.

In contrast, the other options refer to different approaches to waste management. For example, disposal methods generally pertain to the final handling of waste, while conversion methods involve changing waste into a different form, often through thermal or biological processes. Chemical treatment would entail using chemical reactions to alter or neutralize hazardous components of the waste, which is distinct from the physical alteration involved in dewatering.