In order to reduce the discharge of residual sludge from an anaerobic digester, pre-treatment methods including low-pressure wet-oxidation, Fenton oxidation, alkali treatment, ozone oxidation, mechanical destruction and enzymatic treatment were evaluated and compared. VSS removal efficiencies of greater than 50% were achieved in cases of low-pressure wet-oxidation, Fenton oxidation and alkali treatment. Residual sludge from an anaerobic digester was pre-treated and subjected to thermophilic anaerobic digestion. As a result, the process of low-pressure wet-oxidation followed by anaerobic digestion achieved the highest VSS removal efficiency of 83%. The total efficiency of VSS removal of sewage sludge consisting of primary and surplus sludge would be approximately 92%, assuming that the VSS removal efficiency of sewage sludge is 50% in the anaerobic digester of the sewage treatment plant. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.