Land farming is a waste disposal method in which the biological, chemical and physical processes that occur in the surface of the soil are used to treat biodegradable industrial wastes.

Wastes to be treated are either applied on top of the land, which has been prepared to receive the wastes, or injected below the surface of the soil.

When the organic wastes are added to the soil, they are subjected simultaneously to the following processes:

• Bacterial and chemical decomposition.
• Leaching of water-soluble components in the original wastes and from the decomposition products.
• Volatilization of selected components in the original wastes and from the products of decomposition.

Factors that must be considered in evaluating the biodegradability of organic wastes in a land farming application include:

• Composition of the waste.
• Compatibility of wastes and soil microflora
• Environmental requirements oxygen, temperature, pH and inorganic nutrients
• Moisture content of solid waste mixture

Land farming is suitable for wastes that contain organic constituents that are biodegradable and are not subject to significant leaching while the bioconversion process is occurring.