This paper describes and discusses the main problems related to anaerobic batch and fed-batch processes for wastewater treatment. A critical analysis of the literature evaluated the industrial application viability and proposed alternatives to improve operation and control of this system. Two approaches were presented in order to make this anaerobic discontinuous process feasible for industrial application: (1) optimization of the operating procedures in reactors containing self-immobilized sludge as granules, and (2) design of bioreactors with inert support media for biomass immobilization.