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Valorisation of by-products generated during the production of olive oil
Published on 08 February 2019
Spain
Andalucía
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
The traditional system, or three phases of obtaining olive oil, produced three types of by-products: alpechín (It is a highly polluting residual liquid), oil pomace oil and residuals water.
It is currently being replaced by a two-phase system, more advantageous, which generates oil, wastewater and wet fatty pomace.
The advantages of the two-phase system compared to the traditional one are clear:
• It is more efficient
• It generates less waste
• It consumes less water and therefore produces less amount of residual water
The wet fatty pomace is a by-product that companies have managed to valorize, if they were spilled, they would cause environmental problems such as: the coloration of the waters, the threat of aquatic life, the formation of a film that does not let sun rays pass, soil deterioration, phytotoxicity, unpleasant odors.
The process can be resumed in this way:
• Oil extraction process of the olives produces: 20% olive oil and 80% wet fatty pomace (with 70% humidity).
• Wet fatty pomace stone process = Wet fatty pomace + stones
• Extraction process of Wet fatty pomace = Crude Olive Pomace Oil + Olive Pulp+ Olive Cake + Ash + steam
It is currently being replaced by a two-phase system, more advantageous, which generates oil, wastewater and wet fatty pomace.
The advantages of the two-phase system compared to the traditional one are clear:
• It is more efficient
• It generates less waste
• It consumes less water and therefore produces less amount of residual water
The wet fatty pomace is a by-product that companies have managed to valorize, if they were spilled, they would cause environmental problems such as: the coloration of the waters, the threat of aquatic life, the formation of a film that does not let sun rays pass, soil deterioration, phytotoxicity, unpleasant odors.
The process can be resumed in this way:
• Oil extraction process of the olives produces: 20% olive oil and 80% wet fatty pomace (with 70% humidity).
• Wet fatty pomace stone process = Wet fatty pomace + stones
• Extraction process of Wet fatty pomace = Crude Olive Pomace Oil + Olive Pulp+ Olive Cake + Ash + steam
Resources needed
The 20% of Olives is Olive Oil and the 80 % is wet fatty pomace (70 % humidity).
The wet fatty is dried obtaining 60 % of water and the next byproducts:
2 % Crude olive oil
8 % Olive stone (biomass fuel)
27,5 % olive Cake (animal food)
0,7 % Ash (fertilizer)
1,8 % Olive Pulp (animal food)
The wet fatty is dried obtaining 60 % of water and the next byproducts:
2 % Crude olive oil
8 % Olive stone (biomass fuel)
27,5 % olive Cake (animal food)
0,7 % Ash (fertilizer)
1,8 % Olive Pulp (animal food)
Evidence of success
This good practice has achieved the zero waste target. The average values from 2012-2016 are clear:
5,9 millions of tonnes of olives were processed, from which 1,2 millions of tonnes of olive oil and 4,7 millions of wet fatty pomace were produced.
The 4,7 M tonnes of wet fatty pomace processed produced 2,8 M tonnes of steam + 1,3 M tonnes of Olive Cake + 0,4 M tonnes of olive stone + 0,1 M tonnes of Crude Olive Pomace Oil + 0,1 M tonnes of olive pulp.
5,9 millions of tonnes of olives were processed, from which 1,2 millions of tonnes of olive oil and 4,7 millions of wet fatty pomace were produced.
The 4,7 M tonnes of wet fatty pomace processed produced 2,8 M tonnes of steam + 1,3 M tonnes of Olive Cake + 0,4 M tonnes of olive stone + 0,1 M tonnes of Crude Olive Pomace Oil + 0,1 M tonnes of olive pulp.
Potential for learning or transfer
Less developed countries in EU which economic based in olive agriculture can see how their benefits, as well the regional environment, improve thanks to this technology.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
Asociación Nacional de Empresas de Aceite de Orujo de Oliva. ANEO
Spain
Andalucía
Contact
Asesor técnico en residuos