From the treatment of olive mills wastewater to its valorisation: Towards a bio-economic industrial symbiosis

Abstract

Although there is a significant progress in treatment technologies, Olive Mills Wastewater (OMWW) remains a source of environmental degradation to olive-oil producing regions. In this paper, the management of OMWW is examined as a trigger for a bio-economic industrial symbiosis, based on the valorisation of OMWW for biopolymers and bioenergy production. In addition, the valorisation of OMWW is considered in an eco-industrial context, as a node of a wider network of material, energy and information exchanges. The aim of the paper is to discuss the benefits and the feasibility of such a venture from a technical, economic, as well as social perspective using the context of a specific prefecture in Greece as a reference implementation environment.