Olive oil production sector: Environmental effects and sustainability challenges

Abstract

The olive oil production is a very important industry for the Mediterranean countries, both in terms of wealth, health, and tradition. Besides being a serious environmental problem, olive mill waste (OMW) represents today a precious resource of useful compounds for recovery and valorization purposes. During the last decade, a large number of studies dealing with olive mill wastewater (OMWW) treatment and/or valorization methods have been published. However, none of the proposed methods can be considered as a unique solution in terms of effectiveness, cost, environmental, and economic impact. The selection of the most suitable or appropriate OMW management strategy depends on social, agricultural, or industrial environment of the olive mill and on the local needs. The valorization of OMW is a challenging opportunity for the sustainable and competitive development of olive oil industry. However, there are several key points that have to be addressed for a more effective and rational reuse of olive oil by-products. This chapter provides an introduction to the current state of the art regarding OMW management.