Reintegration of waste waters from the table olive industry, after active transformation into fertilizers.

Feasibility study to reduce the waste produced in the alkaline treatment process , in order to be able to use the effluents from the cooking and washing of the olives as water with nutrients suitable for the irrigation of different crops.

SECTOR

Agri-food industry

CHALLENGE

In the table olive industry, large quantities of water are used during the processing of table olives and large quantities of wastes are also generated, which are difficult to manage, and which are currently accumulating in evaporation ponds.

SOLUTION

The REINTEGRA feasibility study proposes to reduce, with the aim of completely eliminating, the liquid residue produced by the company in the green table olive process by replacing sodium hydroxide with potassium hydroxide, which can be easily neutralised and transformed into potassium sulphate, which is one of the main macronutrients or agronomic fertilisers, that will be applied to the two main crops, vineyards and olive groves, located in the area.

CIRCULAR ECONOMY STRATEGIES/BUSINESS MODEL IMPLEMENTED

The circular business model implemented aims to minimize waste by reusing and transforming it into a new product with different functionalities. During the REINTEGRA feasibility study project different circular strategies have been applied:

• The circular strategy to narrow. We have been able to produce green table olive not using NaOH, eliminating the use of Na ion, that it is very contaminant for the environment. During the lye treatment it is possible to reduce the use of fresh water, because waste waters from lye and wash process can be used 100% for preparing fertilizer.
• The circular strategy to close. We have been able to use again the same volume of liquid, but transformed into a new one input, initially water and finally fertilizer.
• The circular strategy to slow. We have been able to use longer the same volume of liquid, but transformed into a new one input, initially water and finally fertilizer.
• The circular strategy to regenerate resource loops. remanufacturing the waste into new products, preventing them from becoming waste and reducing the need for new resource extraction.

IMPACT

Environmental impact

1. To reduce superfluous resources consumption. We can change actual water consumption from 2.50 m³ of water / ton of processed olives, to 1.63 m³ of water / ton of processed olives.
2. Environment’s Safeguard. We can reduce actual waste production from 1.80 m³ of waste / ton of processed olives, to 0.30 m³ of waste / ton of produced olives.

Economic impact.

1. To increase the revenues associated to sustainability dimensions. We can reduce the actual waste management cost from 18.360 euros to 3.060  euros, by reducing actual potential waste volume produced from 5.400 m³ to 900 m³
2. To increase the revenues associated to sustainability dimensions. We can reduce total consumption of KOH per ton of produced olives after recycling it, From 25,0 kg of pure KOH / ton of processed olive to18,0 kg of pure KOH / ton of processed olive.
3. To increase return of investment. We can reduce the Annual need of increasing Total surface of evaporation ponds, from actual 15% to 0%

Social impact To increase social member satisfaction. We can increase cooperative member satisfaction, by reducing environment impact of waste production. We can measure this impact in reduction of negative comment on the quality of life of nearby residents

KEY TAKEAWAY

1. It is possible to produce green table olives using KOH as a lye solution.
2. The final products have same quality than the product elaborated according the traditional process using NaOH.
3. The wastewater of this new process can be transformed into a new co-product with fertilizer activity, and no toxicity.

This now new co-product, can be incorporated into the production change at agriculture level.