Turning olive oil waste into euros while protecting nature

ENVIRONMENT > JORDAN

Turning olive oil waste into euros while protecting nature It’s no secret that the Mediterranean www.enpi-info.eu region accounts for the overwhelming majority of the world’s olive oil production, in fact 97% of it. What is less well-known, however, is that for the estimated two million tons of olive oil produced annually, some nine million tons of waste is generated. Given the potential environmental harm that this can cause, scientists across the region are putting their minds together to discover the perfect method of minimising the environmental impact of olive oil mill wastewater, generating bio-products for commercial use in the process. Thanks to project MEDOLICO – funded by the EU through its Cross Border Cooperation initiative - the Jordan University of Science and Technology has opened its doors as a testing ground. The EU Neighbourhood Info Centre sent one of its journalists to find out more about the project.

Text by: Mohammad Ben Hussein Pictures by: AFP © EU/Neighbourhood Info Centre

IRBID, NORTH JORDAN - The lavish and picturesque olive groves dotted across northern Jordan are certainly indicative of the quality of the olive oil produced in this part of the world. While the surroundings could hardly be more serene, under the biblical tree seeps an environmental hazard created by tons of toxic and non-degradable chemicals, released during the olive oil manufacturing process. Locally known as zebar, olive mill wastewater is highly resistant to biodegradation and it is damaging plantations, water resources and humans.

This publication does Wastewater dumped across the Mediterranean basin not represent the While the rush continues for ‘liquid gold’, as ancient Greek epic poet official view of the EC Homer described it, more and more tons of chemical wastewater are or the EU institutions. being illegally dumped across the Mediterranean basin. This includes EU Neighbourhood Info Centre The EC accepts no Jordan, where olive oil production is rising by five per cent a year. OffiFeature no. 92 responsibility or cials from the country’s Natural Resources Department at the Ministry This is a series of features on projects of Agriculture point to a town in the Ajlun northern governorate, liability whatsoever funded by the EU, prepared by where residents stopped drinking tap water following the contamiwith regard to its nation of their main water source by the chemicals on at least three journalists and photographers on the content. separate occasions since 2009. ground or the EU Neighbourhood "Wastewater used to be dumped on the field side. In the past, it Info Centre. worked. The soil was better and water was in abundance. But due to © 2013 EU/Neighbourhood Info Centre the growing scarcity of water resources, and the higher production rate, nature cannot absorb wastewater anymore," says Professor Munir

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n General view of a Jordanian mill in Irbid: water waste from the olive harvest is gathered in a simple water shed that easily runs off and could affect the environment

n Jordanian mill owner in Irbid illustrates the dangers and lack of infrastructure to safely dispose of water waste from the olive harvest

n Olive trees at the University of Science and Technology in Irbid, Jordan

n Syrian migrant workers harvest olives in Irbid

Rusan of the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) and representative of the ‘Mediterranean Cooperation in the Treatment and Valorisation of Olive Mill Wastewater’ (MEDOLICO) project.

MEDOLICO is an EU-funded project, which aims to reduce the environmental footprint of olive mills by ensuring a wider implementation of practical and cost-efficient solutions to treating and managing olive mill wastewater in the region. The project seeks to use treated water as a source of irrigation, and hopes to compensate for the cost of olive mill wastewater treatment technologies through the development of a suitable quality and quantity of recovered by-products. The project also enhances cooperation among scientists and authorities involved in the olive oil industry research.

The three-year project is at its very early stage: the parties are trying to figure out the best treatment to be adopted and Jordan is the testing ground for some innovative technology.

"We are trying to tackle the cost of producing the world's finest olive oil, in a feasible and efficient way," says professor Rusan.

From the nine million tons of wastewater generated during the process of olive oil production, nearly 60 per cent of the urban wastewater still flows untreated into the Mediterranean; 48 per cent of major coastal cities have no sewage works and less than half the liquid industrial waste is purified, according to the ENPI Cross Border Cooperation Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme of 2007-2013, under which MEDOLICO is funded.

“How to feed my children is more important to me” Standing on top of the dumping ground of solid olive waste, Jassem Mahmoud Abdullah, owner of one olive mill, says he is excited about this project.

"The issue of olive oil wastewater is an environmental and financial headache. We cannot keep the water near the mill, as it is toxic and very dangerous. We have to get rid of it. But it costs a lot," says Abdullah.

The owner of one mill reportedly paid JD 15.000 (€16,000) to transport wastewater to a government dumping ground, an amount considered astronomical.

"If they find a system, it would be great to make any extra income during these difficult times," adds Abdullah, an active member of Jordan's Mills Owners Association. "Not all mill owners can afford to pay so much. The economic factor plays a role in the decision to dispose of olive oil wastewater in a proper way," he concludes.

Abdullah is not the only one considering the financial implications.

"Wastewater is bad for the environment, but honestly, I have more important issues to worry about, particularly how to sell my olive oil and feed my children," says Ebrahim Sweirki, a 56-year old owner of an olive plantation in the Roman city of Jerash.

While ensuring his family has bread on the table may be Sweirki’s priority, safe drinking water remains a concern.

"Wastewater kills our plants. People come at night and dump their wastewater outside the town, damaging crops and causing a bad smell. The government should be vigilant," adds the father of six.

The government admits it is facing an uphill struggle to stop unlawful dumping and has called for the cooperation of the local community. Farmers have also called for government protection from illegal dumping, but Agriculture Ministry officials have struggled to find an environmentally friendly and economically feasible disposal method. They also point to their inability – due to lack of funds – to establish a central treatment plant or a common disposal facility for the country's 116 mills.

Testing ground in Jordan So far, the treatment of olive oil mill wastewater has only been partially addressed through isolated studies, and today there is a need for a harmonised and basin-wide effort, which is a key objective of the MEDOLICO initiative. The Jordanian government has expressed enthusiasm in joining the EU-funded project and it has agreed to provide testing grounds for technologies developed by the other participating countries, namely Italy, Israel and Portugal. The partnership is led by the University of Cyprus’ International Water Research Centre. As in all Cross Border Cooperation initiatives supported by the EU, this project strives to address chal-

"The issue of olive oil wastewater is an environmental and financial headache. We cannot keep the water near the mill, as it is toxic and very dangerous. We have to get rid of it. But it costs a lot"

"We are trying to tackle the cost of producing the world's finest olive oil, in a feasible and efficient way"

n Munir Rusan, soil expert from the University of Science and Technology in Irbid, monitors a plant in a green house

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lenges that are common to European Member States and to partner countries, providing the grounds for a real people to people exchange and cooperation. It is the core of the Cross Border Cooperation concept: there is an impact on all sides of the border , or the sea-basin. Benefits are real for all partners involved. In this case, Jordan is offering the testing ground for innovative technology that could benefit all project partners. In fact, Jordan is due to receive the first centrifuge from Portugal to start the testing process, which will involve a range of tests on different centrifuges. The results will be n Testing containers to manage the treated waste water in the green houses in examined by scientists, who will atthe University of Science and Technology in Irbid, Jordan tempt to determine the suitable technology to be used by authorities in each country. Treatment centres will be established near major dumping grounds and possibly mills.

Ideally, treated wastewater should be pumped to water farms. In a region that suffers from the lack of water resources, the reuse of treated wastewater in agriculture is considered as an ideal alternative source of irrigation.

At the same time, the remaining chemicals will be turned into bio-products such as soil conditioner, biomass fuel, fertilisers and antioxidants, to be used for commercial purposes.

The programme also includes orientation and public awareness campaigns to educate farmers and mill owners on the significance of this project and to train them to harness every drop from the olive tree.

The ultimate goal? To turn waste into euros, while protecting nature.

“Wastewater used to be dumped on the field side. In the past, it worked. But due to the growing scarcity of water resources, and the higher production rate, nature cannot absorb wastewater anymore"

ENPI CBCMED Cross-border cooperation in the Mediterranean http://www.enpicbcmed.eu/ The multilateral cross-border cooperation programme, “Mediterranean Sea Basin”, is part of the new European Neighbourhood Policy and its financial instrument (ENPI) for the period 2007-2013: it includes regions of the EU and of partner countries located along the Mediterranean Sea coasts.

MEDOLICO - Mediterranean Cooperation in the Treatment and Valorisation of Olive Mill Wastewater http://www.enpicbcmed.eu/documenti/29_153_20110930144130.pdf The project specifically targets the issue of olive oil mill wastewater (OMW), which is highly resistant to biodegradation. Provided that the treatment of OMW has only been partially addressed through isolated studies, there is a need for an harmonized and basin-wide effort that significantly reduces the environmental impact of wastewater generated by olive mills.

Participating countries: Italy, Israel, Jordan, Portugal Duration: 36 months Total budget: € 1.964.500

• Accessible and efficient training schemes for the olive millers chosen for the pilot tests • Relevant stakeholders informed about the outcomes of the projec

Expected results: • Reduction in levels of toxic substances contained in the OMW before and after being disposed into the environment • Suitable quality and quantity of recovered by-products to compensate for the cost of the OMW treatment technologies • Development of user-friendly methodological and technical handbooks/guidelines for operators of olive mills

To find out more: CBC Cross Border Cooperation EU Neighbourhood Info Centre project sheet: http://www.enpi-info.eu/mainmed.php?id=171&id_type=10 EU Neighbourhood Info Centre portal, theme: ENVIRONMENT http://www.enpi-info.eu/thememed.php?subject=6

EU Neighbourhood Info Centre An ENPI project The EU Neighbourhood Info Centre is an EU-funded Regional Information and Communication project highlighting the partnership between the EU and Neighbouring countries. The project is managed by Action Global Communications.

www.enpi-info.eu