High-Added Value Materials Production from OMW: A Technical and Economical Optimization

Abstract

The extraction of olive oil generates huge quantities of solids and of high organic wastewaters with toxic constituents that have a great impact on land and water environments. Based on a membrane process, authors proposed an alternative method for treatment of olive mill wastewaters (OMWs). In the present paper, a technoeconomic analysis for the implementation of the proposed method in the entire Region of Western Greece (RWG) is presented. This paper takes into account fixed and operational costs, costs for the infrastructure, equipment, land, maintenance, and so forth, considering the treatment of 50,000 tons per harvesting period in the area of RWG. The study showed that the establishment of only one central treatment manufacture could reduce the uncontrolled disposal of OMW. Exploitation of the isolated fractions as manure in fertilizers (nutrients components) or as components in ecological herbicides (phenolics) can depreciate the total cost in a period of about five years.