The Ministry of Health does not permit olive mills to remove the olive mill wastewater produced during the production of oil without first treating it. No permits are issued for using the olive mill wastewater for agricultural purposes.

  The high organic load found in olive mill wastewater makes it impossible to treat it in conventional waste water treatment plants on the one hand, while on the other, uncontrolled spreading on the land could cause serious environmental damage.

  The position of the authorities in Israel with respect to the manner in which the olive mill wastewater should be treated and removed is ambiguous.

  Triple-T has dealt with this issue during the past year and studied the various possible methods for treating olive mill wastewater. Also initiated and organized a debate for professionals in which representatives of the various government authorities participated in a discussion of this particular issue. The discussion featured a presentation of research work related to the question as to how the spreading of olive mill wastewater on agricultural land affects the yield and the soil. The meeting also discussed the complex issues concerning strategies on olive mill wastewater as organic material or as wastewater (a “resource” or a “nuisance”). By the conclusion of this meeting it was agreed that there was a need to formulate a uniform inter-departmental position and also to expand and deepen knowledge in this area.

  Potential treatment methods recognized throughout the world:

     ·     Clarifying followed by anaerobic treatment – this method is
           expensive and therefore only suitable for large plants.

     ·     Separating the oils and suspended
           solids using a DAF device – this
           method is inexpensive, efficient and
           recognized.

     ·     Thickening the olive mill wastewater
           by forced evaporation, using, for
           example, solar energy – this method
           is especially suitable in the southern region.

  After the pre-treatment stage the wastewater may be used for controlled spreading on agricultural land. The remaining olive waste may be spread over agricultural land or used as cattle fodder.