Olive Grove waste water treatment options  (Archived)

Kailis Organic Olive Groves, based in Western Australia, engaged Sustainability's Environment unit to develop a set of waste water discharge criteria, and potential waste water treatment options for its Brookton olive oil processing plant. Waste water is produced during the pressing and processing of the olives. The Brookton olive oil plant plans to expand its operations and olive processing capacity, and therefore, increase its volume of waste water generated. 

The Australian olive oil industry is relatively new, and there has been little research regarding olive oil processing waste water and water treatment techniques. Based on the review of waste water techniques employed in other olive oil producing countries, it is expected that Kailis will ultimately be able to treat the waste water and reuse it for irrigation of their olive groves. Prior to irrigation, the treated waste water must satisfy the relevant requirements for agricultural irrigation.

For more information, contact Marc Barendrecht or Andrew Wusaty via environment@sustainability.net.au .