Diagnostic study of the olive oil industry in the Eastern region of Morocco

Abstract

A field study of “Olive oil mills” was carried out using a questionnaire, In order to evaluate discharge and impact of their by-products on receiving middle (Soil, water). This study treated the trituration units (location, type), the quantities of by-products (pomace olive and the Olive Oil Mill Wastewaters) and the final destinations of discharges by each process of extraction of olive oil. The survey reveals that olive oil production in eastern Morocco produced the huge amounts of liquid effluents over 150.000 (T/companion) in a short period (2–3 month). More than 71% of OOMW is stored in unsealed storage basins, but the rest is discharged without prior treatment into rivers and streams (14%), sewage system (14), and 1% for irrigation-cultivated fields. In the absence of a healthy and sustainable management, all of these practices have negative impacts on receiving waters (soil, water) by the generation of eutrophication phenomena, limitation the of self-purification phenomena, dysfunction of sewage treatment plant, and consequently on the fauna and flora (antimicrobial effect and phytotoxicity).