The production of EVO oil, the use of processing waste and their sustainable disposal

Extra virgin olive oil is undoubtedly one of the most valuable and healthy fruits of Italian and world food creation. To follow the entire EVO oil production chain, one must start from the cultivation of olive trees, their maintenance, fertilization, pruning and harvesting of the olives which must take place at the right time, when they are ripe and still green and immediately transported to the oil mills, thus avoiding oxidation processes and thus preserving the quality of the extra virgin olive oil obtained. The processing and extraction phases to obtain and recognize a good extra virgin olive oil are as follows:

• In the first place, it is essential to clean the crusher and all the machinery and components used in the manufacturing and extraction process, including those for storing the finished product.
• The selection and cleaning of the olives which must be inspected by discarding those damaged or attacked by parasites and unsuitable for processing. Subsequently they must be washed with clean drinking water, to remove any debris, leaves and branches, thus ensuring the cleanliness of the fruits.
• The pressing is another very delicate phase of the processing where the olives are crushed to obtain a homogeneous paste. This process must be carefully monitored and kept at temperatures that do not exceed 27°C. Traditionally this was done with large stone millstones, now replaced by more modern and efficient machines which greatly speed up processing times.
• Let's move on to the kneading phase, where the previously ground olive paste is spread on circular frames and stacked under presses to facilitate the release of the oil. More modern methods and machinery carry out this stage of processing in a continuous cycle. These manufacturing processes help separate the solid part of the compound from the oil at a later stage.
• After kneading there is the extraction and separation phase where the olive paste is pressed, to separate the liquid part made up of oil and water from the solid part which is made up of pits, skins and pulp. The pitted extra virgin olive oil thus takes on superior organoleptic properties. This processing step can be performed with traditional presses or using modern machines such as centrifuges which must always operate at a controlled temperature where the EVO oil will be separated from the water.
• At this stage of the processing we pass to the decantation, where the extracted oil is left to rest in tanks (or silos), carefully cleaned to always ensure that the extra virgin oil does not absorb odors and/or scents that could compromise its quality and to allow the settling of any further solid or liquid residues.
• Subsequently, we have the EVO oil filtering which is carried out to remove any small particles and impurities. Often the freshly extracted extra virgin olive oil is cloudy; to give it clarity and also improve its quality, it is filtered, and through this process a high quality extra virgin olive oil is obtained, characterized by a golden or intense green color and a rich and fruity aroma.
• Finally, let's talk about storage where the extra virgin olive oil is stored in stainless steel containers at a controlled temperature and under nitrogen to preserve its freshness and quality for as long as necessary until bottling. This stage of the process is also very important and it is necessary to prevent the product made with so much effort from coming into contact with odors or contaminating elements. Respecting all the fundamental principles of hygiene and thorough cleaning of the environments, of all the objects involved in all the processing phases, we will obtain a fine, fragrant and delicious EVO oil, appreciated all over the world for its unique flavor and its benefits for Health.

All waste from extra virgin olive oil processing enters the circular economy system for sustainable processing and disposal of waste.

The circular economy concept is all about reducing waste, reusing, recycling and recovering waste, minimizing its environmental impact and benefiting future populations. In the production of extra virgin olive oil, all those practices can be adopted to manage processing waste in a sustainable way

• Solid waste from olive processing, such as pomace for example, can be reused for various applications and transformed into pits, using only the woody part of the pit of the olives as solid fuel for industrial and civil heating, or be used as litter for animal breeding, or transformed into compost for the production of fertilizers that can be used in various agricultural fields including organic farming.
• During the extraction process some types of oil, always derived from the milling and above all from the refining of waste materials from olive processing, can be used as chemical solvents. In these cases, the approach and the concept of circular economy aims to recover and recycle these solvents in order to reduce their waste and contain their environmental impacts. 
• The oil extracted from olives has a high content of fats and other organic substances; consequently the olive oil wastewater produced during processing can be an environmental problem if not treated properly. Also in this case, the adoption of modern treatment procedures can help reduce the environmental impact and pollution as well as recover any precious substances present which, once eliminated, would allow their use in agriculture.
• Many producers of extra virgin olive oil in Italy have oil mills with very low CO2 emissions because they use renewable energy sources to power the production processes, such as the use of solar panels or biomass and for years now they have been producing very high quality Italian EVO oil , respecting all the environmental protection criteria. 
• Further attention within the extra virgin olive oil production chain comes from packaging practices that can be optimized to reduce waste, the use of non-recyclable materials is obviously banned in favor of all those recyclable products instead , recycled and with a very low environmental impact.

In conclusion, the production of extra virgin olive oil, or EVO oil, is a complex and delicate process that requires attention to preserve the quality and flavor of the final product. Furthermore, the management of processing waste is of fundamental importance. Today there are companies on the national territory that specialize in the recovery, reclamation, disposal and transport of these "processing waste" such as the Econova Environmental Services Group. The approach and the concept of circular economy give the opportunity to reduce the environmental impact and make the most of all the resources involved in the production process. By adopting sustainable practices, Italian olive oil producers, and not only them, can and must contribute to preserving the environment, promoting sustainable and responsible development, which helps us to preserve the territory and biodiversity, above all with respect for generations future which, in turn, will still be able to pass on this great tradition and passion.