A new framework proposal, towards a common EU agricultural policy, with the best sustainable practices for the re-use of olive mill wastewater

Abstract

The disposal of olive mill wastewater (OMW) is a serious environmental issue for the Mediterranean countries. However, there is still no common European legislation on the management and the re-use of OMW in agriculture, in the frame of sustainable crop management and the standards for the safe OMW disposal and re-use are left to be set by each EU country, individually. This review paper presents the most effective and sustainable practices for OMW, (treatment, application and management), which can maximize the benefits of OMW on crops and soils, while minimizing the potential hazards for public health, thus promoting environmental sustainability. The findings of this synthetic work suggest that there is enough information and proven sustainable practices to go ahead with the initial formulation of a new consensual framework, environmentally acceptable, socially bearable and economically viable, that could hopefully help to set the standards for the re-use of olive mil wastewater and can lead to a common EU policy on the management and re-use of OMW.

Keywords: Environmental management; Olive mill wastewater management; Sustainable agriculture; Sustainable crop management.