The level of the environmental impact of olive oil production in Palestine was evaluated by measuring the parameters: pH, chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS), the concentration of fat; oil, and grease (FOG), phenols, electric conductivity (EC) total phosphorus (T-P), and total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN, and compared with the Jordanian standard values. The results show that the value of these parameters are too high. A local survey has also been conducted by designing a questionnaire that covers oil production yield, water consumptions in olive washing and in oil recovery, wastewater generation relative to olive processed and oil generated, and solid waste product: The data were collected from 92 local olive oil mills, which were analyzed and organized according to the investigated parameters, and categorized according to local selected areas in the West Bank such as Hebron (South), Nablus (Center) and Jenine (North). The results revealed local variations in oil yield and solid waste product due to variations in the type of olive produced. The olives from the South were found to contain larger solid content than those from the North, .resulting in lower oil yield. The overall results indicated that the average oil yield was 23.7%, the solid waste product was 40.0% while the remaining balance was. the water. content (36.7%) in the olive fruit. A representative value at 1.7 m3/ton for wastewater generation was found to be high compared to similar values in other places of the world. This requires a criterious review of the technology and operation of olive mills in Palestine. The characteristics of OMW were found to violate the standards for OMW and this requires the attention of authorities.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTl0N RESULTING FROM OLIVE OIL PRODUCTION IN PALESTINE