The "ELAIONAS Project" addresses the issue of managing waste from olive oil production and cultivation effectively through an innovative solution. Our initiative is based on the Circular Economy model, promoting waste reduction by recycling raw materials and extending their life cycle.

The project's significance lies in using residues from olive cultivation and waste from olive oil production to produce a soil additive. This soil additive will consist of a blend of compost and biochar, contributing to soil fertility.

In detail, our action will focus on three significant processes:

1. After settling, the liquid waste from olive mills will be utilized to regulate moisture in compost heaps.
2. The sludge from the settling tank in the olive mill will be co-composted with olive leaves to produce high-quality compost, which will also be distributed to crops.
3. Biochar, the residue from producing charcoal from coarse olive wood, will be used as a soil additive to enhance soil fertility.

The combined use of residues and waste through an integrated and sustainable management system will produce compost and biochar. These products will be used in a pioneering pilot project in Greece in olive groves. Additionally, the scientific group will apply the technique of hydrothermal carbonization on the liquid waste from olive mills for the first time globally.