Environmental impact evaluation of olive oil wastewater shedding on cultivated fields

The olive oil industry in Europe produces a significant amount of olive mill wastewater (OMW) which poses a serious environmental threat if its disposal is not carried out correctly. At the same time, OMW is an important source of useful substances for several activities (e.g. for food, chemical and energy industries; in agriculture as a fertiliser, as a resource for organic matter). Currently in Italy OMW shedding on cultivated fields seems to be the most viable solution. Disposing of OMW appropriately requires specific data on wastewater management (OMW doses and type, the latter depending on the olive oil extraction system, and distribution modality), the shed field (soil type and features, crop typologies, agricultural practises), and the climatic pattern of the area where the field is located. All these data, considered in an integrated evaluation procedure based on the fuzzy logic theory (Sugeno technique), means that the agro-environmental risk can be assessed by calculating a synthetic index ascribable to a specific hypothesis of OMW shedding. This paper presents a multiplatform software application called ICABAS. The software has been adapted to the current Italian legislation and the specific environmental conditions of the Basilicata Region where it has been integrated into the regional laws for olive mill residue management. The evaluation procedure is easy to use and provides a useful tool for administrative and technical purposes and also to support decision systems, at a policy level, for the sustainable management of the resources involved.