Creating new routes: circular economy and innovative use of waste in the olive sector

In recent years, new business models have emerged based on the principles of the circular economy, which promote different actions such as: (a) the optimization of available resources, (b) the reduction in the consumption of raw materials of nonrenewable origin, and (c) the use of waste for the manufacture of more environmentally friendly materials and products. In comparison with linear production models, in which the goods produced are discarded at the end of their useful life, these new models propose to keep resources in the economic system for much longer to achieve greater optimization. Taking all of the above into account, the commitment to business models aligned with the principles of the circular economy represents a useful opportunity for the olive sector, which annually generates large quantities of waste with strong potential for use.

Nowadays, there are already a wide variety of ways to use waste from the olive sector that are well known, such as energy, composting and animal feed.¹ Nevertheless, the most innovative alternatives for using this waste are those that could generate new business models that would have a very significant impact on the economy of olive-growing areas. Among these alternatives are the manufacture of biomaterials, bioplastics or bioactive compounds.

In this sense, one of the most innovative and interesting proposals is the use of wood fibers from olive-tree pruning as reinforcement of those polymeric matrices with which plastic parts are manufactured for different industrial sectors such as the automotive industry or the furniture industry (Fig. 1). This way of valorizing olive-tree pruning waste intended for use in the plastic sector has been developed in the framework of the Life-Compolive project to the point of manufacturing polymer-based parts with high added value. The sustainable alternative solutions obtained have resulted in (a) a significant reduction in consumption of fossil-based plastic by incorporating up to 40 wt% of waste, (b) a decrease in the environmental impact of the final products, (c) an innovative alternative management of this waste that gives rise to products with high added value, and (d) new business models based on the circular economy with many competitive advantages given that pruning is an abundant, low-cost, highly available, and highly localized waste. The results of the Life-Compolive project are therefore not only beneficial from an environmental and technical point of view, but also economically and socially.^{2, 3}

This innovative proposal represents a new economic opportunity for the agricultural sector. For the plastic sector, the advantages are even more numerous as they allow plastic consumption to be reduced, addressing environmental and economic issues by reducing pollution and plastic waste. They stimulate innovation in materials, decrease reliance on nonrenewable resources, and contribute to a multisectoral circular economy through reuse and recycling practices. They also comply with environmental regulations, enhance company reputations, and meet the growing demand from environmentally conscious consumers.

Multisectoral collaboration in the circular economy promotes efficiency in resource utilization, fosters innovation, can open up new market opportunities, and enhances business resilience by adopting more sustainable approaches. Furthermore, it improves corporate reputations by demonstrating a commitment to sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Together, these benefits drive more equitable and sustainable economic growth.

However, although much research has been done on these new alternatives for valorizing olive tree pruning waste, it is necessary to promote strategies from the agricultural industry that facilitate the scaling of these proposals to an industrial level. This would involve transferring experimentally validated technical solutions to the productive sector and ensuring that these novel utilization solutions become a reality.