The byproduct of olive oil production can deliver texture, grip, and mechanical strength in automotive and other applications.
The olive tree might have found its way to Greece from ancient Persia and Mesopotamia in the 28th Century BC, but nowadays Spain is the world’s largest processor of olive oil. As such, it is the largest source of olive stones, which are typically considered waste but can be used as biofuels in various forms. The pits can be converted to activated carbon, incorporated into animal feed, or in the case of Malta- and Spain-based company BioPowder, processed into functional fillers for use in plastic composites.
In an exclusive interview with PlasticsToday, BioPowder founder and Managing Director Kathrin Schilling detailed how the company’s capacity of 1,000 tonnes/month of high-grade olive-stone powder is slashing the environmental footprint of various plastic compounds that might otherwise use energy-intensive materials such as carbon fiber, talc, polymeric beads, metals, or even natural fibers such as flax and hemp. “Olive stones are derived from a carbon-neutral ecosystem: You don’t need to grow crops directly because they are a byproduct, nor do you need to chop down any trees,” she emphasizes. Another environmental attribute is that the stones are sourced and processed locally.
Performance Advantages
Further, carbon neutrality is accompanied by multiple technical advantages according to Schilling. “They exhibit very high hardness, possess a relatively low density [specific gravity of 1.2 to 1.4kg/l] that makes them suitable for lightweight components, but at the same time they function as reinforcing materials, or texturing materials that can deliver anti-slip [properties] or a surface with a certain type of grip.” More