Manufacturing
2 min read
By Pedro Carreira
Updated 25 June 2026
Olive oil producers generate olive pomace (compostable, animal feed, or biomass fuel), wastewater from processing (high BOD — trade waste), packaging, and general waste.
Pomace is the dominant stream by weight and has value as compost, animal feed supplement, or biofuel. Olive mill wastewater is highly polluting — must not enter waterways.
Trade waste agreements mandatory. Monthly waste: $300–1,000 during harvest season.
Key Numbers
- Monthly waste (harvest season): $300–1,000
- Dominant stream: Olive pomace (by weight)
- Mill wastewater: High BOD — trade waste
- Metro landfill levy 2025–26: $169.79/tonne
What You Need to Know
Olive oil production is seasonal and pomace-heavy: pomace dominates by weight during harvest, while the mill wastewater is the compliance risk. Both need a destination other than landfill or the drain.
- Olive pomace — the dominant stream; valuable as compost, animal feed supplement, or biofuel.
- Olive mill wastewater — highly polluting and high in BOD; it must not enter waterways, and trade waste agreements are mandatory.
- Packaging and general waste — the smaller residual streams.
Diverting pomace from landfill rather than paying the $169.79/tonne metro levy on it is the direction Victoria's FOGO (Food Organics Garden Organics) Policy is pushing every commercial organics generator. Because volumes swing to $300–1,000/month only during harvest, a flat year-round contract typically overcharges off-season. As an independent broker, Bundle Waste audits your invoice for free and compares a network of providers for seasonal, right-sized collection, paid only from the savings we find.
Related Resources
Related Questions
How should food manufacturers manage waste?+
Food manufacturers generate: production waste (5–15% of raw materials), packaging, wash-down water (trade waste), expired product. Mid-size manufacturer: $2,000–8,000/month. Key savings: production waste to animal feed/composting, cardboard baling.
How should wineries manage waste?+
Wineries generate: grape marc/pomace, lees, chemical waste, packaging, wastewater (high BOD). Marc can be composted or used as animal feed. Trade waste agreements required. Mid-size winery: $500–2,000/month.
What waste does a Melbourne microbrewery generate compared to a large brewery?+
Microbreweries (under 200,000L/year) generate proportionally more packaging waste per litre due to smaller batch sizes. Spent grain: 50–200kg/batch (give to local farmers — free). Glass breakage: 2–5% of packaged product. Chemical cleaning waste: smaller volumes but same compliance requirements as large breweries. Monthly waste: $200–600. Trade waste agreement needed regardless of size.
How should a Melbourne distillery manage waste?+
Distilleries generate: spent botanicals and grain (compostable — excellent for farming partnerships), glass breakage, chemical cleaning waste, packaging, and high-strength wastewater (trade waste). Spent botanicals can go to composting or animal feed. Distillery wastewater is very high in BOD — pre-treatment may be required before sewer discharge. Monthly waste: $300–1,000. Trade waste fees: $500–2,000/year.
How should a Melbourne commercial cheese maker manage waste?+
Cheese makers generate: whey (high-BOD liquid — significant trade waste stream), packaging, cleaning chemical waste, brine waste, and general waste. Whey has value as animal feed or whey protein processing. Trade waste agreements are critical as whey discharged untreated can cause major sewer issues. Monthly waste: $300–800. Trade waste fees can be significant ($1,000–5,000/year) without whey management.
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Updated 25 June 2026
