©Pit-to-Table

An estimated 1.2 million metric tons of crushed olive pits, also known as stones, are generated each year during olive oil milling, supporting a growing range of uses and an evolving supply chain. According to the Spanish Biomass Association (Avebiom), many of Spain’s largest olive oil mills separate the pits from the rest of the pomace, using them to generate thermal energy for heating mills and water or selling them as fuel for industrial boilers. About one-third of the pits are cleaned and processed to reduce their moisture content before being sold at a premium over unrefined pits for use as renewable fuel in domestic boilers. However, a growing number of companies across the olive oil sector are turning pits into construction and design products, responding to demand for sustainable building materials and capitalizing on the material’s distinctive properties.