Olive asphalt

Asphalt made from olive oil processing products was first used for paving highways in Spain.

According to local media reports, officials in northern Spain are testing a new type of asphalt made using traditional petrochemical products mixed with materials obtained during the processing of olive oil. They stated that the experimental asphalt is more environmentally friendly in production, safe for workers and can provide new income to producers.

The authorities of Castile and Leon laid a 40-meter stretch of highway with heavy traffic with experimental asphalt, connecting the two largest cities of the autonomous community – Valladolid and Segovia. Another 40-meter section of the highway will be paved with ordinary asphalt.

Experimental asphalt is made from a mixture of semi-hot bitumen, a by-product of the oil refining process, by-products of the olive oil processing process and processed vegetable oil. For every 1,000 liters of semi-hot bitumen in the new production process, 300 liters of olive oil by-product and 400 liters of processed vegetable oil are required.

Officials plan to compare the performance of the two sections over time. They hope that experimental asphalt, the production of which is less energy-intensive, will be as durable as traditional, or even better. Also, when laying this, less toxic fumes are released

A study conducted by the California Olive Oil Commission in 2021 showed that the addition of olive pomace to the asphalt binder increases the resistance of the pavement to cracking and other forms of atmospheric influences, so there are chances.