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by Salah Takieddine
BEIRUT, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- The olive harvest season in Lebanon at the end of September is considered one of the most important agricultural seasons as it is a source of income for around 30 percent of the Lebanese population.
However, olive oil production pollutes the environment, as water used in the pressing process and the residual solid waste negatively affect surface and subterranean water quality.
Walid al-Kurdi, a 60-year-old oil pressing factory owner, has been doing his share in easing the industry's pollution.
"I am the first Lebanese to use olive solid waste in manufacturing various local products," al-Kurdi told Xinhua.
His factory in Hasbaya, in southeast Lebanon, manufactures firewood, barbecue coal and compost coal from olive oil solid waste.
"Around 79,000 tons of olive oil solid waste is produced annually," al-Kurdi said. "Industrial firewood (made from the solid waste) is highly demanded."
With the expertise of specialized technicians and the incorporation of high-tech machinery, his business has became "popular and profitable."
"Last year I produced 8 million firewood pieces, which we marketed in bags containing 25 pieces and selling for 6 U.S. dollars each," he said.
"Each firewood piece burns for an hour, and the heat generated is twice as much as regular firewood."
By supplying the market with his firewood to replace heating oil and regular tree-trimmed firewood, al-Kurdi said, his plant is helping the environment.
Hassan Abou al-Oula, an environmental expert, concurred.
"Transforming olive solid waste into firewood has multiple benefits, most importantly preserving tree and environment health, since dumping solid waste causes unpleasant odors and damages the land as well as surface and subterranean water," he said.
According to the Agriculture Ministry's latest statistics, Lebanon has approximately 13 million olive trees spread throughout 20 percent of the arable land, and olive oil is one of the country's most famous agricultural products.
