In all the composts tested, organic matter, total C and K were high with 60.5%, 30.7%, and 1.7% on average, respectively, whereas total P was low (0.4%) and with intermediate levels of N (1.5%). Compost of olive mill pomace differed in the proportions of raw materials co-composted with the olive mill pomace, such as olive leaf material, manure, and straw. In this study, the physico-chemical characteristics, net N mineralization, and the potential for N leaching of 7 out of the 11 olive-mill-pomace composts currently produced in the Andalusian olive mills were investigated. Olive mill pomace might be evaluated as an organic fertilizer after composting, however, before wider use of composted olive mill pomace is advocated, characterization of the final product is needed. The agricultural policies of the EU have led to widespread interest in recycling these agricultural by-products. In S Spain, the Andalusian olive oil industry generates annually 2.5–3.0 million tons of olive mill pomace, a by-product which is comprised of the residues from the two-phase oil-extraction process.
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