POME Treatment Malaysia

POME Treatment: Sustainable Solutions for Palm Oil Wastewater

Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) is a highly polluting byproduct of palm oil extraction, characterized by its high organic content, dark color, and strong odor. Without proper treatment, POME can contaminate water bodies, emit greenhouse gases, and harm ecosystems. Effective POME treatment is essential to meet environmental regulations and support sustainable palm oil production.

Palm oil is widely regarded as a high-quality oil that is used widely across the world, especially for cooking purposes. Over the years, more oil palm tree plantations have been started in Malaysia and beyond. Palm oil production poses some serious environmental issues, especially concerning soil and water pollution.

Palm oil mill effluent (POME) exists in the form of high solid, oil, and grease and includes biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in richness. The environmental pollutants raise significant concerns due to their harmful effects on various forms of life.

The Environmental Toll of Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME)

The unchecked release of Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) into the environment poses serious risks, both toxicological and aesthetic. Most palm oil mills rely on water-intensive extraction methods to produce crude palm oil (CPO) from fresh fruit bunches (FFB), generating vast quantities of wastewater that end up in storage ponds.

In leading palm oil-producing countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, CPO production creates billions of pounds of POME each year. Shockingly, processing just 1 ton of CPO requires 5–7.5 tons of water, with over half of it turning into POME. Though POME is technically non-toxic, its thick, murky brown consistency, loaded with 95–96% water, 0.6–0.7% oils, and 2–4% suspended solids, makes it a serious environmental hazard. The discoloration comes from high concentrations of carotene, pectin, tannins, phenolics, and lignin, which, while nutrient-rich, wreak havoc when released untreated.

POME is a major operational headache for palm oil mills due to its sheer volume and disposal challenges. Dumping it on land leads to soil clogging, waterlogging, and vegetation death, while discharging it into waterways depletes oxygen levels and devastates aquatic ecosystems. Without sustainable solutions, POME remains a critical threat to both land and water resources.

Traditionally, palm oil mills used to discard oil palm wastewater in nearby waterways, massively affecting the environment. However, considerable progress has been made by palm oil-producing countries regarding Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) treatment. Today, palm oil mills are increasingly adopting modern treatment systems, including anaerobic ponds followed by facultative lagoons, or a combination of digestion tanks and aerobic systems.

Common Challenges in POME Treatment

One of the major challenges in treating Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) is the high operational costs associated with advanced treatment systems. Many palm oil mills, especially small and medium-sized operations, struggle to afford these systems due to high energy consumption, chemical costs, and the need for skilled personnel. As a result, they often rely on conventional lagoon systems, which are cheaper but less efficient in meeting stringent environmental discharge standards.

Another significant challenge is the large land requirement for pond-based treatment systems. Traditional anaerobic and aerobic ponds, though cost-effective, occupy extensive areas, which can be a limiting factor in regions where land availability is scarce or expensive. For instance, a typical anaerobic pond system for a medium-sized palm oil mill may require several hectares of land, making it impractical for mills located in densely populated or agriculturally competitive areas. This limitation has driven research into more compact treatment technologies, such as upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors or hybrid systems, which reduce land use but come with higher operational complexities.

Additionally, the proper disposal of sludge generated from POME treatment poses a persistent challenge. The anaerobic digestion process produces a significant amount of sludge, which contains residual organic matter, heavy metals, and other contaminants. If not managed correctly, this sludge can cause secondary pollution, contaminating soil and water resources.

While some mills repurpose sludge as organic fertilizer, its high moisture content and potential toxicity require further treatment, such as dewatering or composting, adding to operational costs. Regulatory restrictions on sludge disposal further complicate the issue. Ultimately, you need the right POME treatment solutions that can effectively handle these challenges.

Cubictech has developed cost-effective, space-efficient, and environmentally sustainable POME treatment solutions to ensure long-term compliance and minimize ecological impacts.  We manufacture and supply turnkey Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) treatment systems, helping palm oil mills to treat their wastewater in ways that meet effluent standards. Contact us today for a custom quote, and to get more insights into POME treatment!

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