Application of Cleaner Production in Palm Oil Mill: A Case Study at PT Perkebunan Nusantara IV Adolina Business Unit Perbaungan North Sumatera Indonesia

Abstract

Palm oil mill (POM) produces CPO (Crude Palm Oil), PKO (Palm Kernel Oil) and wastes (solid, liquid and gas). Environmental pollution has existed together with palm oil processing. Being reactive approach, wastes treatment and disposal conducted by palm oil mill still creates some environmental problems. Cleaner production is a proactive approach concentrates on minimizing wastes through improving effectiveness and efficiency of the process. This research identified and analyzed the alternatives of cleaner production application in palm oil mill with special reference to PT Perkebunan Nusantara IV Adolina in North Sumatera, Indonesia. The analysis focused on technical, financial and environmental aspects of each possible alternative. AHP (Analytical Hierarchy Process) was used to rank alternatives by experts judgment. The results arranged the priority of alternatives: optimization of Standard Operational Procedure application, improvement of efficiency of water use, good operating procedures, utilization of palm oil mill effluent as biogas, optimizing the utilization of empty fruit bunches, free fatty acid control, collection of split oil by making condensate pond, and preventing contamination of fresh fruit bunches. The application of good house-keeping provides financial gain of 1.89 billion rupiah/year, process modification 0.28 billion rupiah/year, and on-site reuse of wastes 1.69 billion rupiah/year (exchange rate was Rp. 10,000/US$). An advance research is needed to make detail quantification and integration of all related benefits both economic and environmental aspects.

Keywords: palm oil industry, cleaner production, analytical hierarchy process, case study, Indonesia