Palm Oil Mill Effluent: Characteristics and Evolving Treatment Approaches for Environmental Sustainability

The oil palm industry continues to thrive on the world market due to high demand. However, the industry produces large amount of wastes. Palm oil mill effluent (POME) is the largest source of wastewater from the oil palm industry. POME is characterized by high COD, BOD, suspended solids, and acidic pH which require serious treatment before discharge into the environment. In Malaysia, various treatment systems have been applied for the treatment of POME, with biological treatment, such as open ponds and digesters or reactor systems dominating. This article discusses the characteristics of POME and the various available treatment methods that can be applied. The advantages and limitations of these treatment methods are highlighted. Future outlook on the POME treatment system is also presented.