JAKARTA – There have been hundreds of palm oil derivatives that can be used to replace the fossil-based petrochemicals. Besides cheaper than the petrochemicals, the palm oil derivatives are ecofriendly and sustainable.

“A variety of palm oil derivatives can be also used to replace the ingredients commonly use to produce various products of foods, personal care, and bioenergy,” said Erliza Hambali, a researcher of the Surfactant and Bioenergy Research Center (SBRC) at the Research and Community Service Institution (LPPM) of Bogor University of Agriculture (IPB) during a workshop on palm oil downstreaming to produce oleo-foods, oleo-chemicals and bioenergy in Jakarta on Tuesday (25/06/2024).

“The palm oil derivatives can be used as ingredients to produce various products of oleo-foods, oleo-chemicals, and bioenergy. Currently, the industries rely mostly on petrochemicals. But now they can use the palm oil derivatives,” said Erliza.

According to Erliza, the ingredients from petrochemicals are more expensive compared to those from palm oil derivatives. “Unlike the petrochemical derivatives, the palm oil derivatives are ecofriendly. That’s why palm oil downstreaming and the use of palm oil derivatives will be more beneficial than the use of petrochemicals,” she said.

“There are 560 kinds of of petrochemical derivatves and all of them can be replaced with the palm oil derivatives. But such replacement can only be realized if the government applies supportive regulations,” she said.

Erliza said that a local content scheme of 25% can be applied to push up the local use of palm oil derivatives. For example, the palm oil derivatives can be used to produce various cleaning products, such as detergents and soaps.

“There is no yet such policy. But if all stakeholders, especially the government and producers, are committed through a solid collaboration, it can be surely  realized,” she said. (*)

Source: sawitku.id