What Is POME (Palm Oil Mill Effluent)?
POME (Palm Oil Mill Effluent) is the liquid waste generated from the processing of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) into oil, starting from sterilization, clarification, to the hydrocyclone process at palm oil mills (POM).¹
Every 1 ton of palm oil produced generates about 2.5 cubic meters of POME,² and national POME production averages 98.3 million cubic meters per year (data for the 2015–2020 period).²
Why Is POME Dangerous If Disposed of Carelessly?
POME contains very high levels of organic pollutants, including COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand), BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand), total suspended solids (TSS), as well as fats and oils, each of which can reach tens of thousands of mg/L.³ If discharged directly into water bodies without treatment, POME can reduce oxygen availability in rivers, trigger algae blooms, and threaten aquatic ecosystems on a large scale.³
How Is POME Treated?
Palm oil mills generally treat POME through a series of stages, including:⁴
- Fat Pit and sedimentation — the initial stage that separates residual oil and solids.
- Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) — covers anaerobic, facultative, and aerobic treatment processes, as well as secondary sedimentation before wastewater is discharged into the environment or used for land application.
- Advanced technologies such as CSTR, UASB, or Covered Lagoon Anaerobic systems — capable of producing biogas from the methane gas formed during anaerobic treatment.
From Waste to Energy: The Biogas Potential of POME
The anaerobic digestion of POME produces biogas with a high methane content, around 60–65%, which can be used as fuel for mill boilers (replacing diesel or palm shells), or converted into electricity via gas engines.⁵ This processed biogas can even be distributed to employee housing or surrounding communities as part of corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs.⁴
In addition to biogas, the residue of anaerobic POME treatment (digestate) is also rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, so it can be used as high-quality organic fertilizer for palm oil plantations themselves, closing the loop from waste into production input.⁵
Links to Carbon Credits and Regulatory Compliance
Utilizing biogas from POME is one of the main sources of carbon credit projects in the palm oil sector — by capturing methane gas that would otherwise escape into the atmosphere, companies can obtain emission reduction certificates of economic value. On the compliance side, palm oil mills that violate wastewater quality standards can face administrative sanctions ranging from warnings and fines to revocation of operating permits. Conversely, mills that manage POME well and utilize its biogas have the opportunity to earn a Green or Gold PROPER rating from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), a reputational recognition that is increasingly important in international markets that prioritize sustainability.⁵
Challenges in POME Utilization
Despite its great potential, the use of POME as an energy source also faces obstacles, one of which is the need for a fairly large area of land to build biogas installations — one of the challenges for companies in its implementation at palm oil mills.⁶
Relevance for the Indonesian Palm Oil Industry
POME is a concrete example of how the palm oil industry can apply the principles of zero waste and the circular economy — turning problematic waste into renewable energy, organic fertilizer, and even carbon credit commodities. With increasingly stringent sustainability standards such as ISPO, good POME management is no longer just an environmental obligation, but also a business opportunity and added value for Indonesian palm oil industry players.
References
¹ BSPJI Pekanbaru, “Teknologi Pengolahan Limbah POME (Palm Oil Mill Effluent) dengan Sistem Anaerobik di Industri Kelapa Sawit”, https://bspjipekanbaru.kemenperin.go.id/teknologi-pengolahan-limbah-pome-palm-oil-mill-effluent-dengan-sistem-anaerobik-di-industri-kelapa-sawit/
² BSPJI Pekanbaru, “Teknologi Pengolahan Limbah POME (Palm Oil Mill Effluent) dengan Sistem Anaerobik di Industri Kelapa Sawit”, https://bspjipekanbaru.kemenperin.go.id/teknologi-pengolahan-limbah-pome-palm-oil-mill-effluent-dengan-sistem-anaerobik-di-industri-kelapa-sawit/
³ Grinviro Global, “Cara Efektif Mengolah Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) untuk Mengurangi Dampak Lingkungan”, https://grinviro-global.com/articles/palm-oil-mill-effluent/
⁴ MST Wastewater, “Pengolahan Limbah Cair POME Palm Oil Mill Effluent”, https://www.mediasarangtawon.com/2023/03/pengolahan-limbah-cair-pome-palm-oil.html?m=1
⁵ Tiger Water Solutions, “Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME): Pengertian, Dampak Lingkungan, dan Solusi Pengolahan Terbaik untuk Industri Kelapa Sawit”, https://www.tigerwatersolutions.id/palm-oil-mill-effluent-pome-pengertian-dampak-lingkungan-dan-solusi-pengolahan-terbaik-untuk-industri-kelapa-sawit/
⁶ Pelantar Press, “Strategi Pemanfaatan Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) sebagai Sumber Energi Biogas”, https://zona.pelantarpress.co.id/index.php/Zona/article/download/18/23