Stories How it works: Zero waste in palm oil production

As the industrial sector that contributes most significantly to Indonesia’s economy, the palm oil industry must be able to carry out its operations incorporating environmental sustainability. Zero waste management, is a concept that is promoted to encourage industry players in the country to carry out their businesses more responsibly.

Under our Zero Waste Policy, we aim to reuse, recover and recycle. Since 2015, we have achieved 100 percent recycling of waste from the crude palm oil (CPO) production process in our upstream operations. The waste includes solid and liquid waste. Solid waste consists of empty fruit bunches (EFB) of oil palm, fibre and shells. Liquid waste or Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) is generated from the processing of fresh fruit bunches to CPO. We use both types of waste as organic fertiliser and fuel.

See how we recycle waste at each stage of the CPO production process here:

Since 2007, GAR has participated in the Indonesian Ministry of Environment’s national public environmental reporting initiative known as the Programme for Pollution Control, Evaluation and Rating (PROPER). It uses a colour-coded rating to assess water and air pollution control, hazardous waste management and environmental impact. PROPER also considers other indicators including the impact of a company’s community development programmes; progress of biodiversity conservation efforts; efficiency of water management; and innovations in emissions reduction, waste management and energy efficiency. In 2017, 24 of our mills passed the PROPER assessment with Blue rating and six mills achieving Green rating. To ensure that we are aligned with PROPER requirements, internal audits and training are carried out in our mills.

Did you know that all fresh fruit bunches harvested in our plantations are delivered to the mills within 24 hours? Learn why here.