Critical parameters for integrating co-composting of POME and EFB into life cycle analysis of palm oil production

Palm oil mill's co-products (empty fruit bunch – EFB and palm oil mill effluent – POME) management is a matter of concern in Indonesia. Co-composting would allow dealing with them along with a restitution of organic matter to the soil. This project is a part of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study and aims to pinpoint the most environmentally impacting compartments of the palm oil production chain. This study deals more specifically with the Life Cycle Inventory of data on the composting process based on experimental data. Data on the recycled biomass, energy demand and yielded compost properties were recorded over one year. Due to the experimental conditions, excessive nutrient leaching from the compost were recorded and the compost remained very wet and hot (thermophilic phase) at the end of the first trial due to the spraying of compost with raw and hot POME. We identified the following critical parameters to be accounted for to improve the composting process: i) the roofing of the composting platform, ii) the POME/EFB ratio, iii) the turning frequency, and iv) the process duration to reach given final moisture. The nutrient content and the applied doses of the final compost depend on all these connected parameters. The produced data will be used to develop LCA models for CPO production in order to assess the potential net environmental benefits from POME composting