GUIDELINES FOR MINIMISING IMPACTS OF OIL PALM

PLANTATIONS AND PALM OIL MILLS ON QUALITY OF

RIVERS IN SABAH





Published by
Environment Protection Department
Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment
Kota Kinabalu, Sabah































Preparation and printing of the guidelines is funded by the Federal Government
through Sabah Economy Development and Industry Authority
First Edition: August 2011
ISBN: 978 983 40149 2 6

FOREWORD

The 'Guidelines for Minimizing Impacts of Oil Palm Plantations and Palm Oil
Mills on Quality of Rivers in Sabah' has been produced by the Environment
Protection Department, Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Sabah, as
part of the project on 'Impact Study of Palm Oil Mills, Oil Palm Plantations and
Other Pollutants on the Quality of Selected Rivers in Sabah', which focused on
five rivers in Eastern Sabah.
These guidelines aim to provide guidance to government agencies, the oil palm
industry and relevant stakeholders on how to minimize impacts on rivers by the
Oil Palm Sector and subsequently enhance the water quality of rivers in Sabah.
These guidelines take a multi-pronged approach and tackle issues on
regulatory/institutional requirements, development planning/site selection, Best
Management Practices (BMPs) for both oil palm plantations and palm oil mills as
well as monitoring and stakeholder relations. The best management practices
promoted are based on industry experience throughout Malaysia and elsewhere
over the past 30 years. We believe that the implementation of best management
practices will not only minimise pollution but will also enhance performance and
productivity of the plantations resulting in a win-win situation.
I would like to record my gratitude and appreciation to all agencies and
individuals for their invaluable contribution and continued support.

Yabi Yangkat
Director of Environment Protection Department,
Sabah







i
TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS i
LIST OF BOXES v
LIST OF FIGURES vi
LIST OF TABLES viii
LIST OF PLATES ix
ABBREVIATIONS xi

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................... 1-1
1.2 BACKGROUND ON PALM OIL INDUSTRY ................................................... 1-4
1.3 IMPACTS OF THE PALM OIL INDUSTRY ON RIVER WATER QUALITY ............ 1-5
1.3.1 GENERAL IMPACTS: OIL PALM PLANTATIONS ............................... 1-5
1.3.2 GENERAL IMPACTS: PALM OIL MILLS .......................................... 1-9
1.4 KEY FINDINGS FROM IMPACT STUDY OF PALM OIL MILLS, OIL PALM
PLANTATION AND OTHER POLLUTANTS ON THE QUALITY OF SELECTED
RIVERS IN SABAH .................................................................................. 1-9
1.4.1 OIL PALM PLANTATIONS ........................................................... 1-10
1.4.2 PALM OIL MILLS ...................................................................... 1-11
CHAPTER 2 REGULATORY AND INSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS
2.1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................... 2-1
2.2 LEGAL REQUIREMENTS: OIL PALM PLANTATIONS .................................... 2-2
2.2.1 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) ............................. 2-2
2.2.2 THE SABAH AGRICULTURAL POLICY (19922010) ....................... 2-3
2.2.3 THE SABAH LAND ORDINANCE 68 ............................................... 2-4
2.2.4 AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT PLAN (ADP) ................................. 2-4
2.2.5 OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT (ACT 514) .................. 2-5
2.2.6 PESTICIDES ACT (1974) ............................................................ 2-5
2.2.7 WATER RESOURCES ENACTMENT (1998) ................................... 2-5
2.3 LEGAL REQUIREMENTS: PALM OIL MILLS ................................................ 2-6
2.3.1 LICENSED CONTROL AS PRESCRIBED PREMISES UNDER
SECTION 18 AND 19 OF THE EQA ............................................... 2-6
2.3.2 REGULATORY CONTROL OF EFFLUENT DISCHARGE ..................... 2-6
ii
2.4 NATIONAL POLICIES .............................................................................. 2-7
2.5 RELEVANT GUIDELINES ......................................................................... 2-8
2.6 ROLE OF DIFFERENT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ....................................... 2-9
2.7 OTHER KEY STAKEHOLDERS ............................................................... 2-10
CHAPTER 3 DEVELOPMENT PLANNING AND SITE SELECTION
3.1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................... 3-1
3.2 HOLISTIC LAND USE PLANNING .............................................................. 3-1
3.2.1 PROJECT SITE ASSESSMENT ...................................................... 3-5
3.2.2 HCV ASSESSMENTS: A LAND USE PLANNING TOOL................... 3-10
3.3 SITING AND PLANNING FOR NEW PALM OIL MILLS ................................. 3-13
CHAPTER 4 BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR SUSTAINABLE
PLANTATION MANAGEMENT AND MINIMISING RIVER
POLLUTION
4.1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................... 4-1
4.2 BMP 1: LAND CLEARING ACTIVITIES (NEW PLANTINGS AND
REPLANTING)........................................................................................ 4-3
4.2.1 LAND CLEARING ....................................................................... 4-3
4.2.2 EROSION CONTROL ................................................................... 4-4
4.2.3 ZERO-BURN TECHNIQUES .......................................................... 4-6
4.2.4 ROAD CONSTRUCTION ............................................................... 4-9
4.3 BMP 2: SOIL AND MOISTURE CONSERVATION PRACTICES .................... 4-11
4.4 BMP 3: OPTIMIZED FERTILIZER USE AND PRECISION FERTILIZER
MANAGEMENT .................................................................................... 4-16
4.4.1 OPTIMIZED FERTILIZER USE ..................................................... 4-18
4.4.2 PRECISION FERTILIZER MANAGEMENT ...................................... 4-22
4.5 BMP 4: INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM), PESTICIDE
STORAGE AND DISPOSAL .................................................................... 4-23
4.5.1 INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM) ................................... 4-23
4.5.2 PESTICIDE STORAGE ............................................................... 4-27
4.5.3 RECYCLING OF PESTICIDE CONTAINERS AND DISPOSAL OF
RINSATE ................................................................................ 4-30
iii
4.6 BMP 5: SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ................................................... 4-34
4.7 BMP 6: IDENTIFYING, MANAGING AND ENHANCING RIVER RESERVES .... 4-36
4.7.1 IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING RIVER RESERVES....................... 4-36
4.7.2 RESTORING RIVER RESERVES ................................................. 4-42
CHAPTER 5 BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR PALM OIL MILL
OPERATIONS
5.1 BMP 1: CONVERSION OF MILL WASTE INTO VALUE-ADDED PRODUCTS .... 5-4
5.2 BMP 2: REDUCTION OF POME GENERATION WITH DECANTER
SYSTEM ............................................................................................. 5-14
5.3 BMP 3: REDUCING AND RECYCLING WATER USED FOR PALM OIL
MILLS ................................................................................................. 5-14
5.4 BMP 4: ENHANCED OPERATION AND IMPROVEMENT IN POME
TREATMENT PROCESSES AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE OF SYSTEMS ..... 5-18
5.4.1 BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT OF POME ......................................... 5-18
5.4.2 DESLUDGING/DEWATERING TECHNOLOGY ................................. 5-31
5.4.3 TERTIARY TREATMENT ............................................................. 5-35
5.5 BMP 5: CONTROL OF OIL SPILLAGES AND LEAKS .................................. 5-41
5.6 BMP 6: SEPARATION OF EFFLUENT AND STORMWATER DRAINAGE
SYSTEMS ........................................................................................... 5-41
5.7 BMP 7: PROPER INTERIM STORAGE OF SOLID WASTE MATERIALS ......... 5-42
5.8 BMP 8: ENHANCING LAND IRRIGATION SYSTEMS FOR TREATED
POME ............................................................................................... 5-42
5.8.1 PLANNING LAND IRRIGATION SYSTEMS ...................................... 5-43
5.8.2 IMPLEMENTING LAND IRRIGATION SYSTEMS ............................... 5-43
CHAPTER 6 MONITORING AND STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS
6.1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................... 6-1
6.2 MONITORING OF POLLUTION CONTROL AND EFFLUENT TREATMENT
FACILITIES ............................................................................................ 6-2
6.3 SELF-REGULATION BY PLANTATIONS AND MILLS....................................... 6-3
6.3.1 RSPO ...................................................................................... 6-3
6.3.2 MPOA ...................................................................................... 6-5
6.4 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN MONITORING ................................................... 6-7
iv
6.5 TECHNOLOGY FOR MONITORING ............................................................. 6-9
6.5.1 WATER QUALITY MONITORING ................................................. 6-23
REFERENCES ....................................................................................... R-1
ANNEXES .......................................................................................... A-1
GLOSSARY .......................................................................................... G-1



v
LIST OF BOXES

Box 3.1: Guidance on site planning and environmental issues from
MPOB Code of Good Agricultural Practice for Oil Palm
Estates and Smallholdings 3-3
Box 3.2: Guidance on mill construction/design and environmental
issues from MPOB Code of Good Milling Practice for Palm
Oil Mills 3-13
Box 4.1: MPOBs Code of Good Agricultural Practice on land
clearing activities 4-4
Box 4.2: Guidance on soil erosion and surface run-off from MPOB
Code of Good Agricultural Practice for Oil Palm Estates
and Smallholdings 4-12
Box 4.3: Guidance on fertilizer management (organic and inorganic)
from MPOB Code of Good Agricultural Practice for Oil
Palm Estates and Smallholdings 4-16
Box 4.4: Guidance on crop protection and pesticide handling from
MPOB Code of Good Agricultural Practice for Oil Palm
Estates and Smallholdings 4-32
Box 4.5: Guidance on by-products, waste and pollution
management from MPOB Code of Good Agricultural
Practice for Oil Palm Estates and Smallholdings 4-35
Box 5.1: Guidance on pollution and environmental issues from
MPOB Code of Good Milling Practice for Palm Oil Mills 5-3
Box 5.2: Land Application of POME as practiced in Peninsular
Malaysia 5-47
Box 6.1: The Eight Principles from RSPOs Principles and Criteria 6-4
Box 6.2: MPOAs Environmental Charter 6-6


vi
LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1.1: Flow diagram of oil palm plantation development activities
(Source: Department of Agriculture) 1-7
Figure 3.1: Example of Project locality map 3-6
Figure 3.2: Assessment of stream order 3-8
Figure 3.3: Catchment boundaries for the project area (from a
1:50,000 map) 3-9
Figure 3.4: Potential applications of the HCV concept (Source:
www.hcvnetwork.org) 3-11
Figure 4.1: Illustration describing the function of river reserves
(Source: Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment,
2009) 4-37
Figure 5.1: Process Flow for INF Plant (Source: Asiagreen) 5-12
Figure 5.2: Evaporation Process for Palm Oil Mill Effluent 5-17
Figure 5.3: Anaerobic-cum-facultative Ponding System (Bi-phasic) 5-24
Figure 5.4: Anaerobic digester with gas recirculation mixing 5-27
Figure 5.5: Typical Anaerobic Reactor-cum-Aerated Ponding System 5-30
Figure 6.1: Satellite Image of land clearing and terracing in
SegamaRiver catchment October 2005 6-10
Figure 6.2: Satellite Image of Oil palm plantation adjacent to HCVF
area in Segama river basin February 2005 6-11
Figure 6.3: Satellite Image of oil palm development without cover crop
October 2005, Segama River catchment 6-12
Figure 6.4: Oil Palm development in reclaimed mangrove forest near
to Tawau showing large areas with water logging and
poor growth 6-13
Figure 6.5: Satellite image to show variable application of river reserve
on either side of the river 6-14
Figure 6.6: Satellite image from February 2005 showing proximity of
POM and POME treatment ponds to Segama River (100m
yellow line). Also note the high growth of vegetation on
vii
inlet pond indicating possible seepage from treatment
ponds 6-15
Figure 6.7: Satellite Image from February 25
th
2005 showing
development of oil palm plantation along small tributary of
Segama River with no river reserve and indications of
flooding (brown vegetation and stunted/absent growth of
oil palm) 6-16
Figure 6.8: Composite of two satellite images of the Segama River
from February 25
th
2005 (left portion of image and October
30
th
2005 (right portion) note the difference in water
colour silt load and also the planting of oil palm close to the
banks. Yellow mark shows river is 60m wide and so should
have a 50m River Reserve according to DID guidelines 6-17
Figure 6.9: Air photo of one of the Palm Oil Mills in Sg. Muanad,
January 2011 6-18
Figure 6.10: Muanad I Village, Sg. Muanad, January 2011 6-18
Figure 6.11: Adjacent to Sg. Muanad, January 2011. Note river buffer
too narrow 6-19
Figure 6.12: Air photo of land clearing for replanting near Sg. Segaliud,
January 2011 6-19
Figure 6.13: New plantation at Sg. Muanad, January 2011 6-20
Figure 6.14: Air photo of mature oil palm plantation next to Segama
River. Note no riparian area, January 2011 6-20
Figure 6.15: Degraded Virgin Jungle Reserve adjacent to plantation.
Sg. Segaliud, January 2011 6-21
Figure 6.16 Air photo of Segama River January 2011. Note the
flooding of low lying areas and oxbow lakes 6-21
Figure 6.17: Fires and smoke haze along the western coast of Sabah,
in the northern part of Borneo (note red indicates intact
vegetation and black burnt areas) 6-22
Figure 6.18: NOAA/AVHRR Satellite image of Borneo on March 5th
1999 showing extensive fires (red dots) and haze (yellow) 6-23


viii
LIST OF TABLES

Table 1.1: Malaysia Oil Palm Planted Area (ha) 1-4
Table 1.2: Phases and Potential Environmental Impacts Related to
Oil Palm Plantations 1-8
Table 2.1: Guidelines Pertaining to Oil Palm Sector 2-8
Table 2.2: Role of Different Government Agencies In Regulating Oil
Palm 2-9
Table 3.1: Category of High Conservation Value Forests (HCVFs) 3-12
Table 4.1: Summary of BMPs for minimizing impacts of oil palm
plantations on river water quality 4-2
Table 4.2: Level of utilization of oil palm biomass residues and waste
in United Plantations Berhad in Year 2001(dry matter
basis) 4-21
Table 4.3: Estimate fertilizer value of oil palm biomass residues
recycled on land in United Plantations Berhad in 2001 4-21
Table 4.4: Guidance on the application of beneficial plants to control 4-26
Table 5.1: Summary of BMPs for minimizing impacts of palm oil mills
on river water quality 5-2
Table 5.2: Comparison of NF and chemical fertilizer applications 5-8
Table 5.2: Comparison of NF and chemical fertilizer applications 5-9
Table 5.4: Summary of Various Current POME Treatment Methods 5-19
Table 5.5: Performance of Thermophilic Anaerobic Contact Process 5-31
Table 5.6: Brief Description of Technologies for Tertiary Treatment of
POME 5-35
Table 6.1: RSPO Certified Palm Oil Estates and Mills in Malaysia 6-5
Table 6.3: Ex-situ Water Quality Parameters, Unit Method References
(Source: DOE Guidelines, 1991) 6-26


ix
LIST OF PLATES

Plate 4.1: Cover crops or turf need to be established on the
plantation to minimize erosion during planting/replanting. 4-5
Plate 4.2: Zero-burn technique in oil palm replanting: Oil palm
biomass is shredded and stacked in the inter-rows (to
decompose) as mulch. 4-7
Plate 4.3: Small silt pits (traps) on cut sections of main roads, reduce
run-off and erosion and conserve moisture. 4-9
Plate 4.4: Leguminous cover crops reduce surface run-off and soil
erosion as well as enhancing soil fertility. 4-14
Plate 4.5: Placement of Oil Palm fronds in the inter-rows reduce soil
erosion and conserve moisture as well as contributing to
soil organic content and nutrient status. 4-15
Plate 4.6 EFB as organic mulch release nutrients and improve soil
fertility. 4-15
Plate 4.7: Mechanized fertilizer application. 4-23
Plate 4.8: Beneficial plants for control of biological pests (Clockwise
from top left): Cassia cobanensis, Antigonon leptopus and
Turnera subulata. 4-27
Plate 4.9: Lack of river reserve (foreground) and river reserve
maintained by oil palm plantation (background). 4-38
Plate 4.10: Oil palms planted right up to the riverbank. 4-38
Plate 4.11: River reserve rehabilitation area in an oil palm plantation
along the Segama River showing a signboard and
abandoned oil palms interspersed with planted native tree
species. 4-41
Plate 4.12: No river reserve along smaller tributaries in oil palm
plantations. 4-42
Plate 4.13: Native tree nursery within an oil palm plantation to supply
seedlings for a river reserve rehabilitation project. 4-44
Plate 5.1: Production of compost using Controlled Environment
Chamber (CEC) technology: Row of chambers. 5-6
x
Plate 5.2: Production of compost using Controlled Environment
Chamber (CEC) technology: Individual chamber. 5-6
Plate 5.3: Production of compost using Controlled Environment
Chamber (CEC) technology: Microbe storage area. 5-7
Plate 5.4: Production of compost using Controlled Environment
Chamber (CEC) technology: EFB shredder. 5-7
Plate 5.5: A typical aeration pond. 5-22
Plate 5.6: A typical Ponding system. 5-22
Plate 5.7: Photo of tank digesters and biogas recovery system. 5-26
Plate 5.8: Geo-textile dewatering containers. 5-32
Plate 5.9: Long bed systems for land irrigation. 5-45

xi
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS


ACLR Assistant Collector of Land Revenue
ADP Agricultural Development Plan
AEC Agreement of Environmental Conditions
Al Aluminium
AN Ammoniacal Nitrogen
ASMC ASEAN Specialized Meteorological Centre
BMP Best Management Practice
BOD Biochemical Oxygen Demand
C Celsius
CDM Clean Development Mechanism
CEC Controlled Environment Chamber
CERs Certified Emission Reductions
CNES Centre National d'Etudes Spaciales
CO
2
Carbon Dioxide
COD Chemical Oxygen Demand
CSTR Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor
Cu Copper
DID Department of Irrigation and Drainage
DO Dissolved Oxygen
DOA Department of Agriculture
DOE Department of Environment
DOSH Department of Occupational Safety and Health
ECD Environment Conservation Department
EFB Empty Fruit Bunch
EIA Environmental Impact Assessment
EMPA East Malaysia Planters Association
EMS Environmental Management System
EPD Environment Protection Department (State of Sabah)
EPDM Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer
EQA Environmental Quality Act
ESA Environmental Sensitive Area
ESS Effluent Suspended Solids
Fe Iron
xii
FFB Fresh Fruit Bunch
FSC Forest Stewardship Council
GIS Geographic Information System
GNI Gross National Income
GPS Global Positioning System
Ha Hectare
HCV High Conservation Value
HCVF High Conservation Value Forest
HDPE High Density Polyethylene
HRT Hydraulic Retention Time
HUTAN HUTAN-Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Project
IDS Institute of Development Studies
INF Integrated Natural Fertilizer
IPM Integrated Pest Management
JICA Japan International Cooperation Agency
K-CoL Kinabatangan Corridor of Life
l liter
LCC Leguminous Cover Crops
LSD Lands and Surveys Department
LUC Land Utilization Committee
MCRT Mean Cell Residence Time
mg milligram
Mn Manganese
MPOA Malaysian Palm Oil Association
MPOB Malaysian Palm Oil Board
MsGAP Malaysian Standards Goods Agriculture Practice
NF Natural Fertilizer
NGO Non-Governmental Organization
NOAA/AVHRR National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/ Advanced
Very High Resolution Radiometer
NPP National Physical Plan
NREB National Resources and Environment Board
OPP Oil Palm Plantation
P & C Principles and Criteria
pH potentiel d'Hydrogne
PMM Proposal for Mitigation Measure
POM Palm Oil Mill
xiii
POME Palm Oil Mill Effluent
POMET3 Palm Oil Mill Effluent Tertiary Treatment Technologies
PPB Perlis Plantation Berhad
PTO Power Take-Off
R & D Research and Development
RAS Return Activated Sludge
RFSC Roughing Filter Solid Contract
RS Remote Sensing
RSPO Roundtable Sustainable Palm Oil
SEIA Social and Environmental Impact Assessment
SWD Sabah Wildlife Department
TDS Total Dissolved Solids
TFFB Total Fresh Fruit Bunch
TSS Total Suspended Solid
UASB UP-Flow Anaerobic Sludge-Blanket
UN United Nation
UNFCCC United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change
UP United Plantations
USECH Use and Standard of Exposure of Chemical Hazardous
WRE Water Resource Department
WWF World Wide Fund for Nature
YAB Yang Amat Berhormat
yr year
Zn Zinc




















1-1

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION
1.1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter provides background information on the oil palm industry
(plantations and mills) and its impacts on river water quality. It discusses key
findings from the Impact study of Palm Oil Mills, Oil Palm Plantation and other
Pollutants on the Quality of Selected Rivers in Sabah which focused on 5 rivers
in Eastern Sabah (Muanad, Segaliud, Kalumpang, Pang Burong and Segama).
These guidelines were produced as a standalone document, which is one of the
deliverables of the overall project mentioned above. These guidelines aim to
provide guidance to government agencies, the oil palm industry and relevant
stakeholders on how to minimize these impacts and subsequently enhance the
water quality of rivers in Sabah.
The objectives of these guidelines are as follows:
To guide government agencies in monitoring and minimizing the impacts
of the oil palm industry on river water quality;
To guide the oil palm industry in sustainably managing plantations and
mills to minimize pollution in rivers, as well as promoting self-regulation;
and
To guide and inform stakeholders on existing policy, guidelines,
regulations and BMPs to minimize pollution from the oil palm industry on
water quality of rivers. It must be emphasized compliance with these
guidelines does not itself confer any immunity from legal obligations.
The following chapters provide some guidance on how to minimize impacts of the
oil palm industry on river water quality. These guidelines take a multi-pronged
1-2
approach that tackles issues like regulatory/institutional requirements,
development planning/site selection, Best Management Practices (BMPs) for
both Oil Palm Plantations and Palm Oil Mills as well as monitoring and
stakeholder relations. Brief descriptions of the following chapters are provided
below:
Chapter 2 (Regulatory/Institutional Requirements)
This chapter elaborates on prevailing laws, regulations and guidelines,
institutional frameworks and prevailing penalties if the laws are not complied
with. It includes a summary of requirements related to:
The Sabah Land Ordinance 68;
Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs);
Agricultural Development Plan (ADP) submissions;
Other laws, regulations and guidelines; and
It also highlights the role of different government agencies and other
stakeholders related to the development and implementation of oil
palm plantations and palm oil mills.
Chapter 3 (Development Planning and Site Selection)
From a sustainable development point of view, the process for land use
planning and development needs enhancement at the State Government
level, as well as by individual plantation companies. Although the
Government has a vision for the conservation of the nations forest
resources, the actual process for alienation of land for development,
particularly for logging and plantation agriculture does not appear to be
sufficiently effective. Besides economic considerations, typical
assessments of land for oil palm cultivation have been based mainly on
suitability of soil, terrain and climate. Development planning should be
more holistic and take into consideration physical, environmental, social and
financial factors; the interrelationship between these factors and selected
evaluation criteria.
Chapter 4 (Best Management Practices for Sustainable Plantation
Management)
1-3
Being a well-established industry, the oil palm industry has a wide variety
of established Best Management Practices (BMPs) focused on methods
or techniques found to be the most effective and practical means in
achieving successful plantations while making the optimum use of
resources. Traditionally these BMPs focused on achieving good
management and agronomic practices that contribute to high yields from
estates but in recent years, BMPs have been developed to minimize
environmental and social impacts of oil palm development.
Chapter 5 (Best Management Practices for Palm Oil Mill Operations)
Similar to Chapter 4 above, this chapter identifies and elaborates on a
selection of BMPs targeting palm oil mill operations with the objective of
reducing river pollution. The following BMPs take a 3-prong approach
aimed at minimizing the impacts: 1) reducing POME, 2) improving POME
treatment systems, and 3) improving pollution control of milling process.
Chapter 6 (Monitoring and Stakeholder Relations)
This chapter provides guidance on monitoring, use of appropriate
technology and maintaining good stakeholder relations. Issues described
include:
Public participation in monitoring (of the requirements to meet
regulations and methodologies);
Monitoring of pollution parameters of POME treatment systems;
Monitoring work using appropriate technology (real time telemetry);
Self-regulation by plantations and mills; and
Good stakeholder relations.

1-4
1.2 BACKGROUND ON PALM OIL INDUSTRY
Malaysias palm oil industry is the fourth largest contributor to the national
economy and currently contributed about 8 percent (RM1.889 billion) of the
national GNI per capita. The industry spans the entire value chain from
plantations (upstream) to downstream activities. As of 2009, Malaysia has a total
of 4.70 million hectares of oil palm plantations and 416 palm oil mills (122 mills
are located in Sabah). The industry is dominated by large plantation companies
(private and government-linked) which hold 60 percent of total plantation land.
Under the land ownership, the organized and independent smallholders account
for 28 and 12 percent of the total area, respectively. Due to unavailability of
suitable agricultural land, the potential expansion of oil palm in the future is quite
limited. The expansion potential is estimated at a maximum of 1.3 million
additional hectares of which 75 percent or 1 million hectares is located in
Sarawak, while in Peninsular and Sabah, the planted area has only recorded
marginal increases in recent years. The planted area with oil palm in Sabah in
2008 was at 1.33 million hectares, registering increases of 4.3%. Peninsular
Malaysia accounted for 54% of the total planted area in the country with Sabah
and Sarawak contributing the balance of 30% and 16% respectively (See Table
1.1 below).
Table 1.1: Malaysia Oil Palm Planted Area (ha)
2007 2008 Change (%)
Peninsular 2,362,057 2,410,019 2.03
Sabah 1,278,244 1,333,566 4.33
Sarawak 664,612 744,371 12.00
Total 4,304,913 4,487,956 4.25
(Source: Malaysian Palm Oil Association: Annual Report 2008)


1-5
The oil palm sector is a very important sector to Sabahs economy. In terms of
export earnings, this sector contributes more than 30 per cent of the total income
from exports. In 1998, exports of palm oil reached a record of RM5 billion.
Sabah is the largest producer of crude palm oil in the whole of Malaysia
contributing about 25 per cent of the total production of crude palm oil in the
country (Source: Sabah Institute Development of Studies (IDS), May 1999).
1.3 IMPACTS OF THE PALM OIL INDUSTRY ON RIVER
WATER QUALITY
1.3.1 General Impacts: Oil Palm Plantations
Based on study findings (see following section on key findings), the palm oil
industry has been identified as a contributor to river pollution. To better
understand the impacts of the industry, the following are typical activities
associated with oil palm plantation development (divided into six main stages)
namely:
Pre-development: This stage involves feasibility studies, application/acquisition
of land, preparation of EIA, and survey of boundary and plantation blocks.
Nursery establishment: Normally one ha of main nursery will cater for 10,000
seedlings and after culling (20%) and provisions for field supplying (5%), 7,500
will be available for field planting. At 136 palms/hectare, this will cater for a
planting area of 55 ha. This stage will prepare high quality seedlings for field
planting when the plantation proper site has been developed.
Site preparation: Existing vegetation is cleared and removed to enable land
preparation (particularly terracing and drainage). Cover crops will be planted and
maintained.
Field establishment: Field lining and holing will be carried out. Suitable
seedlings from the nursery will be planted out in the field.
Field upkeep, maintenance and harvesting: Planted palm trees are maintained
by regular manuring, weed management as well as the control of pests and
diseases. Regular rounds of ablation and sanitation is carried out to remove
inflorescences/young developing bunches during the immature phase up till 24
months from planting. Harvesting will normally commence between 26-30
months after field planting, depending on the growth and vigour of the palms.
1-6
Re-planting/conversion: After completion of the productive life span (25 to 30
years), decision will be made on either to replant or convert the land to other
uses.
Figure 1.1 further illustrates typical activities associated with oil palm plantation
development. It is worthwhile to note that Abandonment mentioned in the figure
may not be a typical activity in recent times as most land planted with oil palm are
usually replanted with oil palm or converted to other uses like other agricultural
products or industrial/residential development.
1-7

(Source: Department of Agriculture)
Figure 1.1: Flow Diagram of Oil Palm Plantation Development Activities

1-8
Pollution sources from oil palm plantations can be divided into various phases
such as during establishment of plantation, field maintenance, replanting and
improper practices. Several factors that could result in environmental impacts
are tabulated in Table 1.2 below:
Table 1.2: Phases and Potential Environmental Impacts Related to Oil Palm
Plantations
Phases/Stages Potential impact(s)
1. Establishment of plantation
i. Clearing of land
ii. Construction of road and
drainage system
iii. Felling
iv. Stacking
v. Terracing
vi. Nursery establishment
vii. Establishment of leguminous
cover crops

i. Soil erosion
ii. Surface run-off
iii. Soil degradation
iv. Nutrient run-off
v. Leaching
vi. Eutrophication
vii. Increase level of Total
Suspended Solid (TSS) and
turbidity of river water
viii. High sediment concentration
ix. Silting of the river resulting in
reducing its normal carrying
capacity during rainy season
flooding
x. Damage to river reserves leading
to increased erosion, loss of
biodiversity and impacts on water
quality for surrounding
communities
2. Field Maintenance
i. Fertilizer applications
ii. Weeding
iii. Soil and water conservation
iv. Pruning
v. Pests and disease control
3. Replanting
4. Improper Plantation practices by
the workers


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1.3.2 General Impacts: Palm Oil Mills
The progress of the milling and processing sectors has also been in tandem with
the development of oil palm planting. The number of palm oil mills in Malaysia
has increased tremendously, i.e. from about 10 mills in 1960 (Ma et al., 1993) to
416 palm oil mills in 2009 and about 122 mills are located in Sabah, (Dompok,
2011). However, the production of such large amounts of crude palm oil results
in even larger amounts of palm oil mill effluent (POME) in which case in the year
2008 alone, at least 44 million tonnes of POME was generated in Malaysia and
the figures are expected to rise every year. With this alarming figure, the palm oil
mill industry in Malaysia is identified as a potential major contributor to the
pollution load in rivers throughout the country. These potential impacts arise from
improper management, insufficient mitigation measures and enforcement,
accidental leakage/release of raw POME into the waterways. Many independent
millers also not have plantations thus unable to apply treated effluent on land.
Sufficient ponding capacity is also an issue for mills that have increased their
capacities over the years while still maintaining the same amount of land area for
effluent treatment ponds. For more details on impacts of palm oil mills on river
quality, see following section on key findings.
1.4 KEY FINDINGS FROM IMPACT STUDY OF PALM OIL
MILLS, OIL PALM PLANTATION AND OTHER
POLLUTANTS ON THE QUALITY OF SELECTED
RIVERS IN SABAH
While the following key findings result from a study on only 5 rivers in Eastern
Sabah (Muanad, Segaliud, Kalumpang, Pang Burong and Segama), suggestions
on minimizing impacts of the oil palm industry contained in the following sections
of these guidelines are designed to be applicable to the whole of Sabah. Other
similar studies (for example the DOE-commissioned study on Kinabatangan
River) have shown that the oil palm industry impacts Sabahs rivers in similar
ways and common ground can be found in terms of solutions to these problems.
In addition, the Technical Committee overseeing this project has also
unanimously agreed that for practicality and effectiveness, these guidelines
should applicable to all of Sabah.

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1.4.1 Oil Palm Plantations
a) River reserves encroached
Satellite image analysis and field observations showed that planting of oil palms
within river reserves by most oil palm plantations in the studied river basins was
common. This was one of the significant contributing factors affecting river water
quality.
b) Small tributaries neglected
In addition, it was observed that simply maintaining river reserves on main/major
rivers may not be sufficient to prevent further silting of water courses. Silt can still
wash into the main river via the smaller tributaries than feed the main river. It
was also observed that virtually none of the oil palm plantations visited
maintained any form of riverine buffer along the smaller tributaries that run across
their estates.
c) High Total Suspended Solids (TSS) in rivers due to insufficient
erosion control practices
The study also shows that high levels of Total Suspended Solids (TSS), most
likely from soil erosion and siltation, was one of the major problems faced in the
study area. Provision of main drains in poorly drained sites prior to felling and
clearing is also rarely carried out in Sabah. During field visits, it was observed
that the use of heavy machinery for land clearing during heavy rainfall season
has detrimental effects to soil leading to increased erosion and compaction.
d) High organic matter in rivers due to excessive fertilizer run-off
Excessive algal blooms were recorded in almost all studied rivers. The most
likely source of this problem is the over-application of fertilizer by oil palm
plantations as well as POME discharge from the mills.
e) Implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs) by oil palm
sector not consistent
It was also found that the implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs)
was not widespread in the study area, especially for smallholders and medium-
sized independent growers. Inadequate practices in terms of solid waste
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management, erosion control and fertilizer/pesticide application resulted in the
deterioration of river water quality.
1.4.2 Palm Oil Mills
a) Palm oil mills fail to comply with effluent discharge requirements,
partly due to inadequate maintenance of treatment systems
The study found that only 5 out of 12 palm oil mills in the study area were
successful in reducing their POME BOD levels to less than 100 ppm during low
flow season and only 1 mill was close to complying with the requirement for new
mills i.e. BOD less than 20 ppm. If treated POME with high BOD levels are not
disposed properly, this can result in contamination of rivers. The study also
found that the efficiency of POME treatment systems dropped tremendously in
the long run and one of the contributing factors identified was inadequate
maintenance of facilities and equipment by owners. From field visits/interviews, it
was learned that most mills have not carried out desludging of their effluent
treatment ponds in more than 5 years. Inadequately maintained treatment ponds
are also subject to frequent overflows and leaching.
b) Erratic implementation of land irrigation requirements
Currently in Sabah, Land irrigation is regulated by law but guidelines on its
implementation are not provided. From field visits, it was observed that most
land irrigation schemes by oil palm plantations were implemented inconsistently.
There was no consistency in methodology used and leaching to surrounding
areas was common even without the occurrence of heavy rainfall. There were
even instances where there was large-scale direct discharge of POME into
waterways despite existing requirements.
If unmonitored, pollution from palm oil mills can have major impacts on river
quality thus negatively affecting water supply, fisheries, livelihood, health and
potential ecotourism in each river basin.




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CHAPTER 2


REGULATORY AND
INSTITUTIONAL
REQUIREMENTS
2.1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter elaborates on prevailing laws, regulations and guidelines,
institutional frameworks and prevailing penalties if the laws are not complied with.
It includes a summary of requirements related to:
The Sabah Land Ordinance 68;
Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs);
Agricultural Development Plan (ADP) submissions;
Other laws, regulations and guidelines; and
It also highlights the role of different government agencies and other
stakeholders related to the development and implementation of oil palm
plantations and palm oil mills.
Although the conversion of land for agricultural activities is a necessary
component of socio-economic development, if it is not done in a responsible
manner, the impacts associated with the conversion can be severe and
irreversible. Therefore careful and holistic planning is required.

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2.2 LEGAL REQUIREMENTS: OIL PALM PLANTATIONS
The following is a summary of key laws and regulations applicable to the
development and operation of oil palm plantations. Further elaboration on these
laws is provided in Annex 1.
2.2.1 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
Current legislation with regards to the conservation and protection of the States
natural resources as well as the environment is governed by the Environment
Protection Enactment 2002, which includes a requirement to submit an
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report or Proposal for Mitigation
Measures (PMM) as stated under Part III, Sec. 12 (3) of the enactment, No
person shall carry out any development activity which is categorized under
subsection (2) unless such person has submitted an environmental impact
assessment report or proposal for mitigation measures as the case may require
and such report or proposal has been approved by the director.
Under the enactment, Environment Protection (Prescribed Activities)
(Environmental Impact Assessment) Order 2005 outlines compulsory
requirements of OPP developments under both of its First and Second Schedule
to carry out PMM and EIA studies, respectively as follows:
FIRST SCHEDULE: List of Prescribed Activities Requiring Proposal for
Mitigation Measures Report
1. AGRICULTURE
i. Development of agricultural estates or plantations covering an area of 100
hectares or more but less than 500 hectares;
ii. Development of agricultural estates or plantations involving change in
type of crops covering an area of 100 hectares or more but less than 500
hectares; or
iii. Conversion of wetland forests into agricultural estates or plantations
covering an area of 20 hectares or more but less than 50 hectares.

2-3
SECOND SCHEDULE: List of Prescribed Activities Requiring Environmental
Impact Assessment Report
1. AGRICULTURE
i. Development of agricultural estates or plantations covering an area of
500 hectares or more;
ii. Development of agricultural estates or plantations involving change in
type of crops covering an area of 500 hectares or more; or
iii. Conversion of wetland forests into agricultural estates or plantations
covering an area of 50 hectares or more.
The EIA Guidelines for Oil Palm Plantation Development (2002) by EPD outline
the assessment of impacts against the size of the development and how it affects
any identified sensitive areas.
2.2.2 The Sabah Agricultural Policy (19922010)
The Sabah Agricultural Policy (1992-2010) states that:
Section 10. Commodity Policy. Item 10.1.1 Oil Palm To maximize returns from
palm oil, production will be increased through expansion, productivity
improvement, and upgraded efficiency particularly in the smallholder sub-sector.
The adoption of automation and intensified mechanization will be encouraged to
increase productivity and efficiency and as a long-term solution to the problem of
labour shortage. Milling, bulking installation and refining facilities will be
upgraded, expanded and increased to cater for increased production.
Downstream processing to produce locally manufactured value-added palm oil
products, such as oleo chemicals, will be encouraged to ensure a balanced and
sustained growth of the industry. Environmentally friendly methods of oil palm
cultivation, production and processing will be promoted.
Responsible development of oil palm cultivation should not only meet the needs
of investors and developers but also compliment in a broader sense the States
socio-economic interests. Environmentally friendly methods of oil palm
cultivation are clearly emphasized in the current Sabah Agricultural Policy.
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2.2.3 The Sabah Land Ordinance 68
The requirement of river reserves is stipulated under the Land Ordinance Sabah
Cap, Section 26 which states that:
Unless otherwise expressly provided in any title the entire property in and
control of the water of all rivers, creeks, streams and watercourse, and of
the seashore below high water mark is and be vested solely in the
Government; and
The Government also has power to reserve such portion of land as may
be deemed advisable along the banks of rivers, streams or creeks, or
along the seashore above high water mark, or along the ridges of hills.
Such reservation shall be shown on all document of title.
2.2.4 Agriculture Development Plan (ADP)
The existing policies, Section 36 under the Second Sabah Agriculture Policy
(1999 2010), highlighted that Environmentally-friendly methods of cultivation,
production and processing will be promoted to minimize the negative impact of
these activities on the environment. Recognizing the importance of soil as a
resource vital for agriculture, efforts will also be undertaken to maintain the soil
eco-system of the state to ensure its proper utilization and conservation. As
such, steep terrain of between 20 and 25 degrees slope as defined in the "Soils
of Sabah (1975) Study" will only be allowed for development under
environmentally-friendly methods of cultivation which include proper soil and
slope management measures in particular through the use of the sloping
agriculture land use technology.
Currently, the DOA is applying recommendations in Panduan Pembangunan
Pertanian bagi Tanah Bercerun (2000) as the main guide in review and
processing of the approval of ADP. In the ADP, DOA has divided the preparation
into two (2) categories i.e. a non-comprehensive development plan for proposed
development with area of 50 500 acres and a comprehensive development plan
for area of more than 500 acres.
Approval is given if the ADP meets the requirements of the DOA, and the
approved development plan will be distributed to the Director of Agriculture,
Director of Land and Survey, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture
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and Food Industry, District Agriculture Officer as well as the owner for retention
and monitoring. DOA will report to the LSD or DID the outcome of their ground
investigation especially where the proposed development resulted in disturbance
to river reserve and steep area.
2.2.5 Occupational Safety and Health Act (Act 514)
The Occupation Safety and Health (Use and Standards of Exposure of
Chemicals Hazardous to Health) Regulations 2000 under its Occupational Safety
and Health Act (ACT 514) is currently being enforced by the Department of
Occupation Safety and Health (DOSH). According to the Department, this
regulation applies to all places of work which are within the jurisdiction of the Act
where chemicals hazardous to health are used. The act is applicable to oil palm
plantations and mills.
2.2.6 Pesticides Act (1974)
The Pesticides Act 1974 gives the guiding principle for the registration,
production, management and application of pesticides in Malaysia. The
Pesticides Board of Malaysia, which is the pesticide-regulating authority, is under
the purview of federal DOA. The Board has banned a number of pesticides
gradually during the last two decades and Table A2 in Annex 1 shows the
pesticides which have been voluntarily withdrawn by the parent company or
partially/totally banned by the Pesticides Board over past twenty years.
2.2.7 Water Resources Enactment (1998)
Rivers are protected by Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) under the
Sabah Water Resources Enactment (WRE), 1998. Section 40 of the enactment
stipulates the establishment of river reserves.
However, stricter requirements during the planting stage of the development are
given by the EPD at 20 m for river width of more than 3 m, 5 m for river width of
less than 3 m. The department also takes into consideration EIA findings of
proposed area whereby environmentally sensitive, wildlife, steep areas are
required for provision of 50 100 m of river reserves.
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2.3 LEGAL REQUIREMENTS: PALM OIL MILLS
2.3.1 Licensed Control as Prescribed Premises under Section 18
and 19 of the EQA
In recognizing that individual palm oil mills have an extremely high potential to
pollute waterways, the prescribed premises approach of Section 18 of the EQA,
which provides for licensed environmental control of individual factories, was
deemed appropriate and chosen for exercising such control of the crude palm oil
industry.
The Environmental Quality (Prescribed Premises) (Crude Palm Oil) Order 1977,
prescribed factories that process oil palm fruit or oil palm fresh fruit bunches into
crude palm oil, whether as an intermediate or final product, as prescribed
premises, which shall require a license under Section 18 of the EQA for the
occupation or use of their respective premises.
Environmental control of crude palm oil mills is exercised through the imposition
of appropriate conditions of license which may pertain, not only to acceptable
conditions of effluent discharge, but also to other types of waste disposal
including air emissions and disposal of scheduled waste.
New palm oil mills that are to be constructed must first obtain the prior written
permission of the Director General of Environment under Section 19 of the EQA
before commencement of site-preparation or any other construction work.
As a matter of procedure, the project proponent is also required to obtain
environmental clearance for the proposed site of a new factory at the earliest
planning stage to ensure its suitability and minimal environmental control impact.
2.3.2 Regulatory Control of Effluent Discharge
The following regulations have been promulgated under the Environmental
Quality Act 1974 for environmental control of palm oil mills:
The Environmental Quality (Prescribed Premises) (Crude Palm Oil) Regulations
1977, promulgated under the enabling powers of Section 51 of the EQA, which
are the governing regulations and contain the effluent discharge standards and
other regulatory requirements to be imposed on individual palm oil mills through
conditions of license.
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The principal regulatory requirements and elements of regulatory control are:
Application for an annual license using Form 1, and according to
procedures in the Environmental Quality (Licensing) Regulations 1977;
License fees charges consisting of processing fee of RM 100.00 plus an
effluentrelated amount computed according to the rates and procedures
in the Third Schedule of the Environmental Quality (Prescribed Premises)
(Crude Palm Oil) Regulations 1977;
Compliance with the applicable effluent standards (Second Schedule of
the Environmental Quality (Prescribed Premises) (Crude Palm Oil)
Regulations 1977) and other acceptable conditions of effluent discharge
imposed as conditions of the License (Form 2 of the Licensing
regulations);
The current effluent discharge standards ordinarily applicable to crude
palm oil mills; Current pollution control practices, including commonly
applied effluent treatment technologies, and available cleaner production
measures that enable compliance with the effluent discharge standards;
and
Reporting of effluent discharge information to the DOE on a quarterly
basis in the format of the Quarterly Return Form in the First Schedule of
the Environmental Quality (Prescribed Premises) (Crude Palm Oil)
Regulations, 1977.
2.4 NATIONAL POLICIES
Aside from the abovementioned legal requirements, development of the oil palm
industry should also be in line with the following national policies and plans:
a) Vision 2020
Vision 2020 which aims for Malaysia to be a developed country by the year 2020
is the ultimate goal for all Malaysians. "Developed" in this context is not limited to
an economic sense, but also in terms of national unity and social cohesion, social
justice, political stability, system of government, quality of life, as well as social
and spiritual values.
2-8
b) National Vision Policy (2001-2010)
The National Vision Policy aims to establish a united, progressive and
prosperous Bangsa Malaysia. It endeavours to build a resilient and competitive
nation and equitable society with the overriding objective of National Unity. It has
seven thrusts, which include pursuing environmentally sustainable development.
2.5 RELEVANT GUIDELINES
In addition to the above laws and regulations, the following are the relevant
guidelines pertaining to the oil palm industry in Sabah.
Table 2.1: Guidelines Pertaining to Oil Palm Sector
Guidelines/BMP Recommendations
Sustainable Palm Oil: Good
Agriculture Practice Guidelines
(Unilever)
Maintain riparian reserves along watercourses
populated by native species. Plant native trees
where they are absent. The size (width) of the
reserve should at least equal the width of the
watercourse if no national or regional
requirements are in place.
Garispanduan Pembangunan
Melibatkan Sungai dan Rizab
Sungai
(Guideline for Development
Involving Rivers and River
Reserves)
Drainage and Irrigation
Department

Kelebaran Laluan air
antara tebing
(Width of water
channel between
banks)
Keperluan kelebaran
rizab dari kedua
belah tebing
(River Reserve width
requirements
between both banks)
> 40m 50m
20m - 40m 40m
10m - 20m 20m
5m 10m 10m
< 5m 5m
Roundtable on Sustainable
Palm Oil (RSPO) Principles and
Criteria for Sustainable Palm
Oil
Proper practices for sustainable management of
oil palm plantations and mills ( see extracts in
Annex 6)
Malaysian Palm Oil Board
(MPOB) Codes of Practices
See boxed extracts in BMP sections


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2.6 ROLE OF DIFFERENT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
The role of different government agencies relevant to oil palm plantations and
palm oil mills as well as the legislations under which they operate are listed
below:
Table 2.2: Role of Different Government Agencies In Regulating Oil Palm
Industry
Department
Ordinance/Enactment/
Policy/Order/Guideline
Aspects
LSD Land Ordinance (Sabah
Cap.68) Sec 26
To issue Land Titles to develop oil
palm plantation within the State as
well as designation, gazettement of
river reserves
DID Water Resources
Enactment (1998) Section
40
To comment on potential concern
over hydrology and drainage issues
in relation to the oil palm plantation
development as well as provide
guidance on river reserves
DOA Second Sabah Agriculture
Policy (1999-2010)
To review and comment on the
plantation development plan and
land/soil suitability for oil palm
cultivation
DOE Environmental Quality
(Prescribed Activities)
(Environmental Impact
Assessment) Order 1987
To approve licenses for new palm oil
mills and regulate effluent discharge
from mills
EPD Environment Protection
Enactment 2002;
EIA Guidelines Oil Palm
Plantation (Aug 2002);
and
Handbook on
Environmental Impact
Assessment in Sabah
(Nov 2005)
To approve EIA to commence
activities for oil palm plantation
development within the State and to
monitor implementation
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Table 2.2: Role of Different Government Agencies In Regulating Oil Palm
Industry (ctnd)
Department Ordinance/Enactment/Policy/
Order/Guideline
Aspects
MPOB Malaysian Palm Oil Board Act
1998 (Act 582)
(a statutory body established in
May 2000 incorporating the Palm
Oil Registration and Licensing
Authority and Palm Oil Research
Institute of Malaysia)
Promote and develop the oil
palm industry in Malaysia as
well as developing national
objectives, policies and
priorities for the orderly
development of the industry
2.7 OTHER KEY STAKEHOLDERS
Other key stakeholders involved in the development of oil palm in Sabah or who
should be consulted over the development include:
Oil palm plantation developers - carries out oil palm planting and to supply
FFB (fresh fruit bunches) to palm oil mills, either as a company or private
individual/smallholders;
Palm oil mill operators - obtain fresh fruit bunches from oil palm planters
to produce palm oil;
Oil palm planters association - groups of oil palm cultivating companies
and organizations for Malaysia (MPOA, EMPA, etc.);
NGOs and Civil society organizations;
Local Communities; and
Local government
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CHAPTER 3

DEVELOPMENT PLANNING
AND SITE SELECTION
3.1 INTRODUCTION
From a sustainable development point of view, the process for land use planning
and development can be improved at the State Government level, as well as by
individual plantation companies. Although the Government has a vision for the
conservation of the nations forest resources, the actual process for alienation of
land for development, particularly for logging and plantation agriculture may not
be sufficiently effective. Besides economic considerations, typical assessments
of land for oil palm cultivation have been based mainly on suitability of soil, terrain
and climate. Development planning should be more holistic and take into
consideration physical, environmental, social and financial factors; the
interrelationship between these factors and selected evaluation criteria.
3.2 HOLISTIC LAND USE PLANNING
Most environmental damage by the palm oil industry results from where
plantations and mills are located. If expansion can be limited to appropriate sites,
many of the problems common to the industry could be eliminated. Appropriate
sites can be areas suitable and appropriately zoned for agriculture as well as
situated away from conservation and environmentally sensitive areas. More
effective zoning and land-use planning will be the cornerstone of successful
strategies to reduce environmental damage from oil palm cultivation. Plans
should include protecting areas that are important for the maintenance of
ecosystem functions (particularly along rivers and on steep slopes) from
conversion to oil palm plantations.
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Proper zoning can be done at the larger landscape or ecosystem level. Estate
owners or even associations of small holders can zone their own lands to reduce
their impacts and improve their profitability. Oil palm producers are beginning to
understand that fighting rivers and steep slopes actually lowers their overall
production because they spend time and resources focusing on environmental
problems like landslides and seasonal flooding. By leaving (or zoning) such
areas (e.g. river reserve areas or steep slopes) for wildlife corridors and
watershed and stream protection, producers actually increase their net profits
because they focus their attention not on the problems but on raising the average
production on most of their plantings.
Some of the key issues that relate to site selection for development of oil palm
plantations include:
Selecting suitable soils: The area of oil palm plantations on fragile and
marginal soils should be minimized as far as possible. Oil palm should be
planted on suitable soils and areas with appropriate agro-climatic
conditions. New plantings or replanting should not be undertaken on land
more than 300 m above sea level. Refer to Annex 1 Table A 1 for
Agricultural Development Plan (ADP) requirements in terms of soil
surveys.
Avoiding of steep slopes: For Sabah, slopes 25 degrees and above are
considered high risk erosion areas and cannot undergo planting or
replanting unless specified in the EIA report [Environment Impact
Assessment (Order 2005)] and approved by the Environment Protection
Department (EPD).
Avoiding Environmentally-Sensitive Areas (ESAs): There should be no
conversion of Environmentally-Sensitive Areas (ESAs) such as wildlife
reserves, river reserves, wildlife corridors, permanent forest reserves etc. to
oil palm plantations. It is useful to note that when land titles are issued, a
developer is required to develop a minimum of 75% of the land area
whereby up to 25% of the land may be left undeveloped and set aside as
buffer zones for conservation and environmentally-sensitive areas (LSD,
pers comm).
Avoiding plantings in floodplains or wetland areas: Floodplains or
wetlands such as peat swamp, freshwater swamp or mangrove forests
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are all sensitive areas that play key roles in the management and
protection of water resources. Development of these areas can affect river
and groundwater levels and quality as well as increase vulnerability to
coastal or riverine erosion and saline intrusion.
MPOBs Code of Good Agricultural Practice for Oil Palm Estates and
Smallholdings provides some guidance on site planning and environmental
issues in Box 3.1 below:
Box 3.1: Guidance on site planning and environmental issues from
MPOB Code of Good Agricultural Practice for Oil Palm Estates
and Smallholdings
4.4 Site history and site management
4.4.1 Site history
4.4.1.1 An appropriate recording system should be established for the site
history and layout of fields of their crop history
4.4.1.2 For all new oil palm plantings, a risk assessment should be carried out
by a competent agriculturalist, taking the following into account:
Prior use of the land;
Potential impacts of the production on adjacent crops and areas;
Potential impact of activities carried out on adjacent areas; and
The information on the risk assessment should be recorded.
4.4.1.3 All new oil palm plantings shall not be cultivated on land of more than
300m above sea level
4.4.1.4 All new oil palm plantings should not be cultivated on land of more
than 25 degree slope
4.4.1.5 Extensive planting on marginal, problematic and fragile soils is
avoided
4.13 Environmental issues
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4.13.1 Impact of farming on the environment Crop producers should
conform to the Environmental Quality Act 1974 (Act 127) and
Regulations which covers the concerns of air, water, soil and other
environmental issues such as the practice of zero burn replanting,
protection of water courses through maintenance of riparian buffer
zones and avoidance of adverse impacts on downstream users.
4.13.2 Wildlife and biodiversity conservation
4.13.2.2 Where Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is required,
consideration for the conservation of biodiversity and wildlife shall
include the following areas:
A baseline audit to understand existing animal and plant diversity on
the plantation;
Action to avoid damage and deterioration of habitats on the plantation;
and
An action plan to enhance habitats and increase biodiversity, in
particular agricultural biodiversity on the plantation.
4.13.3 Unproductive sites Crop producers are encouraged to convert
unproductive sites (e.g. swamps, steep slopes, deep peat, etc.) into
conservation areas for natural flora and fauna.


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3.2.1 Project Site Assessment
Sabahs EIA Guidelines on Oil Palm Plantation Development (2002) provides
further guidance on how to assess land and describe future projects:
In order to be able to propose realistic mitigation measures, the following initial
information should be obtained prior to embarking on any field surveys or
assessments. This information has to be included in the draft Terms of
Reference submitted to the EPD and will provide the basic framework for the
assessments made in the EIA report.
a) Initial data I: Clearly identify the geographical location and area of
the project.
Depending on the size of the project area, the EIA study may extend well beyond
the project boundary and should include an assessment of downstream, adjacent
and coastal impacts. Figure 3.1 shows an example of a site location map from
an EIA report.

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Figure 3.1: Example of Project Locality Map
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b) Initial data II: Description of the project site, including maps
It is imperative that all maps include an indication of scale and a clearly marked
coordinate system (e.g. longitude and latitude). One of the location maps should
also clearly identify and describe neighbouring land-use which should include the
nearest protected area, other sensitive habitats including position in relation to
river system. All text presented on the map should be readable. It should be
borne in mind that duplicate copies of reports will be required and provision
should be made so that all maps remain legible.
c) Initial data III: Description of river systems
River systems and catchment areas as represented on the National 1:50,000
maps should be digitally presented (Figures 3.2). This information should be
taken as indicative and not absolute (Figure 3.3). All 4th order rivers and higher
must be clearly identified and marked. In part this matches the requirements of
the Water Resource Enactment (1998), i.e. to provide a 20 m river reserve for
rivers wider than 3 metres, as most 4th order rivers are at least this size.
Explanatory note on classification of streams/rivers: When using stream
order to classify a stream/river, the sizes range from a first order stream all the
way to the largest, a 12th order stream. A first order stream is the smallest of the
world's streams and consists of small tributaries. These are the streams that flow
into and "feed" larger streams but do not normally have any water flowing into
them. In addition, first and second order streams generally form on steep slopes
and flow quickly until they slow down and meet the next order waterway.
First through third order streams are also called headwater streams and
constitute any waterways in the upper reaches of the watershed. It is estimated
that over 80% of the worlds waterways are these first through third order, or
headwater streams. Going up in size and strength, anything larger than third
order (up to 12th order) is considered a river.

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Figure 3.2: Assessment of Stream Order

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Figure 3.3: Catchment Boundaries for the Project Area
(from a 1:50,000 Map)
Using the river drainage system data, the project area should then be classified
into individual catchment areas (Figure 3.3). Photographic information can
provide useful supplementary information.
Water quality samples/measurement can be taken in order to indicate the general
condition of rivers in the project area. Total suspended solids would normally be
the parameter of interest; however, the number of parameters may vary
depending upon site-specific requirements. An interpretation of the data needs to
be clearly presented.

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d) Initial data IV: Provide details on agreements governing the initiation
of the project
This includes for example the project status in relation to approvals
(received/applied) and other comments from official authorities.
e) Initial data V: Listing all main project activities
This includes the timing of the planned project activities, proposed clearance
system and activities, road plan, machineries to be used, transportation routes,
proposed layout plan, phase of development and schedule of activities under
each phase.
3.2.2 HCV Assessments: A Land Use Planning Tool
The concept of High Conservation Value Forests (HCVFs) was developed to
provide a framework for identifying forest areas with special attributes that make
them particularly valuable for biodiversity and / or local people. The aim of
applying this framework is to design and implement appropriate management
options for these areas in order to preserve or enhance their key ecological and
socio-economic values. The HCVF concept was first introduced by the Forest
Stewardship Council (FSC) in 1999 when it included HCVFs in one of its
requirements for timber companies seeking forest certification.
Over the past 10 years, this concept has been included in various sets of
principles and criteria for natural resource management to specify where
conversion of HCV areas is prohibited including for soy and palm oil. See Figure
3.4 for an illustration of potential applications of the HCV concept. International
multi-stakeholder initiatives like the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)
have developed production standards for their crops that include the HCV
concept. For example RSPOs Principles and Criteria Criterion 7.3 specifically
states that New plantings since November 2005, have not replaced primary
forest or any area required to maintain or enhance one or more High
Conservation Values.
3-11

(Source: www.hcvnetwork.org)
Figure 3.4: Potential Applications of the HCV Concept
RSPO states that areas containing secondary and degraded forests and non-
forest vegetation can be important for environmental conservation and
community well-being and that these forests, as a matter of course, must be
considered as part of any High Conservation Value assessment and in any
subsequent certification process. The RSPO standards make no assumptions
that only primary forests are important from a conservation perspective, much to
the contrary, all types of forest and non-forest vegetation must be included in an
HCV assessment.
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The RSPO Principles and Criteria define High Conservation Values as:
Table 3.1: Category of High Conservation Value Forests (HCVFs)
HCV1 Areas containing globally, regionally or nationally significant
concentrations of biodiversity values (e.g. endemism, endangered
species)
HCV2 Areas containing globally, regionally or nationally significant large
landscape level forests, contained within, or containing the
management unit, where viable populations of most if not all naturally
occurring species exist in natural patterns of distribution and
abundance
HCV3 Areas that are in or contain rare, threatened or endangered
ecosystems
HCV4 Areas that provide basic services of nature in critical situations (e.g.
watershed protection, erosion control)
HCV5 Areas fundamental to meeting basic needs of local communities (e.g.
subsistence, health)
HCV6 Areas critical to local communities traditional cultural identity (areas
of cultural, ecological, economic or religious significance identified in
cooperation with such local communities)
There are three main steps in the HCV process, also applicable to the application
in oil palm development, summarized as follows:
Identification of HCVs present, leading to identification of HCV
management areas and proposals of management prescription to
maintain or enhance these areas.
Development and implementation of HCV management plan.
Implementation of a monitoring programme to assess effectiveness of the
HCV management plan.

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Practical efforts to implement HCV concepts in oil palm development planning
should naturally start at the government level under relevant agriculture policies
and land use planning exercises. Major oil palm plantation companies are also
required to undertake HCV assessments to fulfil RSPO requirements.
In terms of minimizing impacts on river water quality, future oil palm
developments should in particular identify, manage and enhance land areas
containing HCV3, HCV4 and HCV5. This would help safeguard important fresh
water-related resources like areas with peat and other fragile soils (HCV3),
watershed areas and river reserves (HCV4 and 5).
For further information and guidance on HCV concepts and application as well as
expert lists, refer to High Conservation Value Forest Toolkit for Malaysia: A
National Guide for identifying, managing and monitoring High Conservation Value
Forests (First Edition October 2009, WWF-Malaysia), www.hcvnetwork.org and
www.rspo.org.
3.3 SITING AND PLANNING FOR NEW PALM OIL MILLS
For palm oil mills, the DOE issued conditions approved by the State Cabinet of
Sabah in 2006. The guidelines stipulated that new mills must be situated in the
middle of estates with at least 500-meter radius of buffer zone. Proper planning
for mill siting is essential to reduce impacts of future mill operations on river
quality. It must be ensured that the mill capacity is adequate to meet peak
harvesting periods for a designated hectare of oil palm plantation. If peak
harvests increases later because of increased hectare, then it should be
mandatory to expand mill capacity in order to prevent overloading of original
facilities. It has been suggested that MPOB be involved/consulted during this
process. MPOBs Code of Good Milling Practice for Palm Oil Mills provides some
further guidance on mill construction/design (Box 3.2).

3-14
Box 3.2: Guidance on mill construction/design and environmental issues
from MPOB Code of Good Milling Practice for Palm Oil Mills
4.3 Mill construction and design
4.3.1 Building and structure
4.3.1.1 Proper facilities and equipment should be provided for processing
FFB
4.3.1.2 Plants, buildings and structures should be properly designed and
constructed to facilitate maintenance and to provide a conducive
environment for the production of good quality and contaminant free
oil palm products
4.27 Environment
4.27.1 All relevant environmental legislation/regulation should be complied
with, such as Environmental Quality Act 1974 and Regulations
4.27.2 Policies and procedures for minimizing the production of waste and its
impact on the environment should be developed, implemented and
maintained
4.27.3 All waste products should be appropriately disposed of in accordance
with existing legislation

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CHAPTER 4

BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
FOR SUSTAINABLE PLANTATION
MANAGEMENT AND MINIMISING
RIVER POLLUTION
4.1 INTRODUCTION
Being a well-established industry, the oil palm industry has a wide variety of
established Best Management Practices (BMPs) focused on methods or
techniques found to be the most effective and practical means in achieving
successful plantations while making the optimum use of resources. Traditionally
these BMPs focused on achieving good management and agronomic practices
that contribute to high yields from estates but in recent years, BMPs have been
developed to minimize environmental and social impacts of oil palm
development. The following are a selection of BMPs focused specifically on
reducing the impacts of the oil palm industry on river water quality. Table 4.1
provides a summary and brief description of each BMP described in this
document.

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Table 4.1 : Summary of BMPs for Minimizing Impacts of Oil Palm
Plantations on River Water Quality
BMP Description
BMP 1: Land clearing
activities (new plantings and
replanting)
Covers BMPs for land clearing activities during
establishment of new plantations and replanting
phases including issues like erosion control, zero
burn techniques and road construction.
BMP 2: Soil and moisture
conservation practices
Describes the basics of tackling soil erosion and
surface run-off problems by using cover crops
and mulching (application of EFB).
BMP 3: Optimized fertilizer
use and precision fertilizer
management
Describes the 2-prong approach of optimizing
fertilizer use and precision fertilizer management
to minimize the impacts of fertilizer application
on river quality.
BMP 4: Integrated Pest
Management (IPM) principles
Provides basic information on IPM, an
ecosystem-based strategy that focuses on long
term management of pests through a
combination of biological control, habitat
manipulation, modification of cultural practices
and use of resistant varieties.
BMP 5: Waste management
Describes the basics of identifying and
managing waste and sources of pollution from
plantation support resources like workers, fuel
storage areas, etc.
BMP 6: Identifying, managing
and enhancing river reserves
Explains the importance of river reserves for
water quality improvement, flood mitigation and
riverbank stabilization as well as methods to
identify, manage and enhance river reserves.


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4.2 BMP 1: LAND CLEARING ACTIVITIES (NEW
PLANTINGS AND REPLANTING)
4.2.1 Land Clearing
When site clearing is carried out prior to oil palm planting, existing vegetation
within the area would most likely be damaged. It is therefore essential to propose
measures to preserve flora and fauna and to minimize the damages to the
environment. That way, total clearing of the land is avoided and only areas that
are to be planted are cleared leaving the natural vegetation in place; which
means there is minimal disturbance to the vegetation in the location. This is also
important to reduce mitigation costs in the long run for activities like rehabilitating
cleared river reserves, etc.
Damage to both land and soil is inevitable during land clearing operations and
realistic attempts must be made to minimize the damage by working when
weather conditions permit and by restricting work when the ground is very wet,
especially during the monsoon period, where soil erosion into the waterways and
rivers can be significant. The greatest damage to soil will occur during wet
conditions and movement of heavy machinery over wet soils will results in deep
ruts which eventually become pools of stagnant water, particularly on poorly
drained soils. The cutting of main drains in poorly drained sites prior to felling
and clearing is rarely carried out in Sabah. To avoid widespread damage to soils
in such areas during land clearing operation, main drains should be constructed
before felling. Based on local conditions, soil and terrain, drain construction may
be required to be carried out at least one year before felling. With proper
planning, this will not impact the development while successfully reducing soil
erosion from land clearing activities.
Soil compaction could results as a consequence of using heavy machinery on
any land during land clearing operation. As a result of this, cover crops are
difficult to establish. To overcome this problem, sub-soiling or other methods
should be carried out at the first opportunity when the soil has dried out
sufficiently to effectively break up the compacted soil layers. Where possible,
ploughing and rotovation can also be carried out to overcome soil compaction.
MPOBs Code of Good Agricultural Practice provides some guidance on land
clearing activities below (Box 4.1).

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Box 4.1: MPOBs Code of Good Agricultural Practice on land clearing
activities
4.5 Soil and substrate management
4.5.1 Soil type mapping
4.5.1.1 An appropriate soil map should be prepared for the estates and
smallholdings to facilitate infrastructure planning, land clearing, land
preparation, inter-cropping, livestock integration and replanting
programmes
4.5.1.2 Topography map should be used to assist land clearing, preparation
and planting
4.2.2 Erosion Control
It is important to assess the extent of soil erosion due to land clearing and
development. Factors that determine soil erosion include intensity and frequency
of rainfall, disintegration of soil as some soils are easily loosened up during rain
while others take a longer time, the slope of the land as generally soil erosion is
extensive in slopes and terrain compared to undulating and flat land and finally
the nature of the cover in the area. Increased rate of erosion occur when there is
no or lack of adequate ground vegetation or cover on bare slopes. In the natural
landscape (prior to land clearing) the tree canopies intercept the impact of rain
before rain water falls to the ground thereby reducing erosion. Once the soil is
exposed, erosion takes place through a sequence of actions where the detached
soil particles are washed down forming sheet, rill and gully erosion. Gullies form
when rills increase in depth. Intensive rilling and gullying indicate that large
volume of soil has been eroded from the area. With proper planning and
development of the area in stages (in smaller self-contained parcels) the impact
of erosion can be reduced. Foothill drains, silt traps and terracing are useful
measures that can be taken on slopes where this is a significant factor.
During the preliminary stages when the site is cleared and the roads are built,
there is a possibility of damage to the soil particularly when total clearing is
carried out. This normally happens when roads are constructed along slopes and
ridges where there is total exposure to the surface of the soil. As there is no
vegetation to protect the surfaces of these roads, extensive erosion could occur.
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This could be prevented if road construction is carried out during dry weather so
that by the time the rainy weather sets in, the top surface of the road is hardened
causing less erosion. Many plantations are developed after timber logging
concessions end. Here, quite often the existing network of ex-logging roads is
maintained. These roads usually are not constructed following the contour of the
land. This then becomes a major source of erosion. In the long run, it is better to
revamp such roads since it will also be more costly to maintain them. Storm
drains (water conservation drains) can be constructed at 50-100m intervals
(depending on terrain) to divert rain water into the planted areas, which will
reduce erosion of the roads along slopes and provide moisture to the palms.
Other mitigation measures that can be implemented include the establishment of
leguminous cover crops (such as Pueraria species and Vetiver grass) and the
conservation of natural vegetation to control erosion of the slopes. Vetiver grass
or Guatemala grass, which establish very fast could be planted on the slopes
prior to the rainy season so that by the time the rain sets in, the cover crops are
well established to prevent soil erosion.

Plate 4.1: Cover crops or turf need to be established on the plantation to
minimize erosion during planting/replanting.

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During preparation of the site, one of the factors that need to be considered is the
generation of large quantities of biomass. Land clearing with activities such as
felling and under-brushing generate biomass that has to be removed. Apart from
that, when terracing and planting rows are established, there is a need to clear
the biomass in the area for easy access to the rows. While the traditional method
of burning is not allowed due to air pollution and haze problems, various
measures are suggested to overcome this problem. The first step would be to
estimate the amount of biomass within the site area so that proper measures
could be taken to remove them without further destruction to the soil. The next
step would be to make provisions in the designing of terraces to have adequate
space to stack the biomass along the contour (against the direction of the slope)
to minimize erosion. It may also be useful to identify the reusable materials
within the biomass and extract these (footbridge construction, etc.), which will
help reduce the amount of biomass that needs to be handled. The remaining
biomass can then be cleared using zero burning techniques. Zero burning
enhances soil organic matter and helps to restore the fertility and richness of the
soil. Implement various measures for the least damage to the soil and measures
to preserve the existing vegetation.
4.2.3 Zero-Burn Techniques
The zero burning technique is a method of land clearing whereby the tree stand,
either logged over secondary forests or an old area of plantation tree crops such
as oil palm, are felled, shredded, stacked and left in-situ to decompose naturally.
For the past 20 years zero burning has been promoted and adopted by many
companies. It has been found that eliminating burning is practical for replanting
or new oil palm plantings. With this method, remaining ripe FFB is harvested and
the palm biomass are left on the ground where they can be spread out to provide
protective ground cover, or piled into rows to prevent run-off and erosion.
4-7

Plate 4.2: Zero-burn technique in oil palm replanting: Oil palm biomass is
shredded and stacked in the inter-rows (to decompose) as mulch.
The main issue of concern with zero burning is that it might lead to the infestation
of rhinoceros beetle pests and risk of Ganoderma stem rot disease. Ploughing or
pulverizing debris followed by planting legumes helps accelerate the
decomposition of the debris thereby minimizing these risks.
The main benefit derived from zero burning is the benefits from the recycling of
organic matter and the slow release of nutrients during decomposition so that
they can be utilized by the newly planted trees. This reduces per-hectare
inorganic fertilizers needed at the time of planting (e.g., nitrogen by 738
kilograms, phosphorus by 205 kilograms, potassium by 848 kilograms, and
magnesium by 487 kilograms) (Clay 2004).
The organic matter also improves the soil and when used properly, can help with
the growth of palms on the terraces (where organic matter and nutrients are
lower) and the reduction of erosion from run-off.
One study found that in 1993, the zero burning technique reduced costs for
establishing plantations by RM1,070 to RM1,415 when compared with plantations
where burning was used. This is primarily because zero burning reduces the
fallow time needed and allows harvesting to commence earlier compared to the
open burning technique when dry weather is needed for effective burning. This
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method also exposes soil far less than other methods, and it lets replanting occur
gradually throughout the year whenever there is sufficient rainfall for the
seedlings.
Basic steps in Zero Burning techniques for replanting of oil palm to oil palm:
i. Planning for replanting
ii. Removal of Ganoderma diseased palms
iii. Pre-lining
iv. Construction of roads and drains
v. Felling and shredding/chipping
vi. Stacking/windrowing
vii. Ploughing and harrowing in coastal areas
viii. Construction of terraces in inland undulating to hilly areas
ix. Establishment of legume covers
x. Lining, holding and planting of oil palm seedlings
xi. Pulverization
xii. Post-planting management

Basic steps in Zero Burning techniques for development of new oil palm
plantings:
i. Macro planning for development of new oil palm plantations
ii. Planning for new planting
iii. Under-brushing
iv. Lining and construction of roads and drains
v. Felling
vi. Stacking of residual wood biomass
vii. Legume cover crop establishment
viii. Planting of oil palm seedlings


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a) Post-planting management
For further guidance on Zero Burning techniques replanting of plantation crops to
oil palm, development of new oil palm plantings and alternative approaches, refer
to Annex 3: Guidelines for the Implementation of the ASEAN Policy on Zero
Burning.
4.2.4 Road Construction
Construction of a systematic network of roads is necessary to provide access for
good plantation management and evacuation of harvested crops. But roads must
be constructed in manner that will minimize the risk of soil erosion. General
guidelines for road construction are as follows: Cambering and road side
drainage is important to remove water from the road surface and drains must be
provided to lead the water away. Silt-traps or diversion ditches should be
constructed on the cut sections of main road to divert water from the above cut
sections and to lead it to a roadside drainage system thus reducing soil erosion.
Unchecked erosion of cut sections should not be allowed and attempts to control
erosion by the construction of bamboo wattles should be made. Bamboo wattles
are inexpensive and effective methods of checking erosion on cut sections.

Plate 4.3: Small silt pits (traps) on cut sections of main roads, reduce run-off and
erosion and conserve moisture.

4-10
General guidelines for road construction are as follows:
Planning for a road system: Plans should show a proposed network of primary,
secondary and tertiary roads.
Grading and side drain construction: Widen, scrape and grade to formation
level, the full section of the proposed or existing agricultural roads between the
side drains. Proper gutters, ditches and culverts reduce ponding and softening of
the road sub-base. The grading and side drain construction is done at the same
time. The ditches (V or rounded) must be deep, wide and sloped, enough to
channel the surface water. At the same time, an extended slope, crown and
camber are formed on the road surface.
Dimensions of roads would depend if it is a primary, secondary or tertiary road
but in general, the width of the roads should be 4.85 m with a 30 cm side table on
either side of the road. Where road construction is on hill slopes or in dry areas,
side drains are to be constructed along the cut hill toe. The size of drain should
be 30 cm wide and 15 cm deep. The camber of the road should be within the
range 1:15 to 1:20 sloping towards the edge of the bank to allow for proper road
surface drainage. Outlet drains should be constructed at every 20 to 30 m to
reduce erosion.
Ripping the road surface: The road is ripped or scarified to 20-25 cm
depth of the full section of proposed road to loosen the top soil (surface)
by using the ripper bars of a motor grader. Two passes are required. All
oversized rocks or boulders, tree roots and buried logs that are found
along the proposed road are removed.
Pulverizing: When the soil becomes loose, a rotary hoe is used to
pulverize the soil until friable material is achieved, up to a depth of 15 cm
to 20 cm. Two rounds of rotovations are required. This phase is
generally only required for roads that will be treated with chemical
stabilizers.
Formulation spraying: Consider the use of stabilizers like TerraZyme, a
natural non-toxic biodegradable liquid that easily suspends in water.
Stabilizers act to reduce the voids between soil particles and minimize
absorbed water in the soil for maximum compaction. Spray the
formulation on the pulverized soil. The sprayed soil is again pulverized to
properly mix the formulation. The soil mixture is required to cure for 4 to
4-11
24 hours (depending on the weather) before compaction is allowed.
During this time, the moisture of the soil mixture is checked to see
whether it is ready for compaction.
Compaction: Compaction and road shaping should be carried out in one
operation after the required curing period. A vibrator roller is used for the
first and second passes. Further compaction should be done without
vibrator to avoid cracking. Sufficient compaction must be applied to
obtain maximum density until a hard and dry surface is achieved. A total
of six passes are required. After final compaction, the 15 cm later of loose
soil is now compacted to 7-10 cm hard core. Normal traffic is only allowed
after 72 hours of compaction.
4.3 BMP 2: SOIL AND MOISTURE CONSERVATION
PRACTICES
Under high rainfall and temperature conditions in Sabah, soil erosion and surface
run-off is a serious problem. Perhaps the most critical operation in the context of
soil conservation is that the soil should not be left bare at all for any period of time
after land clearing and should be planted immediately with leguminous cover
crop. Soil erosion may be expected to be most severe at planting or replanting
when the previous vegetation cover has been removed and not yet replaced
resulting in bare soil exposed to the frequent and intense tropical rains.
For Sabah, slopes 25 degree and steeper are considered high risk erosion areas
and cannot undergo replanting unless specified in the EIA report Environment
Protection (Prescribed Activities) (Environment Impact Assessment) Order 2005
and approved by the Environment Protection Department (EPD). Slopes
between 20-25 degrees have a significant erosion risk and should only be
developed with appropriate mitigation measures.
MPOBs Code of Good Agricultural Practice for oil palm estates and
smallholdings provide some guidance on soil and moisture conservation (Box
4.2).



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Box 4.2: Guidance on soil erosion and surface run-off from MPOB Code
of Good Agricultural Practice for Oil Palm Estates and
Smallholdings
4.5 Soil and substrate management
4.5.3 Soil erosion and surface run-off Field cultivation techniques that
minimize soil erosion and surface run-off shall be adopted.
4.5.3.1 Mechanization The types and sizes of machines to be used should
be considered in relation to soil condition to minimize soil compaction
and rutting.
4.5.3.2 Soil and moisture conservation Cultivation techniques that minimize
soil erosion surface run-off such as establishment of legume cover
crops, conservation pits and application of empty fruit bunches (EFB)
should be adopted.
The beneficial effects of cover crops are well documented and include the
protection of soil from heavy rain and hot sun, reduction of erosion and surface
run off and improve moisture retention. Establishment of ground covers in an oil
palm plantation is important and beneficial in providing protection to the top-soil
from soil erosion, surface run-offs and noxious weeds, reducing environmental
pollution as well as improvement in soil fertility through enhanced organic matter
and fixation of nitrogen. Ground covers are especially critical when the soil is
bare after the land is cleared for planting particularly in high rainfall and hilly
areas. Besides its benefits, ground cover management is mandatory RSPO
(Roundtable to Sustainable Palm Oil) certification to prevent polluting and silting
up the public waterways.

4-13
There are two distinct phases in the management of ground cover i.e. before and
after the ground is shaded by palm canopy, corresponding to immaturity and
maturity of palms:
In the first phase, common leguminous cover crops (LCC) which are deep
rooting and provide vigorous dense cover such as Pueraria javanica,
Calapogonium caeruleum and Mucuna bracteata, the latter 2 species
being shade tolerant, are planted to cover the exposed soil soon after
land clearing. It provides protection to the soils during the first 3-5 years,
during immaturity and early maturity and is efficient in immobilizing and
recycling nutrients. The legume cover should not be sprayed out
discriminately when preparing circles and paths for harvesting in the third
year.
In the second phase, when the palms are older (exceeds 5 years) and
Pueraria LCC dies from shading, the soil should continue to be covered
and protected from noxious weeds and bare ground with ferns, soft
grasses, shade tolerant Calapogonium caeruleumor, Mucuna bracteata or
mulched with pruned fronds and empty fruit bunches. In mature fields,
palm and palm circles should not be over-sprayed, making the ground
bare. To avoid bare ground, circle/path spraying should be controlled.
Natural covers such as soft grasses and Nephrolepis should be
encouraged to succeed conventional LCC when they die off.
It is important to time seed sowing and planting with onset of wet season (for M.
bracteata, plant 6-8 weeks old seedlings in polybags). Full coverage is usually
achieved within 6 to 9 months, but it can be delayed if dry weather and long
drought prevail after planting. The best way to maintain good ground cover under
mature palms is to plant M. bracteata when the land is cleared because M.
bracteata covers can persist under 9-10 years old palms.
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Plate 4.4: Leguminous cover crops reduce surface run-off and soil erosion
as well as enhancing soil fertility.
Oil palm biomass such as empty fruit bunch (EFB) and pruned fronds are readily
available in oil palm plantations. Mulching of oil palm biomass and placement of
pruned fronds in the inter-rows and across terraces should be made a standard
practice in oil palm plantations. The beneficial effects of EFB mulching and
pruned fronds placement in soil conservation measures and as a source of
organic fertilizers are well accepted. The palm trunks are removed at replanting,
normally once in 25 years. Currently, most plantations practice the zero-burn
technique where the trunks are chipped and shredded and with the fronds, left to
rot in the fields. With time, substantial amount of nutrients will be released and
organic matter will be added to the soil thus improving the soil fertility and
sustainability of the plantations.
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Plate 4.5: Placement of Oil Palm fronds in the inter-rows reduce soil erosion
and conserve moisture as well as contributing to soil organic content and
nutrient status.

Plate 4.6: EFB as organic mulch release nutrients and improve soil fertility.

4-16
4.4 BMP 3: OPTIMIZED FERTILIZER USE AND
PRECISION FERTILIZER MANAGEMENT
This BMP proposes a 2-prong approach to minimize the impacts of fertilizer
application by oil palm plantations on river water quality. Firstly, the use of
inorganic fertilizer should be reduced by utilizing alternatives like mulch, compost,
mill waste, etc. Secondly, over application of inorganic fertilizer should be
avoided by implementing precision fertilizer management principles.
MPOBs Code of Good Agricultural Practice for Oil Palm Estates and
Smallholdings also provides some general guidance on fertilizer management
(Box 4.3).
Box 4.3: Guidance on fertilizer management (organic and inorganic) from
MPOB Code of Good Agricultural Practice for Oil Palm Estates
and Smallholdings
4.6 Fertilizer management (organic and inorganic)
4.6.1 Nutrient requirement
4.6.1.1 Management practices should take into consideration the site yield
potential and productivity to ensure nutrient balance and minimize
nutrient loss. Fertilizer rates should be based on crop requirement,
soil and leaf nutrient levels.
4.6.2 Fertilizer utilization
4.6.2.1 Usage of fertilizers should be in accordance with science-based
recommendations by competent agriculturist.
4.6.2.2 The type, quantity, method, placement, timing and frequency of
fertilizer application should be carefully observed so as to maximize
benefits and minimize losses.
4.6.3 Records of application All applications of fertilizers should be
recorded. Records should include location, date of application, type
and quantity of fertilizer applied, the method of application and name
of operator.
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4.6.4 Application machinery Fertilizer application machinery should be
kept in good working condition and calibrated.
4.6.5 Fertilizer source and storage
4.6.5.1 Fertilizer stock records should be kept up-to-date and made available
for inspection.
4.6.5.2 Fertilizers should not be stored in the same room with pesticides. If
this is not possible, the fertilizers and the pesticides should be
physically separated and labeled accordingly.
4.6.5.3 Fertilizers should be stored in a covered, clean, dry location where
there is no risk of contamination of water sources.
4.6.5.4 Fertilizers should not be stored with nursery stock.
4.6.5.5 Fertilizers should not be stored with fresh produce.
4.6.5.6 All hazard and risk areas to humans should be clearly indicated.
4.6.5.7 Records of source and chemical content of fertilizers used should be
made available.
4.6.6 Organic fertilizer
4.6.6.1 Organic fertilizer should be stored and handled in an appropriate
manner to reduce the risk of contamination of the environment.
4.6.6.2 The use of untreated and treated human sewage and pig waste are
prohibited.
4.6.6.3 To avoid pollution by heavy metals of by nitrate leaching, nutrient
content, heavy metals and other potential pollutants in organic
fertilizers should be analyzed before application. The nutrient
contribution of all organic fertilizers should be taken into
consideration.
4.6.6.4 Use of organic fertilizer should be integrated with the inorganic
fertilizer programme.
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4.6.6.5 Source of organic fertilizer used shall be recorded. These includes oil
palm biomass such as palm oil mill effluent (POME), EFB, shell and
fibre, pruned fronds, palm trunks, etc.
4.4.1 Optimized Fertilizer Use
Oil palm trees require some form of fertilization to produce yields that are viable
economically. A number of options are available, however, to reduce the amount
of inorganic fertilizer applied.
Well-rounded assessment before use: Palm oil producers should be
encouraged to evaluate the types of fertilizers used in order to assess ways to
increase the efficiency and reduce the environmental impacts of their use. This
would allow for the identification of specific application practices or the timing of
applications that should be encouraged, as well as those that should be
discouraged or even banned. For example, any techniques that reduce surface
run-off will reduce leaching of nutrients, which in turn minimizes contamination of
surface and groundwater with nitrogen and phosphorus. To complement this,
nitrogen-fixing legumes should be included in cover crops to reduce the need for
purchased nitrogen fertilizers. Ideally to maintain a balance, added fertilizers
should never exceed the amounts of nutrients exported in the harvested product
plus what erodes, leaches, or volatilizes annually or when replanted.
Nutrient recycling: Another way to greatly reduce the use of nutrient inputs from
inorganic fertilizers is through nutrient recycling, particularly from palm oil wastes
and/or by-products. One of the main categories of waste on oil palm plantations
is the empty fruit bunches remaining after processing. Every 23 metric tonnes of
full fruit bunches yield 16 metric tonnes of empty fruit bunches. This can be
returned to the fields. If applied at a range of 30-40 metric tonnes per hectare per
year, given average yields, eventually it can return half of the nutrients originally
harvested in the bunches once it decomposes. It is noted that it may not be
practical to distribute EFB to every field on the estate due to costs associated
with logistics and handling. Usually, priority is given to areas closest to the mill
and in areas where maximum benefit can be obtained. This will include areas
with sandy soils, areas replanted with young palms and on hilly areas where soil
moisture is low. Application rates also vary, based on palm age and soil type.
Young areas are usually applied at 25-35 tons/ha/yr and in mature older areas,
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usually about 50 tons/ha/yr. This can generally replace most inorganic fertilizers
but sometimes, some supplementary doses are needed based on yield and
nutrient levels as well as soil type.
To the extent that it is feasible financially, this waste should be spread around
young palms throughout the plantation. In mature palms, it is either applied
between palms along the row (where pruned fronds are stacked in alternating
non-harvesting avenues) or in the non-harvesting avenue where pruned fronds
are stacked between palms. A problem with recycling this material is that many
of the mills return it to their own land rather than to the lands of those who sell
FFB to them.
Recycling palm oil effluent: The other main waste product that should be
recycled is the palm oil effluent. This is one of the most difficult wastes to handle
as it is in liquid form. It should be applied back to the fields, as it makes an
excellent soil additive. Land application of POME (at less than 10 cm REY/Ha)
can largely replace inorganic fertilizers and has been shown to give better yield
response over conventional inorganic fertilizers. This is in part due to the
irrigation effect, which reduces soil moisture stress. However, it is important to
note that land application practice in Sabah currently requires approval from
DOE.
Using mature tree trunks: Trunks of mature trees that have been cut to allow
replanting should be recycled more effectively. They contain up to 1,000
kilograms per hectare of potassium. Windrowing the trunks gives a slow
breakdown of the material. This is the best way to release the nutrients.
Chipping or shredding releases all the nutrients within 2-3 years, and unless the
chips are spread over a much larger area than the replanted area, the nutrients
released would exceed the uptake capacity of the new trees. One other
important factor that has to be considered is whether the existing palm stand is
infected with Ganoderma disease and/or if the disease has been known to be
endemic in the area. If Oryctes beetle pest or Ganoderma disease are a problem
in the area, then it may be best to chip, pulverize or grind the trunks to reduce the
time over which the biomass is available for beetle breeding and to destroy the
disease inoculums tissue.
Fruit bunches and trunks: good source of mulch: Empty fruit bunches and
trunks can be chipped and used as mulch if they are free of diseases. When
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used in circles around mature trees, the mulch can reduce herbicide
requirements, but it may be a less efficient way to recycle nutrients than when
spread over a larger area. For young trees, biodegradable mulch sheets can
also reduce herbicide use.
There are 3 areas where improvements could reduce fertilizer use. First, avoid
over-application of potassium and application of palm oil mill effluent and EFB in
the same areas as well as the application of fertilizers during the rainy season.
Secondly sludge from POM effluent ponds can be applied to fields that are low in
organic matter. And third, increased monitoring is needed to understand better
nutrient use, storage, and loss.
Numerous options at hand: Composting residues from oil mills and using them
as mulch are seen as effective ways to maintain or build soil nutrients.
Oil palm trees are regularly pruned throughout the year during harvesting and
sanitation rounds to remove senescent and moribund fronds. As palms grow,
they produce new fronds, i.e. 24 fronds/palm/year at full maturity. This provides a
regular and sustainable source of organic mulch which is recycled in the field. In
addition, empty fruit bunches from oil palm mills must be disposed of; they are
largely applied back on land and to a lesser extent burnt for the production of
bunch ash, which is a valuable source of Potash fertilizer.
All in all, the weight and volume of waste far exceeds the commercially viable
products produced from oil palm seeds. In addition, overly mature trees (25
years or older) are felled and either left lying on the ground or gathered and
chipped.
Many plantation owners now put most of the mill by-products back to land as
mulch. However, the level of utilization of these by-products can still be
increased in the plantation industry. There is still considerable potential for
preparations of other by-products such as fertilizers.
Tables 4.2 and 4.3 below show a 2001 estimate by United Plantations Berhad of
the level of utilization and fertilizer value of oil palm biomass residues when
successfully recycled on land.
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Table 4.2: Level of utilization of oil palm biomass residues and waste in
United Plantations Berhad in Year 2001 (dry matter basis)
Biomass
Quantity
Produced
Quantity
Utilised
%
Utilisation
Method of
Utilisation
Pruned fronds 202,800 202,800 100 Mulch
Trunks and
fronds at
replanting
130,55 104.400 80 Mulch
Spent male
flowers
23,400 23,400 100 Organic matter
Fibre 38,410 36,490 95 Fuel
Shell 26,081 24,777 95 Fuel
POME 15,885 14,297 90
Nutrient source and
organic fertilizer
EFB 38,173 34,356 90 Mulch and bunch ash
TOTAL 475,249 440,520 -
Level of utilization = 93%

Table 4.3: Estimate fertilizer value of oil palm biomass residues recycled on
land in United Plantations Berhad in 2001
Biomass
Residues
Method of
Utilisation
Quantity
Utilised
on Dry
Basis
(tonnes)
Fertiliser Equivalent (tonnes)
Urea
Rock
Phosphate
Muriate
of
Potash
Kieserite
Trunk &
fronds at
replanting
Mulch 104,400 1,307 374.8 1,680.0 800.7
Pruned
fronds
Mulch 202,800 4,583. 1268.0 5,441.0 2.028.0
Spend
male
flowers
Organic
matter
23,400 770 498.4 1,383.0 718.4
EFB Mulch 25,050 435.9 157.8 1,210.0 278.0
Digested
POME
Irrigation 4,600 64.4 40.2 280.6 160.5
Total (tonnes) 360,250 7,160.3 2,339.2 9,994.6 3,985.6
Monetary value (US$ in millions) 1.065 0.160 1.497 0.417
Total monetary value US$ 3.139 million
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4.4.2 Precision Fertilizer Management
Currently, the fertilizer management and practices adopted by most oil palm
plantation is quite general in approach and often resulted in serious losses of
plant nutrients through leaching and surface run-offs (particularly in hilly and
sandy soil areas). There are two aspects to precision fertilizer management.
First, is the assessment of specific nutrient requirements. The overarching
principle is total nutrient inputs should match the total nutrient exported through
crops and biomass. If inputs exceed exports, then there is a case of excessive
use, resulting in economic wastage and higher risk for pollution of river water.
The second aspect is on efficient use or application of fertilizer that had been
precisely determined earlier. Using available and affordable modern
technologies such as global positioning system (GPS), geographic information
system (GIS), and remote sensing (RS), planters can now gather precise data on
production variables in an oil palm plantation. This information can be used by
planters to manage their fertilizer program efficiently according to the soil types
and palm resources (available in the plantation) and precisely to fit the variable
conditions in each specific area of the plantations. Using this site-specific
approach (also known as precision agriculture method) in managing fertilizer
program and practices in oil palm plantations could help in reducing pollution
from fertilizers and chemicals usage.
Applying the above technology, an agronomist can make precise fertilizer
recommendations (as related to the suitable types and rates of fertilizer to be
applied) based on the chemical and physical characteristics of the soils and palm
requirements. As the approach involves implementation of the best management
practices and techniques available for the specific soils and palms on-site, the
site-specific approach is the model for the way forward in maximizing
productivity and efficiency while conserving soil fertility and river water quality.
Presently, fertilizers alone constitute more than 35 percent of the total production
cost of oil palm in Malaysia. The present escalating fertilizer prices for
ammonium chloride and muriate of potash (the major components required by
the oil palm) would increase the cost further and put more pressure on the
plantations to economize. Thus, the practice of applying higher fertilizer rate to
ensure nutrient efficiency and act as a safety net may not be tenable now despite
the current high palm oil prices.
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One of the best options to reduce production cost is to sustain maximum yield at
any one site. Greater care in developing and recommending a fertilizer programs
and monitoring palm health and soil fertility status are required in good fertilizer
management. The fertilizer recommendation system for oil palm should
encompass the computation of optimum fertilizer rates and other components
which include correct timing, placement and methods of fertilizer application and
right source of fertilizer which must be correctly implemented. In addition, it is
recommended that fertilizer program should integrate the use of mineral fertilizers
with plant biomass available in oil palm plantations and residues from the mills.
Weather trends should also be taken into consideration for any fertilizer
management plan.

Plate 4.7: Mechanized fertilizer application.
4.5 BMP 4: INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM),
PESTICIDE STORAGE AND DISPOSAL
4.5.1 Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
Monocultures such as oil palm planting encourage pests by providing massive
abundance of food and favourable growing conditions for pests adapted to feed
on the crop and/or that thrive under the same cultural conditions that favour the
crop. When pesticides became available, they were used to favour crops with
less attention on possible collateral effects. The surge of resistance from

4-24
massive and intense use of pesticides shifted the evolution towards those that
were more tolerant. The destruction of natural enemies of pests by pesticides
often resulted in pest resurgence where infestations became even higher than
before the pesticide was applied. Soon the massive use of pesticides prompted
health, environmental and economic concerns, that questioned the sustainability
of highly pesticide-dependent agriculture.
Pest management chemicals often consist of noxious or toxic compounds that
are hazardous to humans and lethal to soil and water ecosystems. Run-off,
spillage or poor management practices jeopardize human health and
ecosystems.
Integrated pest management (IPM) is an essential component of a sustainable oil
palm plantation that allows rationalizing and reducing pesticides use. IPM is an
ecosystem-based strategy that focuses on keeping pest populations below
economic threshold level through a combination of techniques such as biological
control, habitat manipulation, modification of cultural practices, and use of
resistant varieties. Pesticides are used only after monitoring indicates they are
needed according to established guidelines, and treatments are made with the
goal of removing only the target organism. Pest control tools are selected and
applied in a manner that minimizes risks to human health, beneficial and non-
target organisms, and the environment.
Total pesticide toxicity allowance: In some instances, pesticides will be
necessary to insure profitable yields. Palm oil producers should be encouraged
to evaluate the types of pesticides they use in order to increase the efficiency and
reduce the environmental impacts of use. This would allow for the identification
of specific chemicals and application practices that should be discouraged or
even banned.
Only pesticides that are approved in the country of production and the country of
consumption should be used. In general, the least toxic and least persistent
pesticide should be used to address each problem. In general, chemicals should
be used only as the last resort.
The equipment for applying these chemicals should ensure that the required
quantity of pesticide is applied effectively with minimal impact on people or the
environment.
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Understanding pest dynamics: One of the best ways to develop an appropriate
IPM system is to undertake regular census of the main pests. This should
include an understanding of the pest's life cycle and its natural enemies.
The next issue is to understand what levels of infestation cause economic losses.
These would be the action thresholds, and no pest control would be required until
infestations reach these action thresholds.
Barn owls are effective predators of rats, the main mammal pest in oil palm
plantations. Owl boxes can be established and monitored for occupancy. If
poisons are used, it is important to choose warfarin baits that are not toxic to
predators that may inadvertently consume poisoned rats i.e. to reduce secondary
poisoning to non-target animals. Maintaining adequate populations of predators
will reduce the need for poisons.
Effective IPM measures: Integrated pest management is already being used by
some palm oil producers to reduce the use of pesticides. General IPM measures
that reduce pests significantly are as follows:
Close monitoring of disease and pest infestations allows them to be more
easily controlled with or without chemical inputs;
Planting species that support or attract natural enemies of oil palm pests
helps minimize pest problems;
Proper shredding and rapid decomposition of old trunks suppress the pest
Oryctes rhinoceros (Rhinoceros beetle) from breeding;
Use of a biological agent, a native baculovirus, to attack Oryctes
rhinoceros has been proven 80-95% effective;
Growing thick legume cover crops helps suppress Oryctes from breeding
in the debris; and
Encouraging barn owls and black-shouldered kites help to reduce rat
populations.
It is clear that some of the IPM practices have to be adjusted as other
management practices shift. For example with zero-burning policies,
additional control measures are needed to keep pests such as beetles
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and rodents in check. These and other IPM efforts should be further
documented and as appropriate shared with other producers and
government officials.
Specific guidance on the application of beneficial plants to control biological pests
is shown in Table 4.4 below:
Table 4.4: Guidance on the Application of Beneficial Plants to Control
Biological Pests
Cassiaco banensis (60%)
Antigonon leptopus
(20%) Turnera subulata
(20%)
a) Euphorbia
heterophylla
Entomopathogens
Minimum = 10m strip/ha Minimum = 10m strip/ha Cordyceps
pruinosa - for the
control of
Setoranitens
Ideal = 40m strip/ha Ideal = 30m strip/ha Cordyceps
militaris for the
control of
Setothosea asigna
Area of protection from leaf
pest attack = 120m radius
Area of protection from leaf
pest attack = 450m radius
Granulosis virus
for control of
Bagworms
Plants are perennial Phased planting
recommended due to short-
lived nature of plant
Nuclear
polyhedrosis virus


4-27


Plate 4.8: Beneficial plants for control of biological pests (Clockwise from
top left): Cassia cobanensis, Antigonon leptopus and Turnera subulata.
4.5.2 Pesticide Storage
Proper storage of pesticides in oil palm plantations can effectively reduce the
occurrence of accidental spills and leakages thus reducing the risks of river
contamination. SIRIM (Malaysian Standards) Code of Practice for the Packaging
and Storage of Pesticides provides some general guidance on pesticide storage:

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a) General
Pesticides shall at all times be stored in the originally labelled container,
with the label plainly visible.
Storage areas for pesticides shall be clearly defined, and exclusively set
aside.
Pesticides shall not be stored near food, feed or other items which can
become contaminated by spillage, breakage of pesticide containers,
volatilization of pesticides, odours, etc. Where pesticides are stored for
display for sale separate enclosures should separate the products from
other products displayed.
Volatile pesticides shall not be stored for display in restricted atmosphere
such as in air-conditioned rooms. Volatile pesticides shall be stored
separately from other pesticides in order to prevent cross contamination.
The pesticide shall be stored in such a manner that its shelf life is not
adversely affected.
The method of storage shall be such that damage is prevented.
b) The storage area
Large quantities of pesticides shall at all times be stored in ware houses
or warehouse-areas specifically designed for this purpose.
Pesticide storage areas should have impervious floors (such as concrete
floors) with drainage to a sump or other holding-area where contaminated
water can be decontaminated before release. Earthen or wooden floors
are not suitable.
The storage area should be dry and well-ventilated.
Storage warehouses shall be positioned away from dwellings and
factories.
Where dusts and other volatile pesticides are stored, the storage area
shall have assisted ventilation (with exhaust/ventilating fans) facilities
which can be operated from both inside and outside the warehouse.
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a) Security and hazard precautions
Pesticide storage areas should be locked. Suitable steps should be taken
to prevent theft and unauthorized access. Such areas should also be
identified by permanent signs at their entrances. The signs should also
have appropriate warning or cautionary statements or symbols.
All pesticide stocks in the storage area should be examined periodically
for leaks, spills or any signs of deterioration. Any spillage material,
damaged containers, etc., should be completely removed, and the area
decontaminated and cleaned properly.
Steps should be taken to make certain that run-off water from cleaning
activities would not contaminate residential areas, livestock, feeding areas
or water catchment areas. Pesticide storage areas should be diked or
otherwise arranged in such a manner that all run-off water can be trapped
in a suitable pool or sump for proper decontamination and disposal.
Since pesticide fires present grave dangers, adequate fire prevention and
precaution installations in storage and warehousing areas shall be set up.
These may include installation of effective fire detection and warning
systems, adequate spark-proof electrical wiring and equipment, and
properly earthed electrical equipment. Appropriate fire fighting and safety
equipment e.g. built-in sprinklers, etc. of adequate capacity and in
adequate numbers shall be available throughout the pesticide storage
area. All operating personnel should be thoroughly familiarized with its
use.
Pesticide storage areas shall be away from steam lines, heating lines and
other heat sources.
Protective and safety equipment such as fire blankets, complete
protective clothing such as hats, boots, caps, gas masks, respirators, face
shields, etc. shall be readily accessible, regularly checked and maintained
in workable condition. All workers and supervisory personnel involved in
the handling, transportation and storage of pesticides shall have ready
access to qualified medical aid, and information on the stored chemical,
including detailed information on how to deal with spills.
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b) Duration of storage
Acquisition of pesticides shall be scheduled and implemented so as to
minimize storage time.
Where pesticides have to be stored from one season to the next, such
storage shall be held to a minimum and under no circumstances should
time lapse between manufacture and use be allowed to exceed the shelf
life of the product.
4.5.3 Recycling of Pesticide Containers and Disposal of Rinsate
The Department of Agriculture (DOA) provides guidance and promotes proper
disposal and recycling of used pesticide containers. The objectives of recycling
used pesticide containers are as follows:
To protect the environment
To abide by good agricultural practices
To avoid the misuse of pesticide containers
Why the need to rinse used pesticide containers at least 3 times?
To reduce health risks from remnant pesticides
To reduce risk of environmental pollution so that containers can be
accepted by recycling centres
Step-by-step instructions to rinse used pesticide containers 3 times:
Pour remnant pesticide into spraying tank. Let pesticide drip and wait 30
seconds.
Fill a quarter of the empty used pesticide container with clean water.
Close the container with the cover.
Face the container opening to the left and shake the container to the left
and right continuously for 30 seconds.
Pour rinsate into spraying can.
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Fill a quarter of the empty used pesticide container with clean water.
Close the container with the cover. Face the container opening to the
bottom and shake the container to the left and right continuously for 30
seconds. Pour rinsate into spraying can.
Fill a quarter of the empty used pesticide container with clean water.
Close the container with the cover. Face the container opening to the top
and shake the container to the left and right continuously for 30 seconds.
Pour rinsate into spraying can.
Wash the outside of the container and punch a hole at the bottom of the
container.
Place the container appropriately and let dry before sending to the
collection centre.
For illustrations, see Annex 8 for Department of Agricultures brochure on
recycling used pesticide containers.
Proper disposal of rinsate (if not sprayed in the field):
Treat rinsate with hydrated lime at a rate of 10kg/1000 litres of rinsate.
Dispose of treated rinsate in a special rinsate disposal pit with the
following criteria:
Situated in a specialized location where groundwater is low (away
from surface) and at least 50m from the nearest natural water
source/well/residential area.
Depth of pit should be 0.5-1 m.
Pit should be treated with hydrated lime.
Area should be fenced and marked with warning signs.
Pit should be covered with organic matter and earth when not in use
anymore.
MPOBs Code of Good Agricultural Practice for Oil Palm Estates and
Smallholdings provides general guidance on crop protection and pesticide
handling (Box 4.4).
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Box 4.4: Guidance on crop protection and pesticide handling from
MPOB Code of Good Agricultural Practice for Oil Palm Estates
and Smallholdings
4.8 Crop protection
4.8.1 Basic elements of crop protection
4.8.1.1 The use of pesticides to protect the crop should be minimized.
4.8.1.2 Wherever possible, crop producers should apply recognized
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques. Non-chemical control
measures are preferred over chemical treatments.
4.8.1.3 Crop producers are encouraged to seek advice on IPM from
competent agriculturalists.
4.8.2 Choice of agrochemicals
4.8.2.1 Appropriate agrochemicals should be utilized for crop protection
purpose.
4.8.2.2 Crop producers should only use chemicals that are officially
registered under the Pesticide Act 1974 (Act 149) and Regulations
and Food Act 1983 (Act 281) and Regulations for use on the crop that
is to be protected.
4.8.2.3 Selective products specific to the target pest which have minimal
effect on populations of beneficial organisms, aquatic life, cattle,
workers and consumers and are not detrimental to the ozone layer
should be used.
4.8.2.4 Instructions on the label shall be followed to ensure effective
application and to avoid risks to operators, consumers and the
environment.
4.8.2.5 An anti-resistance strategy (e.g. use of correct dosage and alternative
chemicals) should be adopted to avoid reliance on any one chemical.
4.8.2.6 Crop producers shall not use chemicals that are banned or disallowed
4-33
in importing countries.
4.8.2.7 Crop producers should consult their customers to determine if any
additional commercial restrictions exist wherever necessary.
4.8.3 Advice on pesticide usage Crop producers are encouraged to seek
advice on pesticide usage from competent agriculturists.
4.8.4 Records of application All records of pesticide applications should
include crop name, any intercrop and animal integration location, date
and reason for application, trade name of pesticide used, dosage,
method of application and name of operator
4.8.10 Pesticide storage
4.8.10.1 Pesticides shall be stored in accordance with local regulations.
4.8.10.2 Pesticides shall be stored in a secured, water resistant, well ventilated
and well-lit location away from other materials.
4.8.10.3 All shelves should be of non-absorbent material.
4.8.10.4 The pesticide store should be able to retain spillage (e.g. to prevent
contamination of water courses).
4.8.10.5 There should be adequate facilities for measuring and mixing
pesticides.
4.8.10.6 There should be emergency facilities (e.g. plenty of clean water,
sand, sawdust) to deal with contamination and accidental spillage.
4.8.10.7 Keys and access to the store should be limited to personnel with
adequate training in the handling of pesticides.
4.8.10.8 A procedure to handle accidents, a list of contact telephone numbers
and the location of the nearest telephone should be available within
the immediate vicinity of the store. Similar information should also be
available next to the designated telephone.
4.8.10.9 An inventory of the pesticide store should be kept and be readily
available for inspection.
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4.8.10.10 All pesticides should be stored in their original packaging.
4.8.10.11 Only pesticides registered for use on oil palm or other crops on the
farm should be stored.
4.8.10.12 Powders should be stored on shelves above liquids or separately.
4.8.10.13 Warning signage of potential dangers should be places on access
doors.
4.6 BMP 5: SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT
The Solid Waste Management Master Plan Study in Sabah estimates that one
palm oil mill produces 90,000 tonnes of solid waste per annum. This solid waste
mainly consists of empty fruit bunches (EFB), fruit fibres, shells and
unprocessed/unwanted fresh fruit bunches (FFB). The following sections of this
guideline elaborates on zero waste concepts and the need to minimize waste but
for oil palm plantations, uncontrolled waste from the estates support resources
like workers, fuel storage areas, etc. can also find its way to nearby rivers. It is
recommended that all waste products and sources of pollution are identified.
Once identified, an operational plan should be developed and implemented to
avoid or reduce pollution.
Scheduled waste is to be disposed as per EQA 1974 (Scheduled Wastes)
Regulations, 2005. This should include recycling of used HDPE pesticide
containers. Municipal waste disposal as per local authority or district council is in
accordance to the Ministry of Health guidelines (i.e. specifications on landfills,
licensed contractors, etc) or Workers Minimum Standards of Housing and
Amenities Act 1990 (Act 446).
If landfills are the preferred method of solid waste disposal due to logistical
considerations, do note that designing a landfill is a complex activity. Reference
can be made to the Technical Guideline on Sanitary Landfill, Design and
Operation by JICA (2004). Landfill regulations are also increasingly stringent
and landfill costs are increasing. Key issue is to choose a site location that result
in the most environmentally cost-effective landfill. Issues regarding policies and
regulations include the identification of wastes by type for disposal, provision of
the appropriate classification of landfill, control of waste movement to the landfills,
4-35
rejection of illegal wastes from the site, and establishment of a means of
financing the closure and post closure maintenance of the site.
MPOBs Code of Good Agricultural Practice for Oil Palm Estates and
Smallholdings also provides some guidance on waste management and disposal
issues (Box 4.5).
Box 4.5: Guidance on by-products, waste and pollution management from
MPOB Code of Good Agricultural Practice for Oil Palm Estates
and Smallholdings
4.8.11 Empty pesticide containers
4.8.11.1 Empty pesticide containers should not be reused and their disposal
shall be in a manner that avoids exposure to humans and
contamination of the environment.
4.8.11.2 Official collection and disposal systems should be used if available
4.8.11.3 Empty containers should be rinsed at least 3 times with water and the
washings returned to the spray tank.
4.8.11.4 Unless participating in established recycling programmes or with
expressed permission from the authorities, rinsed containers shall be
pierced to prevent reuse.
4.8.11.5 Empty containers should be secured until disposal.
4.8.11.6 Disposal or destruction of containers should be in accordance with the
Pesticides Act 1974 (Act 149) and/or any other relevant local
regulations.
4.8.12 Obsolete pesticides Obsolete pesticides should only be disposed
through an approved chemical waste contractor.
4.11 By-products, waste and pollution management
4.11.1 All possible by-products, waste and sources of pollution should be
identified in all areas of oil palm production.
4.11.2 Having identified wastes and pollutants, an operational plan should be
4-36
developed and implemented to avoid and reduce wastage and
pollution. Pruned fronds, biomass at felling, EFB and POME should
be mulched in the field.
4.11.3 Estate and smallholding shall not allow dumping of external waste in
their property
4.7 BMP 6: IDENTIFYING, MANAGING AND ENHANCING
RIVER RESERVES
4.7.1 Importance of Maintaining River Reserves
River reserves are essentially the land adjacent to streams and rivers; a unique
transitional area between aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Although constituting
only a small part of the landscape, river reserves that are intact and functional are
important habitats for biodiversity and provide ecosystem services, which are
essential to the well-being of human populations. The main functions of river
reserves are:
Water quality improvement: on-point sources of pollution, including run-off from
agricultural lands and plantations introduce a variety of pollutants into the river
system. These pollutants, which include sediments, nutrients, organic wastes,
chemicals and metals, are difficult to control, measure and monitor.
River reserves serve as buffers, which intercept non-point sources of pollution. In
particular, riparian vegetation absorb the heavy metals and nutrients, trap
sediments suspended in surface run-off and provide a habitat for micro-
organisms that help break down the pollutants. In plantations where fertilizer,
pesticides and herbicides are used, the maintenance of a vegetated river reserve
of sufficient width is therefore extremely important to minimize the amount of
these pollutants that enter the rivers.
Flood mitigation: Riparian vegetation increases surface and channel roughness,
which serves to slow down surface water that enters the river and reduce flow
rates within the river. This helps to slightly alleviate the magnitude and intensity
of flooding downstream.
Riverbank stabilization: Riparian vegetation protects riverbanks from erosion or
scouring caused by rain, water flow, etc. Erosion caused by removal of riparian
vegetation results in sedimentation of the river which increases flood levels, as
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well as bank failure, which may bring about the need for expensive remediation
measures such as dikes, levees and flood walls.
Figure 4.1 below provides a visual illustration of the ecological and biological
function of river reserves.

(Source: Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, 2009)
Figure 4.1: Illustration Describing the Function of River Reserves
Many river reserves in Sabah have been altered in the course of resource use or
development. In plantations, crops have been planted right up to the river
margins. This has led to altered riparian ecosystems that are no longer able to
perform their beneficial functions, and have very low biodiversity value.
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Plate 4.9: Lack of river reserve (foreground) and river reserve maintained by
oil palm plantation (background).

Plate 4.10: Oil palms planted right up to the riverbank.
Oil palm plantations have a role to play in identifying, managing and enhancing
river reserves that are on their land. River reserves should be identified during
initial stages of plantation development. These areas need to be conserved/
managed and where necessary, restored/rehabilitated. This activity during the
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initial stages is crucial to avoid extensive costs to restore and rehabilitate cleared
or planted (oil palm) river reserves in the long run.
In terms of legislation, the establishment of river reserves in Sabah is provided for
under Section 40 of the Sabah Water Resources Enactment 1998, which states
that River Reserves are to be established on land which is within 20 metres of
the top of the bank of every river, including its estuary, where the channel is not
less than three metres in width. River Reserves may also be established along
channels less than three metres wide, upon the recommendation of the Sabah
Water Resources Council. The purpose of the establishment of River Reserves
under Section 40 is for protecting the volume or flow of water in water bodies
and preventing the degradation of the quality of water resources and damage to
the aquatic environment in water bodie.
From a legal and/or management perspective, the width of river reserve may be
either fixed or variable. Fixed-width zones are easier to gazette, enforce and
administer, but fails to provide for many ecological functions. Variable-width
zones can be designed to carry out specific functions at various sections, taking
into account the site-specific conditions and requirements along the length of the
river reserve. Protection needs should include surface erosion of stream side
slopes, fluvial erosion of the stream/river channel, soil productivity, habitat for
riparian dependant species and pollution control.
Looking beyond legislative requirements for recommended river reserve widths,
stream size and stream order can also influence the size of the buffer needed.
Headwater streams, for example, may not require the same degree of buffering
as larger streams to provide the same benefit (Palone and Todd, 1997). Buffer
widths should also account for the goals of the landowner and the desired
functions. Designing riparian forest buffers to improve water quality is
complicated by the need to control three different types of pollutants at the same
time: sediment adsorbed pollutants in surface run-off, dissolved pollutants in
surface run-off, and dissolved pollutants in groundwater (Palone and Todd,
1997). The design must also take into account the area's hydrology, soils, and
pollutant loads.
Buffers of 15 to 30 metres are generally recommended to trap sediment, although
wider buffers are required where there are high sediment loads or steep
slopes(as a rule of thumb, the buffer should expand about 1.5 metres for every
1% increase in slope) (Palone and Todd, 1997). On flat sandy soils where
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sediment loads are low, narrower buffers may be as effective (Magette and
others, 1989). However, only very wide buffers will be effective in trapping small
clay particles. For example, researchers in Arizona found that grass buffers trap
most sand from shallow surface run-off within about 3 metres and trap most silt
within 15 metres, but found that 90 to 120 metres of buffer was required to trap
small clay particles (Wilson, 1967).
Riparian habitats are unique ecosystems where terrestrial and aquatic plant
communities meet. The unique micro-climate and proximity to water make river
reserves excellent habitats for many species of animals, especially birds and
amphibians. In addition, salt licks, which are important source of nutrients for
ungulates are usually found in the vicinity of rivers and streams. This makes the
river reserves a critical component in the landscape ecology as they serve as
conduits for wildlife and consequently allow for the movement of genetic material,
nutrient and energy across the landscape.
They are in essence natural corridors which link landscapes across regions, from
uplands headwaters to the floodplains in the lowland - corridors that have critical
ecological functions and considered as having High Conservation Value (or
HCV). The Kinabatangan Corridor of Life (KCoL) Project can be a good local
example in this to showcase how to create a balance between the growing
demands of private land development (mainly of oil palm plantations), the local
community and the need to protect the unique wildlife, whilst maintaining a
functional and viable river reserve at the landscape level.
Some oil palm plantations, mainly large companies that are members of RSPO,
have undertaken efforts to restore river reserves on their property (Plate 4.11) It
is noted that further guidance as well as technical resources and incentive
mechanisms are needed to ensure smallholder growers are able to be involved in
any concerted effort to rehabilitate river reserves.

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Plate 4.11:River reserve rehabilitation area in an oil palm plantation along
the Segama River showing a signboard and abandoned oil palms
interspersed with planted native tree species.
Plate 4.12 shows that despite the increase in efforts by major plantations to
conserve and restore river reserves along large rivers, the smaller tributaries
running through their plantations are commonly ignored and usually planted with
oil palms right up to the banks. It is important to note that smaller tributaries
transport large amounts of sediments, suspended solids and agrochemicals to
main rivers. In some instances river reserves along the small streams are more
important than river reserves along the main rivers as due to the drainage patters
in many estates the plantations drain into the small streams rather than directly
into the main rivers. To completely tackle the problem of river pollution, river
reserves along these smaller tributaries need to be managed as well. Under the
current DID guidelines river of less than 3 metres wide still need a River
Reserve of 5 metres.

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Plate 4.12: No river reserve along smaller tributaries in oil palm plantations.
Once river reserves are identified and demarcated, these areas need to be
secured to prevent encroachment. Human activities like spraying of agro-
chemicals, hunting, fishing, waste dumping, burning, etc. should be prohibited.
4.7.2 Restoring River Reserves
The following outlines key considerations for the restoration of river reserves as
habitats and/or corridors for biodiversity, buffers to protect river water quality and
considerations for tree planting and maintenance. It is important to have a good
understanding of the existing and historical physical and biological conditions of
the site, so that rehabilitation methods employed are appropriate to meet the
objectives. As such it should be noted that a number of different site
assessments may be required in order to address each key consideration below:
Key considerations for biodiversity:
Plant a variety of suitable species
Ensure suitable vertical stratification
Ensure continuity of canopy cover
Ensure availability of nesting material
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Retain dead branches, logs and leaf litter
Ensure sufficient width
Keep landscape connectivity in mind
Key considerations for water quality improvement:
Plant appropriate vegetation types
Ensure sufficient width
Species selection and layout
There are two modes of habitat establishment:
Natural regeneration allowing nature to take its course with minimal
intervention. This method is suitable for areas where the riparian
vegetation is recovering naturally through secondary growth. Such areas
may have secondary tree species that provide ready cover, habitat and
food source. Enrichment planting and silviculture may be required in these
areas.
Replanting the establishment of a new plant assemblage. This is
required in areas that have little or no vegetation. Although more labour
intensive and expensive than natural regeneration, it allows for greater
control of the plant species composition.
Normally, the choice of plant species to be planted or conserved includes
endemic species, species that will help prevent riverbank erosion (Vetiver grass
for short term, bamboo sp for long term measures) and species that can increase
the population carrying capacity of the area and increase biodiversity by providing
food sources for birds, small mammals and aquatic creatures. Further guidance
on suitable native plants for rehabilitating river reserves are provided in Annex 7.
For smaller tributaries, it may be more appropriate to plant smaller shrubs and
ferns.
Planting and maintenance: A tree that is properly planted will require less
maintenance and have a higher chance of survival. Thus the following are
important considerations:
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Seedlings and saplings: Seedlings and saplings may be obtained from
nurseries specializing in forest species. Alternatively, seeds, seedlings and
saplings may be obtained from adjacent riparian areas. Many large oil palm
plantations that have undertaken river reserve restoration projects establish and
maintain their own native tree nurseries as shown below (Plate 4.13).

Plate 4.13: Native tree nursery within an oil palm plantation to supply
seedlings for a river reserve rehabilitation project.
Site preparation: Some limited land preparation may be required to increase
bank or slope stability around the planting site. It is important to minimize any
disturbance of the soil along the riverbanks. It helps to stop all chemical weeding
well ahead of a planned river reserve restoration project and if the tree species
chosen requires some shade in the early establishment phase, then appropriate
fast growing tree species can be established ahead of the actual tree species,
which is intended for long term purposes. This increases the likelihood of
survival, especially for many tropical forest plants.
Planting: Saplings should be of appropriate size/age and should be hardened for
at least 2 weeks prior to planting in order to acclimatize them to stressful
conditions such as minimal watering and increased exposure to sunlight. The
diameter of the planting hole should be 3 times the diameter of the polybag and
the height equal to the height of the polybag. Branches and leaves should be
pruned and kept to a minimal (25% of actual leaf or branching contents) just
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before planting to reduce transpiration. It is often necessary to protect saplings
from animals
Maintenance: Intensive maintenance, including watering, should be carried out
within the first 3 months after planting, or at least until the saplings start to grow
new leaves. This is also the time when fertilizers need to be applied. It is
preferred that organic fertilizers and EFB be used in these areas rather than
inorganic fertilizers for minimizing impacts to the waterways. No chemical
weeding should be carried out; instead regular rounds of manual weeding can be
carried out around the planted saplings. Periodical inspection for insect pests
should then be carried out and it is preferred that biological insecticides such as
B. Thuringiensis-based products are used instead of chemical based insecticides
where possible. Initially, monthly rounds of maintenance is required but over time
(as the trees get established), this can be reduced to once every six months.
Riparian Restoration and Management Programme: It is recommended that
plantations that do not have the expertise to carry out restoration work on their
own, seek advice or services from qualified consultants, university academics or
and/or collaborate with NGOs like WWF and HUTAN in drawing up their
restoration programs. This will ensure the success of the project.


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CHAPTER 5


BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
FOR PALM OIL MILL OPERATIONS

The following Best Management Practices take a 3-prong approach aimed at
minimizing the impacts of palm oil mill operations on river water quality:
a) Reducing POME
BMP 1: Conversion of mill waste into value-added products
BMP 2: Reduction of POME generation with Decanter Dryer System
BMP 3: Reducing and recycling water used for palm oil mills
b) Improving POME treatment systems
BMP 4: Operation and improvement in POME treatment processes and
routine maintenance of systems
c) Improving pollution control of milling process
BMP 5: Control of Oil Spillages and Leaks
BMP 6: Separation of Effluent and Storm-water Drainage Systems
BMP 7: Proper Interim Storage of Solid Waste Materials
BMP 8: Enhancing Land Irrigation Systems for Treated POME

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Table 5.1: Summary of BMPs for minimizing impacts of Palm Oil Mills on
river water quality
BMP Description
BMP 1: Conversion of mill waste into
value-added products
Describes basic zero-discharge
concepts, benefits of converting
mill waste to value-added products
like compost and various related
technologies.
BMP 2: Reduction of POME
generation with Decanter
Dryer System
Provides information about
reducing POME generation by
modifying the standard oil
clarification process using the
Decanter Dryer System.
BMP 3: Reducing and recycling
water used for palm oil mills
Describes the role of water
reduction in minimizing POME
production and methods using
evaporation technology.
BMP 4: Enhanced operation and
improvement in POME
treatment processes and
routine maintenance of
systems
Describes the biological treatment
of POME based on anaerobic,
aerobic and facultative processes
as well as related technology.
BMP 5: Control of oil spillages and
leaks
Provides basic information on the
control of oil spillages and leaks as
well as oil trap maintenance and
operation.
BMP 6: Separation of effluent and
stormwater drainage
systems
Describes the importance of
maintaining separate system of
drains for stormwater and effluent.
BMP 7: Proper interim storage of
solid waste materials
Describes proper interim storage
of solid waste materials from palm
oil mills.
BMP 8: Enhancing land irrigation
systems for treated POME
Describes various land irrigation
systems as well as the process for
land application of POME.

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MPOBs Code of Good Milling Practice for Palm Oil Mills provides guidance on
pollution and environmental issues related to mill operations (Box 5.1).
Box 5.1: Guidance on pollution and environmental issues from MPOB
Code of Good Milling Practice for Palm Oil Mills
4.27 Environment
4.27.1 All relevant environmental legislation/regulation should be complied
with, such as Environmental Quality Act 1974 and Regulations.
4.27.2 Policies and procedures for minimizing the production of waste and its
impact on the environment should be developed, implemented and
maintained.
4.27.3 All waste products should be appropriately disposed of in accordance
with existing legislation.
4.27.4 Palm oil mill effluent (POME) The treatment system adopted must
be continuously and regularly maintained to meet the requirements of
the Malaysian environmental authorities.
4.27.5 Fibre and shell Any excess fibre and shell should be stored and
dealt with according to established procedures.
4.27.6 Empty fruit bunches (EFB) EFB should be properly managed in
compliance with environmental legislation.

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5.1 BMP 1: CONVERSION OF MILL WASTE INTO VALUE-
ADDED PRODUCTS
Large quantities of water are required in the palm oil milling process. It is
estimated that 5-7 tonnes of water is required to produce one tonne of palm oil.
About half of the water used ends up as palm oil mill effluent (POME). POME is
a mixture of sterilizer condensate, separator sludge, and hydro-cyclone
wastewater. POME is highly organic in nature and is highly polluting due to its
high BOD concentration.
Concerted research and development efforts have been conducted to develop an
effective POME treatment system and disposal technologies for palm oil mills.
However, to-date most of these technologies are not able to comply with the
stringent environmental control regulations. The palm oil industry is compelled to
look seriously into zero-waste or zero-discharge concept to help solve the
environmental problem.
Converting all types of wastes generated at the mill into value-added products is
straight forward and economically viable. Extensive R & D have been conducted
to show that with proper handling and management, the wastes or biomass
generated by the palm oil mill can be utilized and converted into valuable
resources. The practice of recycling crop residues such as EFB and POME as a
source of plant nutrients and organic matter needs to be fully exploited.
Alternatively, using current technology these wastes could also be converted into
compost or organic fertilizers.
A sampler of currently available composting methods/technology includes:
Vermicomposting: Vermicomposting is described as composting or natural
conversion of biodegradable waste into high quality fertilizer with the help of
earthworms. Vermicomposting is the process in which earthworms are used to
convert organic materials into humus-like material known as vermicompost or
earthworm compost. Through vermicomposting process physical, chemical and
biological reactions take place, resulting changes in the organic matter. The
resultant product (vermicast) is much more fragmented, porous and microbially
active. In contrast to traditional microbial waste treatment, vermicomposting
process results in bioconversion of the organic wastes into two useful products:
the earthworm biomass and the vermicompost. Earthworm biomass can further
be processed into proteins as a source of animal feeds. The latter product
(vermicompost/casting) is considered as homogenous, has reduced levels of
5-5
contaminants and tends to hold more nutrients. During the vermicomposting
process, important plant nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, etc.
present in the waste are converted into much soluble and available to plants. It
has been reported that the nutrient composition of vermicompost may increase
the plant nutrients as compared to simple composting.
Controlled Environment Chamber (CEC): The use of CEC technology to
produce compost is already happening in several pilot sites in Sabah. CEC
basically provides a controlled environment for producing compost. EFB from
palm oil mills is first shredded and then deposited into various chambers each
day. The temperature in each chamber is maintained between 55 to 65 degrees
Celsius via the spraying of POME with added microbes (to aid decomposition).
Fans in each chamber maintain moisture levels at an optimum level of around
50%. Leachate from the chambers is collected and returned to POME ponds.
Studies show that there is a 50% reduction in BOD and COD levels in POME.
The resulting compost is reapplied to the estate or sold to outside sources.
Studies show that when this compost is returned to the fields, there is an overall
15-20% reduction in total inorganic fertilizer use. The following photos depict the
main components of a CEC operation.

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Plate 5.1: Production of compost using Controlled Environment Chamber
(CEC) technology: row of chambers.

Plate 5.2: Production of compost using Controlled Environment Chamber
(CEC) technology: Individual chamber.



5-7

Plate 5.3: Production of compost using Controlled Environment Chamber
(CEC) technology: microbe storage area.

Plate 5.4: Production of compost using Controlled Environment
Chamber(CEC) technology: EFB shredder



5-8
CEC technology is one of many available and proven technologies for producing
compost from mill and plantation waste. Several companies are already
operating composting facilities or have pilot projects in Sabah.
Another similar example to the CEC technology described above is Asia greens
Integrated Natural Fertilizer (INF) plant, which is a covered composting
technology designed to integrate with the palm oil mill to off-take waste streams
generated by the mill and process them into a nutrient rich organic fertilizer
compound called NF (Natural Fertilizer). The NF is intended to be applied back
into the surrounding oil palm estates with multiple benefits of reducing chemical
fertilizer usage, improving FFB yield and allowing the client to produce CPO via
an eco-friendly, sustainable, and cost-effective system of recycling mill waste
stream into valuable nutrient-rich organic fertilizer compound.
Further benefits of NF over chemical fertilizer usage are provided by Asia green
and depicted in Table 5.2:
Table 5.2: Comparison of NF and Chemical Fertilizer Applications
NF from Integrated Natural Fertiliser
(INF) Plant
Chemical Fertilizer
Contains Nitrogen, Phosphorus,
Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, Organic
Matter, Humic Acid, and trace elements
such as Sulphur, Copper, Boron,
Manganese, Zinc, Iron and Molybdenum
Straight fertilizer contains 1 type of
nutrient only while compound
fertilizer contains up to 5 types of
nutrients (no presence of organic
matter, humic acid or trace
elements)
Contains microorganisms to assist in
decomposition and nutrient production
No presence of microorganisms
Uses harmless organic raw materials such
as palm oil mill waste
Uses chemical substances that
cause the soil to harden and deplete
oxygen captured in the soil after long
and repeated applications
Slow release, fast-acting, additional
organic matter, humic acid and trace
elements, and minimum nutrient loss from
leaching even during rainy and monsoon
seasons
High nutrient losses from leaching
during rainy and monsoon seasons
typical of the tropical climate for oil
palm cultivation
Has pH of 7 9.5, which reduces soil
acidity, enhances fertility and nutrient
absorption by the oil palm
Depending on the type of fertilizer
soil becomes acidic after long and
repeated applications, which
reduces soil fertility and nutrient
absorption capability of the oil palm
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Table 5.2: Comparison of NF and chemical fertilizer applications (cntd)
NF from Integrated Natural Fertiliser
(INF) Plant
Chemical Fertilizer
Due to slow release of nutrients, the effectiveness
of the NF lasts longer and due to its lumpy, fibrous
form, the NF is not easily washed away during the
rainy and monsoon seasons (only 1 round of
application is required per year)
In their liquid, lightweight
form, chemical fertilizers are
easily washed away (high
nutrient losses) during the
rainy and monsoon seasons
(require 6 rounds of
application for single
nutrient, straight fertilizers
and 3 rounds of application
for compound fertilizers)
Usage of NF in the fields doubles the oil palms
fertilizer-use efficiency and helps to prevent or
reduce soil erosion.
Proven sustainability of or increase in oil palm
fresh fruit bunch (FFB) yield with combined
application of NF and chemical fertilizer
supplements.
Field application of nitrogen-
based chemical fertilizer
results in nitrous oxide
emissions (with global
warming potential of 300
times that of carbon
dioxide).
Increases nitrate and nitrite
deposits in the oil palm after
prolonged usage, reduces
quality of FFB yield.
Replenishes organic matter and revitalizes the soil
in mature and old oil palm estates
Increases chemical
contamination in soil from
prolonged usage of
chemical fertilizers, which
causes soil toxicity and
water pollution (when
chemicals in fertilizer are
washed into rivers or water
courses during rainy and
monsoon seasons).
No pest or fungi problem with the slow nutrient-
release NF
The rapid, lush growth
caused by chemical
fertilizers attracts pests and
fungi to the oil palms
Reliable and consistent supply of NF at allow,
predetermined price with pre-agreed inflation rate
(usually 3.5% per annum)over a long term of 20
years
Unreliable supply at overall
escalating prices due to
high demand, unexpected
output decrease, rise in
petroleum prices, increase
in transportation costs, etc.

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The key elements of Asiagreen INF Plant comprises of:
EFB Shredding Station
The EFB Shredding station is designed and equipped in terms of
capacity, sizing and EFB storage area to cope with the respective mills
daily output of EFB and running hours. EFB exiting the mill is linked by
scapper conveyors or transported by tipper lorries to convey the EFB to
the Shredding Station where high speed shredding machines are used to
shred the EFB into Fibre. The EFB Fibre is then transferred by a
conveyor system / dump trucks to the NF Processing Silo of the INF plant.
Any excess EFB Fibre yet to be processed in the NF Processing Silo is
kept at the EFB Fibre storage bay built as an integral part of the EFB
Shredding Station.
POME Pumping Stations
Two POME Pumping Stations are constructed, 1 Pumping Station located
beside the Sludge Pit of the palm oil mill to pump the daily requirement of
POME to the Cooling/Holding Ponds next to the NF Processing Silo, and
the other Pumping Station located beside the NF Processing Silo to pump
POME from the Cooling/Holding Ponds into the NF Processing Silo for
application onto the EFB Fibres (and any other mill waste streams) during
the composting process. Self priming centrifugal pumps and HDPE piping
are selected for low-maintenance and trouble-free operation. All the
pumps, motors and electrical switchboard are housed within the POME
Pumping Stations.
NF Processing Silo
The building structure is designed for prolonged life span using concrete
floor slab, concrete/brick walls, steel portal frames and metal sheet
roofing. The NF Processing Silo is lighted up using high-bay metal halide
lighting. A gantry-type NF Turner is deployed within the NF Processing
Silo to create maximum aeration during the composting process which
guarantees that the oxygen content at all times is above 10% (main CDM
criteria in the audit of Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) generated
from composting plant projects) and to ensure thorough mixing of different
mill waste streams delivered to the NF Processing Silo. The NF Turner
(KOMPMAX Turner) is designed, engineered and fabricated in-house by
5-11
Asiagreen at its Balakong machine fabrication plant, and is available with
diesel-engine or electric-motor operation options.
The POME application system is based on Asiagreens in-house design
which is integrated with the NF Turner to ensure even distribution of
POME, consistent nutrient content in NF produced, and prevent any over-
application and leaching of excess POME from the NF Processing Silo
(integrated application system enables simultaneous turning of mill waste
heap and spraying of POME over the mill waste heap).
The fresh EFB Fiber and other mill waste streams are loaded at one end
of the NF Processing Silo whilst the finished product i.e. NF will be
harvested at the other end of the NF Processing Silo. The NF Processing
Silo has a maintenance bay for the servicing of the NF Turner, and is
constructed with perimeter roads, drainage system and fencing with a
gate (for security).
NF Store
An NF Store is constructed and maintained by the Mill Owner as part of
the overall lINF plant. The store is designed to keep up to 7 days
production of NF and ideally located next to the NF Processing Silo. The
NF Store is designed with simple concrete floor slab, 6 meter in height
with steel structure frame and metal roofing.
.
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(Source: Asia Green)
Figure 5.1: Process Flow for INF Plant
5-13
Biomass wastes from palm oil mills can also be a source of energy. The
following are two examples:
Biomass power plant: Dewatered EFB from palm oil mills is combusted
in a biomass boiler to provide steam for generating electricity. Recent
developments in pre-processing EFB to eliminate clinker formation have
greatly enhanced the operational efficiencies of this technology. It is now
feasible for biomass power plants to convert large amounts of palm oil mill
biomass into useful energy and also resolve the solid waste disposal
difficulties and associated air emissions.
Biodiesel plant: The remnant oil recovered from dewatering of EFB from
palm oil mills could be used as feedstock for the preparation of biodiesel
in a biodiesel plant. There are several stages requires in biodiesel
production, namely raw material preparation, catalyst preparation,
transesterification reaction, washing and purification. A typical plant can
be designed for producing 8 tons/day of biodiesel from sludge oil with
methanol in the presence of a base and acid catalysts. The main product
from the trans-esterification process is biodiesel (methyl esters) 97% and
3% glycerol as a side product.
Financing through the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)?
The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) allows emission-reduction projects in
developing countries to earn certified emission reduction (CER) credits, each
equivalent to one tonne of CO2. These CERs can be traded and sold, and used
by industrialized countries to a meet a part of their emission reduction targets
under the Kyoto Protocol.
The mechanism stimulates sustainable development and emission reductions,
while giving industrialized countries some flexibility in how they meet their
emission reduction limitation targets.
There are at least 28 projects involving the Malaysian palm oil industry currently
registered under the UNFCCCs CDM initiative. These projects all involve
composting of mill waste and methane capture. The state government and oil
palm sector companies should explore opportunities for funding future
composting or biomass utilisation activities through the CDM. More information:
http://cdm.unfccc.int/
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5.2 BMP 2: REDUCTION OF POME GENERATION WITH
DECANTER SYSTEM
POME generation can be reduced by modifying the standard oil clarification
process and prevent effluent from being produced in this station. Generally crude
oil extracted direct from the press requires heavy dilution with hot water before
efficient separation of impurities can take place. In the decanter system, the
introduction of the decanter facilitates separation without water addition. This
system could reduce the volume of effluent produced in the clarification station
which accounts for approximately 75 percent of the total BOD load discharged
from a mill. The remaining 25 percent of the effluent is generated by the sterilizer
condensate and hydro-cyclone wash water which can be treated in anaerobic
ponds (Whiting 1979). Although the decanter system has been through many
modifications over the years (like the Eco-D system), this section describes the
United Plantations (UP) Decanter Drier System, one of the earlier and basic
established systems.
Installing the Decanter Drier System can modify the standard oil clarification
process and prevents effluent from being produced in this station, and in
exchange a valuable by-product is produced (Jorgensen and Gurmit 1984). The
greatly reduced water content is of fundamental importance to the system
because it is now possible to dry the moisture by evaporation process, and at the
same time produce a dry sludge cake referred as palm oil meal. The palm oil
meal obtained could be used as a source of organic fertilizer or animal feed.
5.3 BMP 3: REDUCING AND RECYCLING WATER USED
FOR PALM OIL MILLS
Reducing and recycling of water in the palm oil mill is a key strategy both to
enhance productivity/as well as minimize waste production. The more the use of
water is reduced the less POME that will be produced.
Palm oil mills that practice good water usage require less than 1.5 cubic metres
of clean water per tonne of FFB processed. Field observations indicate that
excessive water usage is attributed to the factors as presented in Table 5.3

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Table 5.3: Cleaner Production Measures for the Control of Water Usage
Causes of excessive water usage Cleaner production measures
Failure to shut off valves, water tapas
and water hoses immediately
Proper staff supervision is needed
Spring loaded water hoses can be
used to resolve these problems
Tank overflows, especially in the
press room and clarification station,
due to lack of overflow control
Level or float controllers need to be
installed in all water and oil storage tanks
Containment system installed at the base
of the tank
Poor equipment maintenance and
significant oil leaks leading to
excessive washdown
Need for improved preventative
maintenance
Improper operation of the
hydrocyclones resulting in excessive
water usage
Operators need to be better trained to
ensure awareness and skilled operation
Use of water to flush out spillages of
oil and solid waste materials into
drains
Spilled oil should first be recovered and
dry removal/cleaning of remnants
practised
Solid waste spillages should be removed
in a dry condition without use of water
Leaks in water pipelines and valves Regular maintenance is needed
One of the best options to recover the water for reuse and add value to the solid
concentrate obtained from palm oil mill is through evaporation technology.
Evaporation technology has been commercially applied to produce natural rubber
serum concentrate from wastewater generated by latex factories. Similar
technology has been successfully evaluated to process POME (Ma et al., 1994).
About 85% of the water in the POME can be recovered as distillate. The quality
of the distillate has been found to be good and can be reused as boiler feed
water or process water with minimal chemical treatment. It is estimated that the
quantity recovered is sufficient to meet the boiler feed water requirement. This
would offset the water intake from the river or water reservoirs. Cost for water
treatment could be reduced and more importantly, there is no liquid discharge
from the mill. Energy requirement is the major consideration in the evaporation
process. The heat (from steam) and electrical energy required can be provided
by the palm oil mills energy production system.
5-16
The basis for and the results of work on water use reduction through evaporation
are:
POME contains about 96% water and 4% total solids. About 2%-3% is
suspended solids comprising mainly of remnants of the mesocarp of oil
palm fruits, and 0.7% is residual oil. By evaporation of POME the water
can be recovered and the residual solid concentrate utilized;
Vacuum evaporation technology was initially evaluated in the laboratory
using a rotor evaporator. Efficient evaporation of the water is achieved by
taking advantage of the available heat in fresh POME at its average
temperature of 80C and applying a vacuum of 600 mg Hg to lower its
boiling point to about 60C; a clear distillate is obtained;
The laboratory rotor-evaporator demonstrated that POME can be
evaporated to a very dry solid. The laboratory results were confirmed in a
pilot plant using a single-effect (flash) evaporator of 200-liter capacity. A
schematic flow diagram of the pilot plant is presented in Figure 5.2;
The maximum solids concentration achieved in the concentrated liquor
was about 30%, after which it became too viscous and could no longer be
pumped;
POME used for the pilot trial contained about 3.3% total solids and the
solid concentrate produced contained about 20% - 30% solids. Thus,
about 85% of the water was evaporated and recovered;
The quality of the distillate is considered generally good in terms of the
total solids content of less than 150 mg/l. The distillate which is slightly
acidic due to the presence of carryover free fatty acids, which during
distillation can be re-used as process water or boiler feed water with
minimal additional treatment;
Based on an 85% water recovery rate, a 30-tonne FFB per hour mill which
generates about 19.5 tonnes of POME will result in 16 tonnes of water
being recovered for recycling. This is sufficient to supply all the boiler
feed-water required for the mill operation. If the need arises, the distillate
can be mixed with raw water and treated before reuse;
5-17
For the 30-tonne FFB per hour mill, the rate of generation of the effluent
concentrate with a solids content of 20% will be about 3.2 tonnes per
hour; i.e., a substantial reduction of about 84% from 19.5 tonnes of POME
per hour which will result in easier material handling reduction; and
The energy requirement is the major consideration in evaporation.
However, the heat required is largely inherent in the fresh POME that is
discharged at a temperature of 80C to 90C. The additional evaporation
energy can be economically derived from the surplus electricity usually
generated by palm oil mills, or alternatively from the combustion of empty
fruit bunches (EFBs). For mills having excess boiler and electricity-
generating capacities the additional investment is minimal.
Commercial-scale evaporation plants have now been constructed and use multi-
stage evaporation systems. These plants achieve a higher solids concentration
in the effluent concentrate due to introduction of a forced-circulation system to
pump the concentrated liquid.

Figure 5.2: Evaporation Process for Palm Oil Mill Effluent

5-18
5.4 BMP 4: ENHANCED OPERATION AND
IMPROVEMENT IN POME TREATMENT PROCESSES
AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE OF SYSTEMS
5.4.1 Biological Treatment of POME
The organic content of POME is generally biodegradable and treatment is based
on anaerobic, aerobic and facultative processes. The processes are essentially
biochemical and rely on the enhanced growth and metabolic activities of suitable
microorganisms to breakdown the organic matter into simple end-products gases
such as methane, carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide, and water.
The microorganisms involved are primarily bacteria and algae which result in the
production of excess biomass (microbial cells) that needs to be disposed-off in
the form of sludge. This sludge can be appropriately land-applied in the oil palm
plantation as soil conditioner. A large number of biological treatment processes
have been researched specifically for palm oil mill effluent in attempts to arrive at
the most cost-effective treatment systems. These include:
Anaerobic processes such as the anaerobic pond, conventional anaerobic
digester, anaerobic contact process, and up-flow anaerobic sludge-
blanket (UASB) reactor; and
Aerobic (and facultative) processes such as the extended aeration
system, aerated pond and aerobic stabilization ponds.
The available effluent treatment technologies for POMEs are based on a
combination of the biological treatment processes and treatment units listed
above. The current POME treatment methods are summarized in Table 5.4 .


5-19
Table 5.4: Summary of Various Current POME Treatment Methods
System
Brief description
Ponding System
(Chin and Wong,
1982; Chan and
Chooi, 1982; Chin et
al., 1996)
Combination of anaerobic, aerobic and facultative
ponds or ponds.
About 85% of Malaysias palm oil mills applying this
system to treat POME.
Main components of the system include de-oiling tank,
acidification ponds, methanogenic ponds, facultative
ponds and sand beds.
Long treatment period of 45 to 60 days.
High maintenance required due to huge treatment
area.
Aerated Ponding
System
(Thani et al., 1999)
Similar to the ponding system except the facultative
ponds are replaced with mechanically-aerated ponds.
Treatment period is usually between 15 to 20 days.
Conventional
Anaerobic Digester
(Lim et al., 1983)
Combines the anaerobic process in a digester tank
with the aerated ponds.
The digester tank is a continuous stirred tank reactor
(CSTR) with no solid recycle.
Requires a longer treatment period (20 days) to
prevent washout of microorganisms and to achieve
desired treatment efficiency.
High treatment cost.
Anaerobic Contact
Process
(Ibrahim et al., 1984)
Similar to the Conventional Anaerobic Digester except
the raw wastewaters are mixed with recycled sludge
solids and then digested in a continuously stirred
digester tank (CSTR).
Gas formation in the settling tank inhibits effective
settling of the sludge and enhanced buoyancy of the
suspended solids.
Up-flow Anaerobic
Sludge Blanket
(UASB) Reactor
(Thani et al., 1999,
Najafpour et al.,
2006)
Combines the anaerobic process in a digester tank
with the aerated ponds.
The digester tank is a UASB Reactor based on
upward flow of wastewater through a suspended layer
or sludge blanket of active biomass.
Biochemical activity converts organic matter to
methane and carbon dioxide gas.
5-20
Table 5.4: Summary of Various Current POME Treatment Methods (cntd)
System Brief description

The biogas is collected and treated
wastewater is discharge via an
overflow weir
Close Tank Digester (Mahabot and
Harun, 1986)
The digesters are operated as a
conventional high-rate system.
The treatment period is about 10
days.
Biogas generated from the digester
is compressed and discharged into
the emitter utilized for heat and
electricity generation and excess
biogas is flared off.
Trickling Filter (Norulaini et al., 2001)
50% of COD was achieved for the
influent COD of 26,000mg/L.
Aerobic Ponding System (Oswalet al.,
2002)
Similar to aerated pond system
except special species of
microorganism is used.
A tropical marine yeast (Yarrowiali
polytica) is used for the
degradation of POME in a pond.
95% COD removal was achieved
at the retention time of 2 days.
Aerobic Rotating Biological Contactor
(Najafpour et al., 2005)
88% COD removal for the retention
time of 55 hours with the influent
COD of 16,000mg/L.
Land Application System (Wood et al.,
1979; Eapen, 1977)
Anaerobic digested POME is
utilized as a source of organic
fertilizer.
The POME is pumped to
distribution tanks and then applied
directly as fertilizer onto the
cropland by gravity flow or by
pumping onto a system of inter-row
flatbeds, long-beds or furrow.
5-21
Table 5.4: Summary of Various Current POME Treatment Methods (cntd)
The biological treatment systems commonly employed are described in more
details as follows:
Anaerobic-cum-Facultative Ponding System;
Anaerobic-cum-Aerated Ponding System;
Anaerobic Reactor-cum-Aerated Ponding System;
Anaerobic Pond-cum-Land Application System; and
Anaerobic Reactor-cum-Land Application System.

System Brief description
Evaporation Process (Ma, 1999)
Evaporation to remove solids
content of POME.
Energy obtained from burning
unwanted fiber and shell.
Generate large amount of air
pollutants; creating another
environmental problem.
5-22

Plate 5.5: A typical aeration pond.

Plate 5.6 : A typical Ponding system.
a) Anaerobic-cum-Facultative Ponding System
The ponding system, which essentially consists of a combination of anaerobic,
aerobic and/or facultative ponds or lagoons, is the most commonly used by
Malaysian palm oil mills, about 85%. In this system, the anaerobic treatment
process takes place in anaerobic ponds or lagoons. A schematic representation
5-23
and the principal design features of a typical anaerobic-cum-facultative ponding
system, based the original design by one of the major plantation groups, is
presented in Figure 5.3.
The essential components of the system are:
i. De-oiling Tank;
ii. Acidification ponds;
iii. Methanogenic ponds;
iv. Facultative ponds; and
v. Sand beds.
The essential process components and basic design features of the anaerobic-
cum-facultative ponding system (based on original ponding system configuration
of the Boustead Plantation Group) are:
i. De-oiling tank of concrete construction and hydraulic retention time (HRT)
of 1.5 days for oil recovery, equalization and cooling of the effluent ; and
ii. Two-phase anaerobic treatment in ponds - an Acidification Phase and a
Methanogenic Phase;
The Acidification Phase of the anaerobic process takes place in two
(2) ponds in series, each with a hydraulic retention time of 2 days.
Acid-forming anaerobic bacteria or acidogens convert the hydrolysed
complex organics into free fatty acids;
The Methanogenic Phase of the anaerobic process takes place in
two ponds in series a primary anaerobic pond of 30-day HRT and
an anaerobic maturation pond of 15-day HRT in which methane-
forming bacteria or methanogens convert the free fatty acids into
methane, carbon dioxide and other minor gases, and water;
The anaerobic ponds are typically 5 to 7 metres deep to prevent or
minimize introduction of oxygen through photosynthetic activity
and/or atmospheric penetration; and
The anaerobically-treated effluent is then treated aerobically in a
parallel-series system of four (4) facultative ponds having a combined
HRT of 8 days.

5-24

Figure 5.3: Anaerobic-cum-facultative Ponding System (Bi-phasic)


Land Irrigation
Tertiary treatment
Acidification
Pond No. 2
Sludge
Drying Beds
Anaerobic
Primary Anaerobic Pond
(30-Day HRT)
Primary
Anaerobic Pond
Facultative
Pond No. 1
Facultative
Pond No. 2

De-oiling Tank
(1.5-Day HRT)
Acidification
Pond No. 1
POME
Facultative
Pond No. 3
Facultative
Pond No. 4
Biomass Recycle (1:1 Ratio)

5-25
The facultative ponds are relatively shallow with depths of between 1 and 1.5
metres to enable sunlight penetration and algal photosynthesis which is the
source of the oxygen needed by the aerobic microorganisms;
Sludge accumulated at the bottom of the ponds is periodically pumped using
submersible slurry pumps onto the sand-drying beds or other sludge drying
options such as Geo-bags; the dewatered sludge is applied on the oil palm
plantation as soil conditioner.
The overall treatment efficiency of this type of treatment system is about 99.5%,
but extensive land areas are required.
The effluent from the anaerobic pond(s) is stabilized in the facultative pond(s) by
biochemical oxidation of organic matter using air from natural atmospheric
aeration as well as oxygen from algal photosynthesis. In the facultative pond, the
bacteria and algae co-exist symbiotically.
The bacteria decompose organic matter utilizing oxygen in the process and
generating carbon dioxide. During photosynthesis, the algae utilize the carbon
dioxide and produce oxygen. The dominant group of algae is the chlorella group.
A well-designed and operated anaerobic-cum-facultative ponding system is able
to treat POME to meet the prevailing DOE effluent standards for crude palm oil
mills.
The energy requirement of the anaerobic-facultative ponding system is minimal if
gravity flow is exploited throughout. Limited pumping is needed mainly for the
periodic transfer of sludge from the ponds to the sludge beds and the energy
requirement may be as low as 20 kW. A part-time attendant is sufficient to
maintain the treatment system.
b) Anaerobic-cum-Aerated Ponding System
This treatment system is similar to the Anaerobic-cum-Facultative Ponding
System, except that the facultative ponds are replaced with mechanically-aerated
ponds in which the oxygen for the aerobic biological processes is mechanically
supplied. However, the first-stage treatment also uses the anaerobic ponding
process, but the number of ponds and the basic design configurations may differ.
Facultative ponds are designed to be shallow for sunlight penetration and natural
oxygen-supply through algal photosynthesis, and therefore occupy extensive land
5-26
area. The use of mechanical surface aerators or diffused air aeration systems to
supply oxygen in the case of aerated ponds, enables the use of deeper ponds
which occupy much less land space. This type of treatment system also
produces a more consistent treated effluent quality.
c) Anaerobic Reactor-cum-Aerated Ponding System
This system combines the anaerobic process with the aerated pond. However,
the anaerobic process takes place in a tank digester instead of anaerobic ponds.
The anaerobic reactor processes have in the past found limited application in the
palm oil industry due to the high material and construction costs, whereas
available cheap plantation land and lower construction costs greatly favour the
land-intensive anaerobic ponding systems. However financial incentives through
the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the UN Framework Convention on
Clim ate Change (UNFCCC) have supported the application of this technology in
a number of existing and new mills.

Plate 5.7: Photo of tank digesters and biogas recovery system.
Tank digesters may have an open top or closed top for the purpose of increased
treatment efficiency as well as to enable biogas recovery. In the closed-type, the
biogas generated can be utilised as a source of energy. Plate 5.7 illustrates the
tank digester and biogas recovery systems.



5-27
The principal types of anaerobic reactor processes are briefly described below.
d) Conventional Anaerobic Digester
The conventional anaerobic digester is essentially a Continuous Stirred-Tank
Reactor (CSTR) with no solids recycle, i.e. the Mean Cell Residence Time
(MCRT) of the system equals the Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT). This type of
anaerobic reactor requires a longer HRT to prevent washout of microorganisms
and to achieve desired treatment efficiency. Mixing of the digester contents is
performed using mechanical stirrers, or alternatively by gas recirculation mixing in
which the biogas is recycled through an emitter and draught tube (refer Figure
5.4). The longer HRTs of up to 20 days required for this type of anaerobic
digestion process for POME significantly increase the cost of the system.

Figure 5.4: Anaerobic digester with gas recirculation mixing
Anaerobic Contact Process
The anaerobic contact process is the anaerobic equivalent of the activated
sludge process. In the anaerobic contact process, the raw wastewaters are
mixed with recycled sludge solids and then digested in a Continuously-Stirred
Digester Tank (CSTR). The anaerobic contact reactor includes a settling tank for
biological solids separation and recycles. Pond depths of up to 5 metres can be
applied, while the hydraulic retention time is usually between 15 and 20 days; i.e.
extended aeration.
5-28
The treatment efficiency of mechanically-aerated ponds is also generally higher;
the overall treatment efficiency of the anaerobic-cum-aerated ponding system
can exceed 99.8%; final BOD
3
concentrations of less than 100 mg/L are
consistently achievable. The operating costs are high due to the energy
consumption of the mechanical aeration equipment and added maintenance
requirements as formation in the CSTR normally continues to occur in the settling
tank, and this tends to inhibit effective settling of the biomass to enhanced
buoyancy of the suspended solids. This can be a major limitation of the process.
Design modifications are needed to overcome the problem such as degasification
and flocculated settling. This process has been used successfully for the
stabilization of high-strength soluble wastes.
Up-flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) Reactor
The UASB reactor system is based on upward flow of wastewater through a
suspended layer or sludge blanket of active biomass. The wastewater, which
enters at the bottom of the reactor, flows upward through the sludge blanket and
during contact with the biomass biochemical conversion of the organic matter to
methane and carbon dioxide gas occurs.
After passing through the sludge blanket, the supernatant liquor and biogas enter
a three phase gas-solid-liquid separator. The biogas is separated in an inverted
cone, while the liquor solids are allowed to settle in the settling zone. The treated
wastewater is discharged via an overflow weir. Reported data indicate very
favourable performance of UASB reactors. Design loading rates range between
8 and 17 kg COD/m
3
/day with COD removal efficiency of up to about 90%.
A typical Anaerobic Reactor-cum-Aerated Ponding System, which uses the open-
top and completely-mixed anaerobic tank digester, is shown schematically in
Figure 5.5. Anaerobic tank digesters are much more capital intensive than
anaerobic ponds, but have the following advantages:
Extremely compact and occupy a fraction of the space required by
anaerobic ponds;
Higher organic loading rates and therefore much shorter hydraulic
retention times;
HRTs are about 10 to 20 days for closed tank digesters compared to
about 45 to 80 days for anaerobic ponds;
5-29
Closed tank digesters with complete internal mixing and operating at the
high thermophilic temperature range of between 42 degree C and 55
degree C require an HRT of about 10 days or less;
The organic loading rate for closed-tank anaerobic digesters is typically
about 3.0 to 5.0 kg BOD
3
/m
3
/day;
Open tank digesters without internal mixing and operating at the normal
mesophilic temperature range of about 30 degree C to 35 degree C
require an HRT of about 20 days;
The organic loading rate for open tank anaerobic digesters is typically
about 0.8 to 1.0 kg BOD
3
/m
3
/day;
Higher treatment efficiency of between 60% and 90% BOD removal; and
Biogas generated can be recovered and utilised as energy source.

5-30

(Source: DOE Guidelines, 1991)
Figure 5.5: Typical Anaerobic Reactor-cum-Aerated Ponding System
Results of pilot studies on the treatment performance of a Thermophilic
Anaerobic Contact Process are presented in Table 5.5. The overall treatment
efficiency of the Anaerobic Reactor-cum-Aerated Ponding System exceeds
99.8% and can produce a treated effluent that consistently meets the DOE
prevailing BOD
3
standard of 100 mg/l.

5-31
Table 5.5: Performance of Thermophilic Anaerobic Contact Process
Parameter/Temperature 45
0
C 50
0
C 55
0
C 60
0
C+
BOD Loading, kg/m
3
/day 3.1* 3.4* 3.3 3.0
BOD Removal,
kg/m
3
/day
2.9 3.2 2.9 2.9
Gas Production, m
3
/day 28.8 36.0 47.0 42.5
Gas Yield, m
3
/kg BOD
added
0.9 1.1 1.4 1.4
Methane,

% 60 65 64 69
Hydraulic Retention
Time, Days
6 5 6 7
BOD Removal Efficiency,
%
92.6 93.3 89.9 96.0
5.4.2 Desludging/dewatering technology
Effluent can be pumped directly from the pond or if a clarifier/thickener is used,
effluent from the underflow can be diverted through a geo-textile container or
bag, eliminating the requirement for an expensive mechanical dewatering device.
Geo-textile units can be used to capture fines, silts, and total solid from the
effluent prior to discharge into the ponds.
Geo-textile bags or sacks will help separate and dewater the fines and allow
disposal without expensive dredging and transporting operations. Chemical
conditioners or polymers may be used to promote flocculation to improve solids
retention and filtrate quality.

5-32

Plate 5.8: Geo-textile dewatering containers.
Geo-textile containers (Plate 5.8) can also be used to utilize the fines to build
dikes and containment berm. The permeate will be either returned back into
pond or channelled out to downstream for further polishing for final compliance.
Simple installation: Because geo-textile containers can be custom-sized to the
application, they can be placed in available space between other structures, and
removed once dewatering is complete. Geo-textile technology is used for large
and small projects due to simplicity and low costs.
Geo-textile dewatering technology has been used in water and wastewater
treatment applications, including pond, tank and digester cleanouts. It can
provide dewatering and containment in one operation, with 60% to 7-% reduction
of BOD in the effluent.
Basic guidelines for desludging (DOE)
The following is a checklist used by DOE for desludging applications:
i. Distance of discharge area from water supply and information on nearest
river (the suggested distance of the holding pond from waterways must
not be less than 500 m)
ii. Desludging schedule
iii. Method to be used
5-33
iv. Engineering plans for the overall effluent treatment system that clearly
shows pond(s) to be desludged and holding ponds
v. Engineering plans for the holding pond that is to be constructed
vi. Basis for design calculations including quantity of effluent that can be
contained in the abovementioned pond
vii. Soil type where the abovementioned pond is to be constructed (if the
holding pond is to be constructed on peat or sandy soils, a non-permeable
layer to avoid penetration needs to be prepared
viii. Precautionary measures for desludging effects and steps to control it
Applications for desludging must provide the following information:
i. Time
Work can only be carried out during dry season
Work can only be carried out during low crop season and not
during peak crop season
ii. Method used
Pump is used to transfer effluent
Effluent from the pond to be desludged needs to be separated by
pumping the effluent to a temporary holding pond
After desludging, effluent from the temporary holding pond needs
to be pumped back
iii. Area (plan/drawings)
Related effluent treatment ponds
Temporary holding ponds
Land irrigation area in plantations
Nearest waterway or river (not less than 500 m)
All locations must be shown in the drawings
5-34
iv. Precautionary and control measures
Includes precautionary measures for potential problems during
desludging works
Actions that need to be taken if problems arise
Examples of problems: breached barriers, weather, and accidental
effluent leakages during transfer process, etc.
v. Pond volume calculations
Total volume of pond to be desludged
Total volume of temporary holding pond
Total volume of holding pond needs to be 10% less than the pond
to be desludged
Volume = P X L X D where P is length, L is width and D is depth
vi. Retention time
Important for determining the number of days allowed for desludging
a pond
Retention time = Pond volume / effluent flow rate where effluent flow
rate is the total effluent produced in a single day during the milling
process
Some additional tips on effluent pond design:
Input and throughput of the mill should be carefully calculated to ensure
the design of corresponding retention ponds are sufficient to handle
effluent produced.
It is advisable to deliberately over-design capacity and retention ponds to
accommodate peak FFB harvest seasons. Calculations for this should
also take into consideration the fact that most oil palm mills tend to buy
FFB from smallholder producers in addition to FFB from their own estates.
5-35
5.4.3 Tertiary Treatment
DOE encourages all palm oil mills to invest in Tertiary Treatment to enable the
POME treatment to meet the target of BOD 20mg/l. A range of technologies to
enhance POME treatment are available (see Table 5.6 below for summary):
Table 5.6: Brief Description of Technologies for Tertiary Treatment of POME
Technology Description
Mechanical
Aerators
Floating
Surface
Aerator
Floating surface aerators work in a similar
manner to fountains, but they do not offer the
same aesthetic appearance. Floating surface
aerators are powered by electricity.
Additionally, surface aerators are limited to a
small area as they are unable to add
circulation or oxygen to an 810 foot radius.
This circulation and oxygenating is then
limited to the first portion of the water
column, often leaving the bottom portions
unaffected.
Floating Jet
Aerator
The jet mechanical aeration operates by
creating a partial vacuum under the water.
Under a low to medium speed propeller, and
drawing air through a hollow shaft and
dispersing the oxygen into the water in a
horizontal/side-angled direction. As the
propeller rotates, it induces a flow of
atmospheric oxygen through the air intake
ports and in assistance of an air blower
which will provide sufficient air supply, the air
is dispersing and diffused into fine bubble
size. A very good performance of dissolved
air diffusion is thus created and meets the
requirements of fine bubble diffusers air
systems for an optimum approx. 2 to 2.2
millimetre air bubbles.


5-36
Table 5.6: Brief Description of Technologies for Tertiary Treatment of
POME (cntd)
Technology Description

Paddlewheel
Aerator
Paddlewheel aerators also utilize air-to-water
contact to transfer oxygen from the air in the
atmosphere to the pond. They are most often
used in the aquaculture (rearing aquatic
animals or cultivating aquatic plants for food)
field. Constructed of a hub with attached
paddles, these aerators are usually powered
by a tractor power take-off (PTO), a gas
engine, or an electric motor. They tend to be
mounted on floats. Electricity forces the
paddles to turn, churning the water and
allowing oxygen transfer through air-water
contact. As each new section of water is
churned, it absorbs oxygen from the air and
then upon its return to the water, restores it
to the pond. In this regard paddlewheel
aeration works very similarly to floating
surface aerators.
Submerged
Membrane
Diffuser
Aerator
Fine bubble aeration is widely accepted as
the most efficient way to transfer oxygen to a
pond. A blower on shore pumps air through
a hose, which is connected to an underwater
aeration unit. Attached to the unit are a
number of diffusers. These diffusers come in
the shape of discs, plates, tubes or hoses
that are constructed from glass-bonded
silica, porous ceramic plastic, or perforated
membranes made from EPDM (ethylene
propylene diene Monomer) rubber. With
EPDM rubber units, there are approximately
eight thousand holes per disk through which
air is diffused. When the air is pumped
through the hose it reaches the diffuser
membranes and is then released into the
water at a rate of roughly 30-50 thousand
bubbles per second.
Roughing
Filter
Roughing Filter Solid Contact (RFSC) -
RFSC utilizes special biofilters that are used
5-37
Table 5.6: Brief Description of Technologies for Tertiary Treatment of
POME (cntd)
Technology Description
Aeration
System
to reduce heavy organic loadings to activated
sludge units, or other similar secondary
treatment process unit. Most new roughing
filter installations are now utilizing a plastic
type media on which to grow their zoogleal
film. These units are installed to
substantially reduce the organic loading to a
downstream secondary process.
Advanced
Treatment
Systems
Ultra
Filtration
System
Ultra filtration is a separation process using
membranes with pore sizes in the range of
0.1 to 0.001 micron. Typically, ultra filtration
will remove high molecular-weight
substances, colloidal materials, and organic
and inorganic polymeric molecules. Low
molecular-weight organics and ions such as
sodium, calcium, magnesium chloride, and
sulphate are not removed. Because only
high-molecular weight species are removed,
the osmotic pressure differential across the
membrane surface is negligible. Low applied
pressures are therefore sufficient to achieve
high flux rates from an ultra filtration
membrane.
Membrane
Bio-Reactor
Membrane Bioreactors combine conventional
biological treatment processes with
membrane filtration to provide an advanced
level of organic and suspended solids
removal. When designed accordingly, these
systems can also provide an advanced level
of nutrient removal. In an MBR system, the
membranes are submerged in an aerated
biological reactor. The membranes have
porosities ranging from 0.035 microns to 0.4
microns (depending on the manufacturer),
which is considered between micro and ultra
filtration. This level of filtration allows high
quality effluent to be drawn through the
membranes and eliminates the
sedimentation and filtration processes
5-38
Table 5.6: Brief Description of Technologies for Tertiary Treatment of
POME (cntd)
Technology Description
typically used for wastewater treatment.
Because the need for sedimentation is
eliminated, the biological process can
operate at a much higher mixed liquor
concentration. This dramatically reduces the
process tankage required and allows many
existing plants to be upgraded without adding
new tanks To provide optimal aeration and
scour around the membranes, the mixed
liquor is typically kept in the 1.0-1.2% solids
range, which is 4 times that of a conventional
plant.
Multimedia
Filter
The process of filtration involves the flow of
water through a granular bed, of sand or
another suitable media, at a low speed. The
media retains most solid matter while
permitting the water to pass. The process of
filtration is usually repeated to ensure
adequate removal of unwanted particles in
the water. This type of slow filtration over a
granular bed. It is the oldest method of
filtration but still widely used in municipal
water treatment plants today.
Clarifier
System
Clarification is the separation of solids from
the liquid stream to produce a clarified
effluent with low effluent suspended solids
(ESS) levels. Thickening is the conveyance
of sludge particles to the bottom of the tank,
resulting in a slightly concentrated underflow,
or return activated sludge (RAS). The
clarifier most important function is to clarify
and only permit supernatant with minimum
solid to overflow into the final discharge.

5-39
This study concludes that the polishing plant technologies available in the market
are still in the learning curve to consistently treat the POME to comply with the
BOD
3
< 20 mg/l. Based on information gathered, the design of the polishing plant
is on the right track of moving toward achieving final discharges of < 20 mg/l. It
has been suggested that MPOB and DOE should take the lead continuously to
source and evaluate the technology from time to time for the purpose of
improving the system to comply with the BOD
3
< 20 mg/l.
Currently, all polishing systems are focusing on the aspects below as further
improvements of the BOD issue:
Improving the anaerobic digestion process.
Improving the aerobic digestion process.
Filtration of the suspend solids as a final polishing state.
However, results gathered indicate that none of the tertiary plants are
consistently producing final discharge samples with BOD
3
< 20 mg/l but the
inconsistency of the results may not due solely due to system performance. As
shown in this study, human operations and maintenance schedules need to be
taken into serious consideration.
In order to ensure polishing plants are performing efficiently, implementation of
the operate and manage concept by system providers are strongly
recommended. This way, system providers are required to guarantee the
polishing plants performance allowing mill owners to focus on their core business
without doubting the performance of treatment systems installed.
In this scenario, implementation of all best practices on operations and
maintenance by the system provider can be enforced effectively and they can
continuously improve the polishing system to strive toward achieving final
discharge compliance on BOD
3
< 20 mg/l.
In addition, it has also been suggested that technology providers of tertiary
polishing plants/other technologies at acceptable cost should:(a) voluntarily
register themselves with MPOB, as agreed in the DOE-MPOB-MPOA Working
Committee on tertiary treatment technologies, (b) provide suitable training for an
adequate period for operators, (c) be associated with the clients for at least 3
5-40
years instead of a turnkey basis, (d) provide detailed Standard Operating
Procedures, and (e) supply quality parts and components from reliable sources.
Findings from MPOBs Seminar and Workshop on Palm Oil Mill Effluent Tertiary
Treatment Technologies (POMET3) in July 2010 also echo the study findings
above: despite the importance of POME tertiary treatment systems, further
research is needed to ensure that the treatment systems consistently meet
present effluent discharge requirements. The following is a summary of
POMET3:
Four main issues were discussed:
Industrys experience with tertiary treatment plants
Many mills were unable to consistently meet the 20mg/l requirement with
their existing plants.
Current technologies on tertiary/polishing plants
Most technology providers agreed that their technology is not able to
achieve BOD
3
20 mg/l using biological processes alone and will only meet
the requirement if it is coupled with chemical treatments followed by
proper operation and maintenance.
New technologies on tertiary and polishing plants
The latest technology available for POME tertiary treatment includes
membrane, chemical and physical polishing, microfiltration and ozonation
technology. These technologies are widely used for other wastewater
treatment but are yet to be fully tested for POME.
It is worth noting that a joint project by DOE and MPOB to assess BOD
3
<
20 mg/l compliance in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak is
ongoing and it is hoped that further guidance will be provided by MPOB
and DOE on this matter in the near future.

5-41
5.5 BMP 5: CONTROL OF OIL SPILLAGES AND LEAKS
Oil spillages and leaks can be quite significant, especially, in the press station
and the oil clarification station due to poor equipment maintenance and improper
operation. These conditions not only lead to excessive oil losses but also
contribute to extremely high waste treatment loads and treatment costs. Regular
preventative maintenance and strict operator supervision are needed to minimize
such occurrences.
Good design and the proper operation of oil traps are important as in-plant
measures to enable oil recovery and minimize oil losses before the waste load
reaches the wastewater treatment plant. Oil traps may be located in individual
stations such as the press room and clarification station. However, a single well-
designed oil trap may also be used to remove residual oil from the combined
sterilizer condensate and clarification station wastewaters. The oil trap should be
designed for a hydraulic retention time of at least one (1) day and provided with
an adequate number of baffled compartments to enhance turbulent mixing and
release of oil to the wastewater surface for removal.
The temperature of the combined sterilizer condensate and clarification station
wastewaters is usually about 80 to 90
o
C, and at this temperature the oil is able to
separate out from the wastewater quite easily. Some mill operators also use
steam or a hot water jet to further aid oil separation and removal of the floating oil
layer.
5.6 BMP 6: SEPARATION OF EFFLUENT AND
STORMWATER DRAINAGE SYSTEMS
Palm oil mills should have separate sets of drains for stormwater and effluent. If
using a combined system, this can pose a difficult problem in relation to effluent
treatment, particularly in tropical climates where intensive rainfall often results in
a surge of stormwater entering the effluent drains and the treatment system. The
sudden surge of stormwater, especially during initial rainfall, will cause excessive
dilution of the effluent as well as washout of the essential active biomass from the
treatment system. The net result is a recurrent drop in treatment efficiency
following periods of intense rainfall.
In order to avoid this problem, it is crucial that a separate system of drains be
provided for collecting and transporting the effluent from the milling operations to
the treatment system. It is also important to ensure the following:
5-42
Roofs of factory buildings are properly equipped with perimeter rainfall
gutters and drain pipes to channel the rainfall to the stormwater drainage
system; and
Stormwater from the factory yard, paved areas and plantation land is
prevented from entering the effluent drainage system, especially in the
case of open effluent drains.
5.7 BMP 7: PROPER INTERIM STORAGE OF SOLID
WASTE MATERIALS
The following solid waste materials are generated and sometimes stored
temporarily at interim sites in the factory before being moved to long-term storage
facilities for use or ultimate disposal:
Empty fruit bunches (EFB);
Mesocarp fibre and shell;
Decanter and sludge centrifuge solids and residues; and
Boiler and incinerator ash.
It is important to ensure that during interim storage of these materials they do not
gain access into effluent or stormwater drainage systems. The areas in which
these materials are temporarily stored should be away from drains, and it is
preferred that these areas are provided with containment measures and
sheltered from rainfall. The objective is to prevent these materials from finding
access into effluent or stormwater drains and contributing to the pollution load
entering the wastewater treatment systems or public watercourses.
5.8 BMP 8: ENHANCING LAND IRRIGATION SYSTEMS
FOR TREATED POME
The palm oil industry generates a large quantity of effluent, usually about 0.5 to
1.0 cubic meter per tonne FFB processed. The application of the treated effluent
to appropriate cropland, not only provides water to the vegetation, but is also a
means of ultimate disposal of the effluent. As the effluent percolates through the
soil the organic matter is reduced substantially by filtration, adsorption and
biological degradation.
5-43
Treated effluent is applied to cropland at rates corresponding to the moisture
requirement of the particular crop as well as soil type (different adsorption levels).
The effluent is pumped to distribution tanks and then applied directly onto the
cropland by gravity flow or by pumping onto a system of inter-row flatbeds, long-
beds or furrows. The available methods of land-irrigation of effluent are briefly
described in the following sections. The choice of the method of application for
any plantation depends on several factors, such as soil-type, climatic conditions
and the terrain of the area. The following are some basic guidelines on
enhancing land irrigation systems for treated POME based on ground
observations from field visits to land irrigation sites as part of the overall study.
The main consequence of not properly implementing land irrigation systems is
the risk of overflows and leakages into natural watercourses, which is highly
undesirable.
5.8.1 Planning land irrigation systems
In designing and planning for land irrigation systems, it is important to incorporate
findings from research/studies on the area allocated for land irrigation, land
topography as well as soil type and permeability. Proposed land irrigation sites
should not be located near natural watercourses and important human health
facilities like water treatment plants. This is to reduce health risks in the event of
accidental overflows or leaks. Palm oil mills have to allocate sufficient area/land
for irrigating treated POME. This calculation should be based on the production
capacity of the mill and type of effluent treatment system employed to ultimately
determine the daily amount and rate of POME produced. This information
combined with results of soil permeability studies and land surveys should be
sufficient to estimate the amount of area required for land irrigation. As with
designing effluent treatment ponds, it is advisable to over-design the land
irrigation system as contingency to allow for any unforeseen increases in POME
production in the near future. Areas rich in clay or other impermeable soils as
well as areas with naturally high water tables should be avoided. Low lying areas
that are constantly flooded should also be avoided.
5.8.2 Implementing land irrigation systems
Proper implementation of the abovementioned land irrigation plans is crucial.
Knowledgeable staff should oversee the construction of the system to ensure
design criteria are met. It is advisable to implement a maintenance schedule
action plan to ensure land irrigation systems are not silted-up or clogged and are
5-44
structurally sound to avoid overflows and leakages. Pipes used to transport
treated effluent should also be checked regularly to ensure there is no leakage.
The entire land irrigation system should be a closed system with minimal or zero
surface flow to the environment.
Day to day operations of the land irrigation system should be managed by
knowledgeable staff to ensure there are no accidental overflows. This is
especially crucial for manual systems where filling up of trenches with treated
effluent or operation of sprinklers rely on the discretion of the operator. It is
important to consider weather conditions/trends when applying POME to land
irrigation systems. Application during periods of heavy rainfall should be avoided
as there will be a high risk of overflows occurring. Continuous monitoring of land
irrigation systems is another important component to detect any potential
problems at an early stage.
The available methods of land irrigation of effluent are briefly described below:
a) Flatbed and Long-Bed Systems
The flatbed system consists of a series of shallow bunded-beds of about 15
centimetre depth. Flatbeds system is suitable for digested effluent and is usually
applied on undulating and hilly areas. The system would ensure uniform
distribution of treated POME to the palms.
They are constructed along alternate inter-rows and usually occupy about one
third of the inter-row space between oil palm trees. These flatbeds are inter-
connected by channels. The treated POME is allowed to flow by gravity, or
otherwise pumped to the topmost bed and then flows by gravity from bed-to-bed.
When the lowest bed is filled up, the channel is closed and the effluent is directed
to the next row of beds. This is continued until all the beds are filled. In flat
terrain, the long-bed system is adopted in which the construction is similar to the
flatbed, except that each bed may be as much as 70 metres in length.

5-45


Plate 5.9: Long bed systems for land irrigation.
b) Spray-Line-Sprinkler Irrigation System
Generally the sprinkler system is well adapted to flat and gently undulating, with
good infiltration type of soils. The system is more suitable for mature palms. The
treated POME is applied by means of a fixed or movable spray-line sprinkler
system. This system consists of a network of pipes with attached sprinkler heads
spaced at regular intervals within the cropland. The fixed network system covers
the entire cropland with a system of manually operated valves that are used to
distribute the effluent to selected segments of the cropland on a rotation basis.
The movable spray-line is more economical as it need not cover the entire
cropland, and consists of a detachable network of pipes and valves and a set of
detachable sprinkler heads that can be moved, installed and used segment by
segment of the cropland. Some of the problems associated with this system
include blockages of pipes and clogging of sprinklers, and occasional pipe burst,
if the system is not maintained and operated properly.
c) Tractor-Tanker Spraying System
The equipment required for this system is a tractor-tanker and centrifugal pump.
Treated POME is transported to the field in a tractor-drawn tanker. The effluent
is applied onto the cropland by spray-pumping with the assistance of a centrifugal
5-46
pump mounted on the tanker. This system is also suitable for commercial
application in oil palm area with a flat to gently undulating terrain.
Environmental regulations for the palm oil industry have undergone vast changes
over the past decade. The Department of Environment has imposed increasingly
stringent standards for POME discharge into watercourses, especially for new
palm oil mills. In some pollution-sensitive areas, palm oil mills are not allowed to
discharge effluent with a BOD
3
exceeding 20 mg/l, while in certain strategic areas
requiring stringent pollution prevention a zero-discharge requirement has been
imposed.
Most POME treatment plants have been constructed to meet a BOD
3

concentration limit of 100 mg/l. This effluent BOD
3
limit is ordinarily achievable if
the treatment systems are well-designed and operated. Nevertheless, it is
observed that not all palm oil mills comply with the discharge standard
consistently or at all the times. Therefore, there may be a need to review the
waste management strategies for palm oil mills.
Present trends in industrial waste management are towards waste minimization
at source and/or recycling of wastes. Over the last 10 years, the paradigm of
management of palm oil mill wastes has shifted from treatment and disposal to
beneficial utilization of an asset. POME contains substantial quantities of
valuable plant nutrients and may be used as a fertilizer substitute. Land-
application of POME has become a standard practice for those mills with oil palm
plantations or other suitable cropland nearby. This has resulted in substantial
savings in fertilizer costs and increased incomes from higher FFB or other crop
yields. Box 5.2 provides further information on the concept of land application of
POME.

5-47
Land Application of POME
In terms of volume and polluting potentials, the palm oil mill effluent (POME)
generated by the palm oil industry is tremendous and certainly needs proper
management by both the industry and government authorities. Under the
Environmental Quality Act (1974), palm oil mills are required to treat their effluent
to a prescribed level before final discharge into the waterways. The practice of
treating and discharging effluents into the waterways is not only costly and a
waste of a valuable resource, but will also pollute the river and affect its water
quality. This is because POME is essentially organic wastes but high in plant
nutrient contents, and thus could be recycled as inorganic fertilizer replacements
for many crops including oil palm.
The volume of POME production on the average palm oil mill is about 65 to 70
percent for every tonne of fresh fruit bunch (FFB) processed. Based on this rate,
the annual production of raw POME from mills with processing capacity ranging
from 30 to 80 tonnes per hour can be computed as shown in the following Table:
Annual Rate of
Production
Mill Processing Capacity (T FFB/Hr)
30 40 60 80
Total FFB processed
(capacity x 16hr x 300
days
144,000 192,000 288,000 394,000
Effluent Production
(FFB x 0,67%)
96,480 128,640 192,960 257,280
Sources: Zin et al.(1990)
Palm oil mill effluent is essentially non-toxic and is highly polluting. The solid
content of POME comprises of mainly fruit constituents and small amounts of
material eroded or otherwise picked up from processing machinery, in a
suspended or dissolved state. The suspended is predominantly colloidal, mainly
carbohydrate in nature, plus oil and other organic and inorganic solids. POME in
the fresh form has an extremely high concentration of biochemical and oxygen
demands (BOD and COD) and also high in plant nutrient contents, especially for
nitrogen and potassium. After treatment processes, various types of POME are
Box 5.2: Land Application of POME as practiced in Peninsular Malaysia
5-48
available and their chemical composition are shown in the Table below:

Types of POME
Chemical Composition (mg/L)
BOD Total N Total P Total K Total Mg
Raw 25,000 948 154 1,958 345
Digested (Anaerobic)
Stirred tank
Supernatant
Bottom slurry

1,300
450
1000-3000

900
450
3,552

120
70
1,180

1,800
1,200
2,387

300
280
1,509
Digested (Aerobic)
Supernatant
Bottom slurry

100
150-300

52
1.495

12
461

2,300
2,378

539
1,004
Sources: Zin et al.(1990)
Generally, anaerobic digestion of POME may drastically reduce the BOD
concentrations but at the same time much of the nutrients, especially nitrogen
and potassium may be lost through leaching and settling of sludge solids at the
bottom fraction of the pond. In the tank digestion treatment system, the effluent
liquor is kept agitated and stirred and the process does not greatly change the
nutrient contents. The breaking down of organic solids into less complex
molecules would make it more readily available for plant uptake. From nutritional
point of view, the tank digested effluent would make a good source of plant
nutrients especially for recycling in the field.
POME application on land
The principles underlying the concept of POME application on land is utilization,
which is distinct from the terms discharge or disposal. In real terms, utilization is
interpreted as making use of the effluent through returning or recycling the POME
onto cropped land by means of controlled application techniques, with a view of
deriving agronomic benefits from such practice and with minimal environmental
impacts. This is in contrast with the terms discharge or disposal, which is defined
as the act of uncontrolled release of the effluent (with or without pre-treatment)
from the mill into watercourse or onto land. In 1990, the Malaysian Palm Oil
Board (then known as PORIM) has set a guidelines on application of POME on
land for the palm oil industry (Zin, et al., 1990).
The utilization concept seeks to make a practical use of POME as a valuable
resource. This concept could be approached in several ways in which land
5-49
application is considered as one of the techniques. The rationale behind this
concept is that whatever is removed from the soil-crop system is safe enough to
be returned or recycled back to the cropped land by means of controlled
application techniques. POME has been proven to be a good source of organic
fertilizers and is currently available in large volume at little cost. Applied at rates
corresponding to the nutrient requirement of crops, it will not have detrimental
impact on the environment. Studies have shown that soil-plant system is an
effective natural filter capable of screening undesirable contaminants in the
effluent during the process of land application.
It is important to point out that excess rates of POME application could be
detrimental to the performance of the crop and the environment. Excess
application could results in crop yield to decline due to water logging and
anaerobic condition which affect the growth of the palm. For mature palms, the
maximum rate of POME application should be based on twice the rate of nitrogen
requirement of the palm or a maximum equivalent of 650 kg N per hectare per
year. In terms of frequency, application should be spread out at no less than
three rounds a year and each application should not exceed 2.5cm rain
equivalent.
When POME is applied onto soils, the organic and inorganic constituents it
contains may be retained by the soil, taken up by the palm, leached through the
soil or washed by surface run-offs. There is a need to monitor the subsurface
water quality in land application of POME scheme. Groundwater quality should
be monitored immediately below the water-table surface near the site of
application. This is to ensure that any polluting materials entering the
groundwater system which have a tendency to remain in the upper layer are
detected.
Note that land application of POME as practiced in Peninsular Malaysia (primarily
for fertilizer value) is different to land irrigation of fully treated effluent as practiced
in Sabah (which is primarily for disposal of treated effluent avoiding direct
discharge to rivers).


6-1
CHAPTER 6



MONITORING AND
STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS
6.1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter provides guidance on monitoring, use of appropriate technology and
maintaining good stakeholder relations. Issues described include:
Public participation in monitoring (of the requirements to meet regulations
and methodologies);
Monitoring of pollution Parameters of POME treatment systems;
Monitoring work using appropriate technology (real time telemetry);
Self-regulation by plantations and mills; and
Good stakeholder relations.
Within the State Structure Plan 2020, three recommendations were made
specifically to strengthen current environmental protection and monitoring within
the State, i.e.:
Development and implementation of protection and monitoring tools, such
as rules, regulations and standards.
This amongst others include calling for new environmental regulations
such as for oil palm plantations, enabling the environmental audit of
natural resources management and protection, and setting up of inter-

6-2
departmental Environmental Monitoring Committee to consider all aspects
of monitoring with coordinating/ monitoring agencies.
Development of the application of the EIA tool
It is now considered that improvements in the environmental screening
related to the land alienation and development plan procedures provides
better opportunities for environmental planning. Although the exercise
may reduce the number of EIAs required but it will improve the
effectiveness of the tool.
Development of specific policies and actions plans for environmental
protection.
Development of policies and action plans for specific environmental areas
of concern. This could include for example the protection of river reserves
and river water quality, etc.
6.2 MONITORING OF POLLUTION CONTROL AND
EFFLUENT TREATMENT FACILITIES
There is a need for more comprehensive monitoring of the pollution control
systems of palm oil mills especially for treatment of POME. At present the work
undertaken by DOE primarily relates to collection and testing of water samples
from the final discharge point of the POME treatment system. The current
inspections generally do not determine the compliance with other approval
requirements and do not look at the functioning of pollution control systems to
determine the problems (if any) with their operation.
The Industrial Processes and the Environment, Handbook No.3, for Crude Palm
Oil Industry (DOE, 1999) provides clear, detailed guidelines on the inspection of
palm oil mills which include industrial processes and effluent treatment systems.
Comprehensive inspections are an optimal tool to monitor, assess and identify
where facilities are inadequate and improvements can be made.
It is proposed that in future, at least two inspections shall be made at each mill
every year. The inspections shall include focus on (1) water consumption and
pollution loading, (2) pond design and construction, and (3) pond maintenance
(including mechanical equipment and desludging activities) (4) Land irrigation.

6-3
The inspections are expected to yield better records on the mills and provide
enforcement officers with opportunity to directly engage mill managers on any
issues or problems. Inspection procedures could be varied according to the
performance of the mills with mills with high performance ratings as well as
those which are RSPO certified being inspected less often.
The reinforced monitoring and enforcement programme should include:
Amendment of sampling frequency, visit objective and monitoring schedule.
Evaluation of mill control parameter log sheet should be included on every visit.
Evaluation checklist consisting important parameters should be included to
ensure all the monitoring procedures are implemented effectively.
6.3 SELF-REGULATION BY PLANTATIONS AND MILLS
In order to encourage good practices and to make more efficient use of resources
for monitoring and enforcement of regulations self regulation and reporting by
oil palm plantations and mills is encouraged. A suggested self-monitoring
checklist for monitoring POME treatment systems is provided under Annex 5.
Several mechanisms to promote good practice and self-regulation have been
established. These include: ISO 14000 standards, Roundtable on Sustainable
Palm Oil (RSPO) Principles and Criteria and Certification Systems and the
Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) Code of Practice.
6.3.1 RSPO
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) was established in 2004 with
the principal objective of promoting the growth and use of sustainable palm oil
through co-operation within the supply chain and open dialogue between its
stakeholders. The RSPOs Principles & Criteria (P&C) was finalised in 2007 and
is the performance standard for certification of sustainable palm oil. It takes into
account responsible social and environmental management issues as well as
good agricultural and mill operation practices. The P&C consist of 8 principles,
39 criteria and 123 specific national indicators. The eight principles are described
in Box 6.1 below and selected criteria are elaborated in Annex 6.

6-4
Box 6.1: The Eight Principles from RSPOs Principles and Criteria
Principle 1: Commitment to transparency
Principle 2: Compliance with applicable laws and regulations
Principle 3: Commitment to long-term economic and financial viability
Principle 4: Use of appropriate best practices by growers and millers
Principle 5: Environmental responsibility and conservation of natural resources
and biodiversity
Principle 6: Responsible consideration of employees and of individuals and
communities by growers and millers
Principle 7: Responsible development of new plantings
Principle 8: Commitment to continuous improvement in key areas of activity
Principle 1 stresses the need for transparency this includes making available
information on practices and achievements to appropriate stakeholders. Principle
2 relates to compliance with laws and regulations including those relating to EIA
and treatment of mill effluent. Principle 4 stresses the need to implement best
management practices, which includes: (1) the minimization and control of
erosion and degradation of soils, (2) the maintenance of surface and ground
water quality and availability and (3) the implementation of integrated pest
management strategies that minimize the use of agrochemicals.
As of March 2009, about 117,388.8 ha of oil palm estates and 17 mills have been
certified by RSPO in Malaysia (Table 6.1). Over half of these areas are located
in the east coast of Sabah.


6-5
Table 6.1: RSPO Certified Palm Oil Estates and Mills in Malaysia
Company Location
No. of
Mills
Size of Estates
(Ha.)
IOI Corporation Sandakan,
Sabah
1 13460.0
Kulim Johor 3 22175.7
PPB Oils Beluran, Sabah 3 19355.0
Sime Darby Plantations Sandakan,
Sabah
1 11966.0
Sime Darby Plantations Kunak/Tawau,
Sabah
3 14729.1
United Plantations Perak/Selangor 6 35703.0
TOTAL 17 117388.8
Source: RSPO (2009)
Although not all companies operating in Sabah are RSPO members some of
the companies with large areas of plantations such as Sime Darby Berhad and
PBB Oils are active members. The member organizations are in the process of
certifying all their mills in Sabah together with the associated plantations
according to a time-bound plan. Refer to www.rspo.org for updates on recently
certified mills.
6.3.2 MPOA
The members of the Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA), which groups
many of the oil palm companies in Sabah, have also made a commitment in the
form of the MPOA Environmental Charter (see Box 6.2)



6-6
Box 6.2: : MPOAs Environmental Charter
We, the members of MPOA, hereby declare that we care for the well-being of
our environment. We are committed to protect and conserve it for future
generations. We shall strive to maintain good balance between environmental
conservation and business objectives. We shall therefore aim to use natural
resources in an ecologically sustainable manner.
We Shall:
Establish appropriate infrastructures and responsibility for environmental affairs
within our organizations and carry out appropriate and routine assessment and
reporting procedures on such matters;
Endeavour to preserve high conservation value tropical forest and natural areas
of unique scientific, historical and cultural interest for posterity;
Undertake to carry out Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) studies on new
land development in compliance with Department of Environment (DOE)
requirements;
Adhere and conform to all relevant environmental legislation of the country;
Adopt and implement best management practice at all times currently
established in the Industry;
Take judicious actions to minimize environmental pollution;
Operate with due regard for the welfare, health and safety of employees, the
local community and the wider public;
Educate our employees and our business partners to accept, uphold and apply
this Charter judiciously.



6-7
6.4 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN MONITORING
Studies have shown that government agencies are currently facing shortages in
manpower and resources to carry out efficient monitoring of river water quality
and pollution issues. Increasing public participation in monitoring can help meet
these deficiencies. Options for this can include:
Conduct awareness-building sessions for the public and local
communities to increase awareness of the importance of healthy rivers
and empower them to play a watchdog role to help monitor cases of river
pollution and non-compliance with approval conditions.
Explore the potential deployment of voluntary, community or honorary
wardens (similar to SWDs endorsement and utilization of Honorary
Wildlife Wardens for enforcement) for each river to address manpower
and resource problems faced by government agencies in terms of
monitoring.
Allocate Resources for 3
rd
party monitoring by NGOs or environmental
audit professionals of oil palm plantation management and
implementation of BMPs.
Make available on the web all approval conditions, layout plans,
designated river reserves, pollution control plans etc. to enable monitoring
and verification by NGOs and community groups.
Publish monthly POME treatment system effluent discharge results to
DOE website as well as actions taken to manage and improve effluent
treatment systems.
Conduct awareness-building and training for oil palm plantations, palm oil
mills and government agencies to increase awareness and technical
know-how on self-monitoring and monitoring plans.
Schedule periodic dialogue sessions with local stakeholders affected by
mill operations to gather additional feedback and information.
Develop and implement public feedback mechanism(s) to allow local
communities to provide information to government agencies and/or Oil

6-8
Palm plantation managers/ Palm oil mill operators in terms of cases where
pollution is occurring.
The Sabah Wildlife Department has had good experience in the
appointment of villagers and representatives of NGOs, plantation
companies and others as honorary wardens. More than 200 Honorary
Wildlife wardens have been appointed in Sabah. The appointment of
honorary wildlife wardens is provided for under Section 7 of the Wildlife
Conservation Enactment 1997. This is either to assist in carrying into
effect the provisions of the Enactment. The appointment of an honorary
wildlife warden shall, be made for a period of three years but may be
renewable. Before any person is appointed an honorary wildlife warden,
he or she will have to attend a two and a half day course. This is to
familiarize the participant with the offences and penalties provided for in
the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997; with the enforcement
procedures in accordance to the requirements of the Wildlife
Conservation Enactment 1997, Penal Code and Evidence Act; and
understand the roles and responsibilities of honorary wildlife wardens.
An honorary wildlife warden is empowered with the power of arrest and
supplied with a warrant card and vest to be used in carrying out duties in
their respective area. They are required to submit a report to the
department on their activities and any recommendations once every three
months.
Villagers appointed as honorary wildlife wardens had also assisted the
department staff in putting to an end illegal poaching activities in their
respective area. Representatives of NGOs such as WWF appointed as
wildlife wardens have played a very useful role in minimizing degradation
or clearing of riverine corridors along the Kinabatangan River and similar
approach could be applied to other rivers such as the Segama River.
This same concept could be adapted further by the Environment
Protection Department to develop a community river patrol group or river
ranger group.


6-9
6.5 TECHNOLOGY FOR MONITORING
There are a range of options for the use of appropriate technology to support the
monitoring of oil palm plantations and mills. One of the most useful technologies
is remote sensing in particular satellite monitoring.
Satellite imagery is very useful to monitor the protection of river reserves and
high conservation value (HCV) areas and ensure that they are not converted to
oil palm plantations. Satellite monitoring can also help with monitoring of
development of steep slopes or other environmentally sensitive areas. They can
also be used to confirm whether or not cover crops, silt traps and other measures
to reduce erosion during initial planting or replanting activities. The layout of mill
sites and treatment ponds can also be verified in relation to distance from rivers.
They can also be used to detect new oil palm developments which may or may
not have submitted EIAs.
In order to determine detailed issues such as river reserves or land clearing
techniques high resolution images such as DigiGlobe or IKONOS images are
required. Detection of new plantation development can utilize lower resolution
images such as Landsat (currently available free), SPOT or Aster.
Examples on the use of satellite imagery are shown in Figures 6.1 to 6.8 in the
proceeding pages.

6-10

Figure 6.1: Satellite Image of land clearing and terracing in Segama River
Catchment October 2005


6-11

Figure 6.2: Satellite Image of Oil Palm Plantation Adjacent to HCVF area in
Segama River Basin February 2005


6-12

Figure 6.3: Satellite Image of oil Palm Development Without Cover Crop
October 2005, Segama River Catchment


6-13

Figure 6.4 : Oil Palm development in Reclaimed Mangrove Forest Near to
Tawau Showing Large Areas with Water Logging and Poor Growth


6-14

Figure 6.5: Satellite Image to Show Variable Application of River Reserve on
Either Side of the River


6-15

Figure 6.6: Satellite Image from February 2005 Showing Proximity of POM and
POME Treatment Ponds to Segama River (100m Yellow Line). Also note the
High Growth of Vegetation on Inlet Pond Indicating Possible Seepage from
Treatment Ponds

Inlet pond
Mill
Treatment
ponds

6-16

Figure 6.7: Satellite Image from February 25
th
2005 Showing Development of
Oil Palm Plantation Along Small Tributary of Segama River With No River
Reserve and Indications of Flooding (Brown Vegetation and Stunted/Absent
Growth Of Oil Palm)


6-17

Figure 6.8: Composite of two satellite images of the Segama River from February
25
th
2005 (left portion of image and October 30
th
2005 (right portion) note the
difference in water colour silt load and also the planting of oil palm close to the
banks. Yellow mark shows river is 60m wide and so should have a 50m River
Reserve according to DID guidelines
Air photographs
Air photographs can also be used for survey and monitoring purposes as per the
examples (Figures 6.9 to 6.16).


6-18

Figure 6.9: Air Photo of one of the Palm Oil Mills in Sg. Muanad, January
2011

Figure 6.10: Muanad I Village, Sg. Muanad, January 2011


6-19

Figure 6.11: Adjacent to Sg. Muanad, January 2011. Note river buffer too
narrow

Figure 6.12 : Air photo of land clearing for replanting near Sg. Segaliud,
January 2011

6-20

Figure 6.13 : New Plantation at Sg. Muanad, January 2011

Figure 6.14 : Air Photo of Mature Oil Palm Plantation Next To Segama River.
Note No Riparian Area , January 2011

6-21

Figure 6.15 : Degraded Virgin Jungle Reserve adjacent to plantation. Sg. Segaliud,
January 2011

Figure 6.16: Air photo of Segama River January 2011. Note the flooding of low
lying areas and oxbow lakes


6-22
Satellite fire detection
Other uses of satellite technology are for detection of fires for land clearing.
NOAA satellites with a resolution of 1km are sufficient to detect land clearing
fires. Daily satellite images from NOAA identifying fire hotspots are available free
of charge through the web site of the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre
(ASMC) in Singapore. ASMC provides information daily to the Malaysian
government on the location of hotspots which can be used to identify sites
using fire for land clearing. Areas cleared by fire will be more susceptible to
erosion and hence will lead to more river pollution. Prompt detection can lead to
control measures to be taken.

Figure 6.17: Fires and smoke haze along the western coast of Sabah, in the
northern part of Borneo (note red indicates intact vegetation and black
burnt areas)
Notes:
A: A reduced resolution SPOT quick-look image covering about 40 km by 30 km.
Acquired 20 September 1997.
B: Image of the same area in February 1998, the town of Sipitang is located to
the right of the image. Acquired 24 February 1998.

6-23
C: Image of the same area two weeks later. Acquired 8 March. 1998.
D: Large burnt scars (blackish areas) are visible on the image. Acquired 4 April
1998.
Source: All images are acquired by the SPOT satellites. Copyright of images
belongs to CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales). Images are acquired and
processed by the Centre for Remote Imaging, Sensing and Processing, National
University of Singapore.

Figure 6.18: NOAA/AVHRR Satellite image of Borneo on March 5th 1999
Showing Extensive Fires (Red Dots) and Haze (Yellow)
6.5.1 Water Quality Monitoring
Monitoring of water quality in the plantation and mill area and in receiving
waterways is an important activity to assess the correct functioning of pollution
control measures.
a) Water Quality Sampling Parameters
In-situ

6-24
Several water quality parameters should normally be sampled and recorded to
monitor the changes in chemical composition of the river water. Generally, both
in-situ and ex-situ sampling are conducted. Parameters that should be
considered during in-situ sampling are pH, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), temperature
and conductivity. Table 6.2 below tabulates the parameters and descriptions.
Table 6.2: In situ Parameters/Unit Importance
Parameter/units Description
pH

pH is a measure of the concentration of
hydrogen ions in the water. This
measurement indicates the acidity or
alkalinity of the water. A reading of 7 is
considered to be "neutral", readings below 7
indicate acidic conditions, while readings
above 7 indicate the water is alkaline, or
basic The pH of the water is important
because it affects the solubility and
availability of nutrients, and how they can be
utilized by aquatic organisms.
Dissolved Oxygen (DO),
mg/l and %
Dissolved oxygen is the amount of oxygen
dissolved in water, measured in milligrams
per liter (mg/L). This component in water is
critical to the survival of various aquatic life
in streams, such as fish. The ability of water
to hold oxygen in solution is inversely
proportional to the temperature of the water.
For example, the cooler the water
temperature, the more dissolved oxygen it
can hold.



6-25
Table 6.2: In situ Parameters/Unit Importance (cntd)
Parameter/units Description
Temperature, C
Temperature is a measure of how cool or
how warm the water is, expressed in
degrees Celsius (C). Temperature is a
critical water quality parameter, since it
directly influences the amount of dissolved
oxygen that is available to aquatic
organisms.
Conductivity, S/cm
Conductivity is the ability of the water to
conduct an electrical current, and is an
indirect measure of the ion concentration.
The more ions present, the more electricity
can be conducted by the water. This
measurement is expressed in microsiemens
per centimeter (uS/cm) at 25Celsius.

The above parameters can be measured in situ with a Multi-parameter
Sonde/probe.
Ex-situ
Several key parameters can only be measured in the laboratory following
collection of samples. For cost-effective sampling, proper selection of ex-situ
parameters is required. The main six (6) critical parameters (pH, BOD, COD,
DO, SS and AN, are selected to determine the water quality status with reference
to the Water Quality Index (WQI). Oil & grease and turbidity would further assist
to validate physical observation by any assessor. Seven (7) additional
parameters i.e. TDS, Chloride, Fluoride, Alkalinity, Hardness, Colour and Al
should also be analyzed upstream of any water intake or water treatment plant.
As for other parameters such as Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn, these parameters have
been noted to influence the water quality of the studied rives in eastern Sabah
and have been shown to exceed the recommended standards.
The parameters that should be analysed during ex-situ sampling are tabulated in
Table 6.3.


6-26
Table 6.3: Ex-situ Water Quality Parameters, Unit Method References
Parameters, Unit Method References
pH APHA 4500-H+ B
Biological Oxygen Demand at 5 Days (BOD5), mg/l APHA 5210 B
Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), mg/l APHA 5220 D
Suspended Solids (SS), mg/l APHA 2540 D
Copper (Cu), mg/l APHA 3120 B
Iron (Fe), mg/l APHA 3120 B
Manganese (Mn), mg/l APHA 3120 B
Zinc (Zn), mg/l APHA 3120 B
Oil & Grease, mg/l APHA 5200 B
Turbidity, NTU APHA 2130 B
Total Nitrogen (N), mg/l APHA 4500 NO3- H &
4500 - NORGB
Ammoniacal Nitrogen (NH3-N), mg/l APHA 4500 NH3 G
Nitrate (NO3-), mg/l APHA 4500 NO3- H
Nitrite (NO2-), mg/l APHA 4500-NO2- B
Phosphorus (P), mg/l APHA 4500-PF
Potassium (Ka), mg/l APHA 3120 B
Sulphate (SO4-), mg/l APHA 4110 B
Fecal Coliform, MPN/100ml APHA 9221 B
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) APHA 2540 C
Chloride, mg/l APHA 4500Cl B,E
Fluoride, mg/l APHA 4500 C,D
Alkalinity, mg/l APHA 2320 B
Hardness, mg/l APHA 2340 B,C
Colour, mg/l APHA 2120 B
Aluminum (Al), mg/l APHA 3120 B
(Source: DOE Guidelines, 1991)
b) Preparation for Sampling
Proper planning should be done before conducting any water sampling activity
such as arrangement of vehicles, budget, equipment and etc. as described
below:
i. Prepare plan of sampling according to the schedule. It should include
days of outstation, time, sampling team members, and availability of
vehicles, equipment and weather. It is best to have a checklist for proper
planning.

6-27
ii. Ensure that bottles are sufficient and clean for the sampling. Preservative
for the samples should also be checked. This should be done at least 3
weeks before the sampling journey.
iii. Check whether the vehicle is in a good condition.
iv. Weather forecast should be checked so the sampling activity goes
smoothly.
v. Preparation of equipment via checklist which comprise the following items:
Bottles
Ice
Preservatives
Cooler box (sufficient amount)
GPS
Distilled water
Calibration solution
Marker pen
Life jacket
Tool box and first aid kit
Sampling sheet
Rope
Camera
Van Dorn sampler with rope and messenger
c) Sampling Procedure
Water sample should be collected using standard procedure to avoid any
contamination. Preservation must be ready to hold the water samples until the
samples reached the laboratory. Generally, the staff of the contract laboratory
will assist the sample collector in the handling of samples.



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LINKS
Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB): www.mpob.gov.my
Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO): www.rspo.org
High Conservation Value (HCV) Resource Network: www.hcvnetwork.org







A-1

ANNEXES

Annex 1
Key Laws and Regulations Applicable to the Development and Operation of
Oil Palm Plantations

Environmental Impact Assessment
Current enforcing legislations with regards to the conservation and protection of
the States natural resources as well as the environment are governed by the
Environment Protection Enactment 2002, whereby requirement to submit an an
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report or Proposal for Mitigation
Measures (PMM) are as stated under Part III, Sec. 12 (3) of the enactment, No
person shall carry out any development activity which is categorized under
subsection (2) unless such person has submitted an environmental impact
assessment report or proposal for mitigation measures as the case may require
and such report or proposal has been approved by the director.
Under the enactment, Environment Protection (Prescribed Activities)
(Environmental Impact Assessment) Order 2005 has outlined compulsory
requirements of OPP developments under both of its First and Second Schedule
to carry out PMM and EIA studies, respectively as follows:


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FIRST SCHEDULE: List of Prescribed Activities Requiring Proposal for
Mitigation Measures Report
1. AGRICULTURE -
Development of agricultural estates or plantations covering an area of 100
hectares or more but less than 500 hectares;
Development of agricultural estates or plantations involving change in type
of crops covering an area of 100 hectares or more but less than 500
hectares; or
Conversion of wetland forests into agricultural estates or plantations
covering an area of 20 hectares or more but less than 50 hectares.

SECOND SCHEDULE List of Prescribed Activities Requiring Environmental
Impact Assessment Report
1. AGRICULTURE -
Development of agricultural estates or plantations covering an area of 500
hectares or more; or
Development of agricultural estates or plantations involving change in type
of crops covering an area of 500 hectares or more; or
Conversion of wetland forests into agricultural estates or plantations
covering an area of 50 hectares or more.
Failure to observe this directive, the authority, body or person in default shall be
guilty of an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a term of imprisonment
for 2 years and a fine of Ringgit 50,000.00 (Malaysian Ringgit fifty thousand only).
Any person who intends to undertake oil palm plantation development activities in
the State of Sabah shall submit to the Director of the Environmental Conservation
Department (ECD) an EIA Report for approval.
The EIA Guidelines for Oil Palm Plantation Development (2002) by EPD outline
the assessment of impacts against the size of the development and how it affects
any identified sensitive areas.


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The Sabah Agricultural Policy (19922010)
Section 10.Commodity Policy. Item 10.1.1 Oil Palm To maximize returns from
palm oil, production will be increased through expansion, productivity
improvement, and upgraded efficiency particularly in the smallholder sub-sector.
The adoption of automation and intensified mechanization will be encouraged to
increase productivity and efficiency and as a long-term solution to the problem of
labour shortage. Milling, bulking installation and refining facilities will be
upgraded, expanded and increased to cater for increased production.
Downstream processing to produce locally manufactured value-added palm oil
products, such as oleochemicals, will be encouraged to ensure a balanced and
sustained growth of the industry. Environmentally friendly methods of oil palm
cultivation, production and processing will be promoted.
Responsible development of oil palm cultivation should not only meet the needs
of investors and developers but also compliment in a broader sense the States
socio-economic interests. Environmentally friendly methods of oil palm cultivation
are clearly emphasized in the current Sabah Agricultural Policy.
The procedure for developing an oil palm plantation begins with the application
for land (Figure A1). The procedure is summarized as follows:
Application shall be made in writing to the Assistant Collector of Land
Revenue (ACLR)
The Assistant Collector of Land Revenue shall refer the application to the
Land Utilization Committee (LUC) for technical comments. Permanent
members of the Land Utilization Committee are the Director or Deputy
Director of Lands and Survey Department (Chairperson), District
Surveyor, Department of Agriculture, Forestry Department, Department of
Irrigation and Drainage, Fishery Department and community leaders.
Community leaders and surveyors will ensure that the land is available and
unencumbered.
The Department of Agriculture provide technical comments in terms of land
suitability and will also consider the proposed Agriculture Development Plan and
make recommendations to the Assistant Collector of Land Revenue. The
recommendations do not bear any regulatory weight but if applied by the

A-4
Enforcement Section of the Lands and Survey Department under the regulations
stipulated in the Land Code, the recommendations may be used to prosecute any
breach of the requirements under the Code.
The application is then forwarded to the Director of Lands and Survey
Department who will then forward it to the Secretary of Natural Resources
for approval by the YAB Chief Minister;
An approved application is returned to the Director of Lands and Survey
Department who will direct the Assistant Collector of Land Revenue to
make an offer to the applicant and a Draft Land Title is subsequently
issued;
The applicant shall approach the District Surveyor to establish the
Registered Survey Paper through the service of a Registered Surveyor
who will then produce a Draft Survey Plan;
The Draft Survey Plan will be reviewed and checked by the District
Surveyor before the survey data are submitted to the Lands and Survey
Department for official Registration;
Upon completion of the tasks required by Lands and Survey Department,
the Land Registrar will issue the lease to the applicant and the Final Title
is produced; and
Having obtained the Land Title, the applicant will then carry out an EIA (if
it is a prescribed activity) for submission to the ECD. The EIA will assist in
determining the final planted area of the plantation and the location of the
boundary, which amongst other things will be included in the Agreement
of Environmental Conditions (AEC) to be entered between the Project
Proponent and the ECD.

A-5

Figure A.1: Application Procedures for Oil Palm Plantation Development
Agriculture Development Plan (ADP)
The existing policies, Section 36 under the Second Sabah Agriculture Policy
(1999 2010), highlighted that Environmentally-friendly methods of cultivation,
production and processing will be promoted to minimize the negative impact of
these activities on the environment. Recognizing the importance of soil as a
resource vital for agriculture, efforts will also be undertaken to maintain the soil
eco-system of the state to ensure its proper utilization and conservation. As
such, steep terrain of between 20 and 25 degrees slope as defined in the "Soils
of Sabah (1975) Study" will only be allowed for development under
environmentally-friendly methods of cultivation which include proper soil and
slope management measures in particular through the use of the sloping
agriculture land use technology.

A-6
Currently, the DOA is applying recommendations in Panduan Pembangunan
Pertanian bagi Tanah Bercerun (2000) as the main guide in review and
processing of the approval of ADP. In the ADP, DOA has divided the preparation
into two (2) categories i.e. a non-comprehensive development plan for proposed
development with area of 50 500 acres and a comprehensive development plan
for area of more than 500 acres. See Table A1.
Table A.1: Type of (ADP)
Categories
Proposed Area
Soil Information Required
Comprehensive
Development Plan
> 500 acres
Reproduction of existing available soil
and topographic maps together with a
write-up on the soil types, terrain and
drainage based on existing reports and
on extra data obtained during the field
investigation.
Field investigation includes verification
of the soil mapping unit by making
traverse that must cut all Soil
Association in the map at least once
and by undertaking auger description
up to 90 cm depth at intervals of at
least 100 metres.
Soil Pits: Two (2) contrasting soil types
per association with profile description
and chemical analysis from every soil
horizon (layer) are required.
Soil Map: This should be large enough
to cover at least one full-scale page
with indication of scale.
Non-
comprehensive
Development Plan
50- 500 acres
Items (ii) and (iii) above are not
required. However, one traverse
cutting across the most representative
soils and terrain of the area, plus the
associated soil auger and terrain
description
(Source: Department of Agriculture)
Approval is given if the ADP meets the requirements of the DOA, and the
approved development plan will be distributed to the Director of Agriculture,
Director of Land and Survey, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture
and Food Industry, District Agriculture Officer as well as the owner for retention
and monitoring. DOA will report to the LSD or DID the outcome of their ground
investigation especially where the proposed development resulted in disturbance
to river reserve and steep area.


A-7
Pesticides Act 1974
The Pesticides Act 1974 was the guiding principles for the registration,
production, management and application of pesticides in Malaysia. The
Pesticides Board of Malaysia, which is the pesticide-regulating authority, is under
the purview of DOA. The Board banned a number of pesticides gradually during
the last two decades and Table A2 shows the pesticides which have been
voluntarily withdrawn by the parent company or partially/totally banned by the
Pesticides Board over past twenty years.
BANNED PESTICIDES
Table A.2: Pesticides withdrawn or Partially/Totally banned by the
Pesticides Board of Malaysia
Active chemicals Status Action taken
2,4,5-T Banned 1998
dinoseb Banned 1993
Aldrin Banned 1994
Chlordane Banned 1997
Chlordimeform Banned 1994
Chlorobenzilate Banned Never been registered
DDT Banned 1999
Dieldrin Banned 1994
DNOC Banned Never been registered
Endosulfan Banned 1996 (paddy only), 2005
Lindane Banned 1999
methomyl Banned 1974
Heptachlor Banned 1994
Hexachlorobenzene Banned 1999
Parathion methyl Banned Never been registered
Phosphamidon Banned Never been registered
Toxaphene Banned Never been registered
Mercury compounds Banned 1994
(Source: Department of Agriculture)


A-8
RESTRICTED PESTICIDES
Table A.3: Pesticides withdrawn or Partially/Totally banned by the
Pesticides Board of Malaysia
Active chemicals Restriction Effective date
Acephate
Requires permit coconut and
oil palm only
2004
Methamidophos
Requires permit coconut and
oil palm only
1997, 2004
Monocrotophos
Requires permit coconut and
oil palm only
1995
Profenofos Prohibited for vegetables 2004
Prothiofos Prohibited for vegetables 2004
Phenthoate Prohibited for vegetables 2004
Quinalphos Prohibited for vegetables 2004
Triazophos Prohibited for vegetables 2004
(Source: Department of Agriculture)
FUNGICIDES
Table A.4: Pesticides withdrawn or Partially/Totally banned by the
Pesticides Board of Malaysia
Active chemicals Status Action taken
Binapacryl Banned Never been registered
Captafol Banned 1997
Folpet Banned 1998
Sodium PCP Banned 2000
(Source: Department of Agriculture)
RODENTICIDES
Table A.5: Pesticides withdrawn or Partially/Totally banned by the
Pesticides Board of Malaysia
Active chemicals Status Action taken
Fluoroacetamide Never been registered
(Source: Department of Agriculture)



A-9
WEEDICIDES
Table A.6: Pesticides withdrawn or Partially/Totally banned by the
Pesticides Board of Malaysia
Active chemicals Status Action taken
2,4,5-T Banned 1998
Dinoseb Banned 1993
Aldrin Banned 1994
Chlordane Banned 1997
Chlordimeform Banned 1994
Chlorobenzilate Banned Never been registered
DDT Banned 1999
Dieldrin Banned 1994
DNOC Banned Never been registered
Endosulfan Banned
1996 (paddy only),
2005
Lindane Banned 1999
Methomyl Banned 1974
heptachlor Banned 1994
Hexachlorobenzene Banned 1999
Parathion Banned Never been registered
Parathion methyl Banned Never been registered
phosphamidon Banned Never been registered
Toxaphene Banned Never been registered
Mercury compounds Banned 1994
(Source: Department of Agriculture)



A-10
Annex 2
Recommendations for Content of Proposal for Mitigation Measures Report
and Environmental Impact Assessment Report on Development of Oil Palm
Plantations (From EIA Guidelines, EPD, 2002)
The contents of the report shall consist of the following:
Chapter 1: Executive Summary
Chapter 2: General Information
Chapter 3: Project Description
Chapter 4: Impact Prediction and Evaluation
Chapter 5: Recommended Mitigation Measures
Chapter 6: Recommended Monitoring Programme
Report Annexes
The report shall also include; (i) table of content, (ii) list of tables, (iii) list of
figures, (iv) list of pictures, (v) list of maps and (vi) table of abbreviations. The
latter should be kept to a minimum.
CHAPTER 1: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The executive summary shall be regarded as a non-technical rsum of the
findings and recommendations of the study. The executive summary shall be in
Bahasa Malaysia and English, and shall include the following two sections.
Project Description
A short description of the proposed development project.
Findings
Findings in relation to each of the environmental issues defined in the
scoping note, TOR or identified during the study are summarized in
relation to the assessed environmental impacts; recommended mitigation
measures; and recommended monitoring programme. Environmental
impacts that are irreversible or threaten fauna and flora,
environmentalquality and sustainable development should be
highlighted.

A-11
CHAPTER 2: GENERAL INFORMATION
This chapter shall contain 3 sections outlining information related to the conduct
of the study.
Project Title and Project Proponent
Name of firm; address, telephone and fax number; name and designation
of contact person responsible for the project; and other projects
subject to PMM and EIA reports which have been carried out, are
being carried out, and/or will be carried out.
Environmental Consultants
Name of firm; address, telephone and fax number; list of team members
involved in the preparation of the report and their field of expertise; list of
PMM and EIA reports which have been carried out. Each team
member is required to attach his/her signature in the report.
Public Hearing
For Special-EIAs, information concerning the public hearing (procedures,
duration and availability of the report to the public) shall be included in the
report.
CHAPTER 3: PROJECT DESCRIPTION
This chapter provides a description of the proposed project with a clear
explanation for the need, content and scope of the project. The chapter is divided
into 3 sections.
Statement of Need
Short argumentation for the need for the project, including identification of
the aim and beneficiaries of the project.
Concept and Phases
This section introduces the project concept and the intentions of the
project proponent. Each phase of project activity shall be described
separately. Planned or possible future project expansions shall also be
described.

A-12
Description of Location
This section shall make it possible to assess the existing location and
environment in and around the project area. The section shall consist
mainly of location maps, photos and other visual information, but shall
also include a brief site description, including the pertinent features in the
project area, for example, rivers, mangroves, hill slopes, etc.
Maps, descriptions, etc.
The site descriptions, geographical and visual information provided shall include:
a. Photographs of the existing environment in the project and
surrounding area;
b. Location, including longitude/latitude or UTM co-ordinates and
geographic boundaries of the project area and the assessment area;
c. Local plan development and requirements;
d. Location of nearby land owned or leased by the project proponent;
e. Land use and existing environment of project site and surrounding
areas;
f. Ongoing developments within the project area or adjacent area;
g. Position and distance of nearest protected area, sensitive or
undisturbed habitat;
h. Drainage/hydrology indicating watershed system surrounding the
project area; and
i. Slope map derived from 1:10,000 topographic maps or larger.


A-13
The environmental consultant is also expected to provide additional information
such as:
a. Cadastral plan;
b. Visualisations, for example before/after;
c. Three-dimensional slope aspect maps;
d. Other land titles in surrounding areas; and
e. Proposed/planned development activities in surrounding areas.
Project Status
A description of the status of implementation of the project shall be
provided under this section. Is the project on the planning stage? Has
implementation begun and if so, which activities have been undertaken
when and where?
The section shall also include a concise overview of the approval
procedures for the project. What approvals are needed and when? What
approvals have already been received, submitted and/or will be
submitted, when submitted, and from which authority?
CHAPTER 4: IMPACT PREDICTION AND EVALUATION
This chapter describes the impact assessments of the environmental issues
identified in the scoping note or TOR of the study. Additional environmental
issues identified during the study shall also be included and assessed. This
chapter shall contain 3 sections.
Significant Environmental Impacts
This section describes in brief the environmental impacts that have been
evaluated to be likely the most significant and thus become a prioritised
issue.


A-14
Matrix
The section describes the assessment matrix of the key environmental
impacts in relation to the project cycle and provides an overview of all
adverse environmental impacts evaluated in the study.
The matrix format divides the impacts into stages. As in the scoping
exercise, the study shall be divided according to the project life cycle such
as:
a. Exploration and construction/implementation stage;
b. Operational, production and maintenance stage; and
c. Abandonment stage.
Environmental
assessment/ Main
adverse
environmental
impacts
Magnitude Permanence Reversibility Cumulative
Exploration and
construction/
implementation
stage
Operational,
production and
maintenance stage
Abandonment
stage



All environmental impacts identified in the study shall be assessed according to
the criteria and scores as follows:
a. Magnitude of change/effect. Score: 1- change/effect only within the
project site, 2 - change/effect to local conditions and/or to areas
immediately outside project site, 3 - change/effect at regional/ national/
international level
b. Permanence of the impact. Score: 1 - no change/not applicable, 2 -
temporary; 3 - Permanent
c. Reversibility of the condition. Score: 1 - no change/not applicable, 2 -
reversible, 3 Irreversible
d. Cumulative impact. Score: 1 - no change/not applicable, 2 - non-
cumulative/single, 3 - cumulative.

A-15
Impact assessment
In this section, each of the environmental impacts listed in the
assessment matrix shall be assessed and prioritised. For each
environmental impact, the specific methodology of review, data collection
and analysis shall be described and the results of the analysis and
conclusions of the assessment presented. The methodologies used for
the review, data collection and analysis are to be clearly stated and
documented.
The results of the analysis and conclusion of the assessments have to be
presented in a clear and concise manner. The conclusion must clearly
and specifically summarise the results of the analysis and must
correspond to the scores given in the assessment matrix. It is important to
refer to existing environmental guidelines, and published literature and
case studies in the analysis and drawing up of conclusions.
It should be noted that under section 56 of the Environment Protection
Enactment 2002, any person who willfully deceives the Director shall be
guilty of an offence, and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not
exceeding ten thousand ringgit or an imprisonment for a term not
exceeding one year or both fine and imprisonment.
CHAPTER 5: RECOMMENDED MITIGATION MEASURES
This chapter describes the recommended and possible mitigation measures for
the environmental impacts assessed in chapter 4 of the report. Adverse impacts
that cannot be mitigated must be highlighted. The chapter shall contain 2
sections.
Recommendations
This section gives an account of the priority list of the most important
mitigation measures that the project proponent shall adopt, as
recommended by the environmental consultant.
Data collection and assessment of the recommended mitigation measures
shall be properly documented.

A-16
It is important that the environmental consultant works closely with the
project proponent in preparing the shortlist of recommended mitigation
measures in order to ensure that the mitigation measures are practical,
cost-effective and at the same time sufficient to abate the environmental
impacts.
The recommended mitigation measures shall provide the basis for the
preparation of the Agreement of Environmental Conditions to be agreed
upon by the project proponent and the Department.
Each of the recommended mitigation measures shall be described in
detail. This includes for example when and how the recommended
mitigation measures should be incorporated into the detailed project
design and in the construction contract documents. Wherever possible,
the cost-estimations for all proposed mitigation measures should be
provided.
Additional Mitigation Measures
This section describes the additional mitigation measures which may
include measures that:
Should be implemented, even though they are directed towards
addressing adverse environmental impacts of minor significance;
Have been analysed and assessed, but for some reasons, (e.g. not cost-
effective), were considered inappropriate to implement; or
Are indirectly linked to the development project, (e.g. rehabilitation efforts
in adjacent areas).
The additional mitigation measures, after being reviewed by the
department and Review Panel, may be included in the Agreement of
Environmental Conditions.


A-17
CHAPTER 6: RECOMMENDED MONITORING PROGRAMME
This chapter describes the recommended monitoring programme for:
Compliance of the recommended mitigation measures; and
The residual impacts of the project on the environment.
Compliance of Mitigation Measures
This section clearly outlines methods to monitor the compliance of the
recommended mitigation measures. The methods shall be designed in such a
way that it will be possible for the project proponent to demonstrate that the
mitigation measures are fully and effectively implemented. The methods shall
specify details on how compliance of the recommended mitigation measures will
be monitored and shall include description of the following:
Methodology to check that actual implementation of recommended
mitigation measures has taken place;
Location of mitigation measures and monitoring sites on maps and
photographs;
Time schedule indicating frequency of site visits in relation to the project
duration;
Periodic reporting; and
Methods and schedule of audit/review of results.
Residual Impacts
This section clearly describes the recommended monitoring programme
that will measure key residual environmental impacts of the project. The
programme shall be designed in such a manner that the project proponent
can demonstrate that the impacts of the identified key environmental
issues are acceptable within the standards or threshold set. The
monitoring programme shall also specify details on how the key adverse
environmental changes will be monitored and among others shall include
the following:
Indicators for key environmental issues.

A-18
Environmental standards and the application in relation to the
project.
Methodology, location and schedule. The methodology for
monitoring shall be clearly described. Maps, photographs and co-
ordinates of proposed sampling points shall be presented. Regular
monitoring in accordance with a recommended time schedule shall
be provided.
Responsibilities of the project proponent. The project proponent
shall provide adequate staffing and budget, and consultancy
requirements to ensure the proper implementation of the monitoring
programme. The estimated budget shall be provided. A description
on how the monitoring programme will be incorporated into the
detailed project design and contract documents shall also be
provided.
Monitoring reporting including responsibility and schedule.
REPORT: ANNEXES
Annexes shall constitute all information not immediately relevant to the main text
of the report and shall include the following:
Annex 1: Baseline Environmental Data and Information
This annex shall include additional relevant information, maps and photographs
of the existing environment at the proposed development site not included in
chapter 3 of the report. The annex shall primarily include description of immediate
relevance to the impact assessment and the recommendations made in chapters
4-6 of the report.
Annex 2: Methodologies and Analysis of Data
This annex describes the methodologies applied in the assessment of
environmental impacts, and mitigation measures with the appropriate references.
All data collected, modeled and extrapolated during the study shall be provided.
Environmental sampling reports, for example data on ambient air, noise levels,
and water quality shall be presented in detail.

A-19
Annex 3: List of References
This annex provides a listing of references used for the preparation of the report.
Annex 4: Scoping Note or Terms of Reference of study including activities
undertaken by the environmental consultant
This annex describes all other relevant information for the review of the report, for
example:
a. Description of scoping note or TOR of the study;
b. List of consultations held; and
c. Details of involvement of key stakeholders (how, when, who).



A-20
Annex 3
The Zero Burning Technique for Replanting Oil Palm to Oil Palm
(Source: ASEAN Zero Burning Guidelines)

The main steps in the zero burning replanting of oil palm planting with a new
generation of palms are described below:
Planning for Replanting
In planning for zero replanting, a proper design of the estate is essential.
Consideration would have to given to the scope of work, availability of
appropriate machines and equipment, timing of operations and budget.
If personnel from the plantation company and or their contractors do not
have previous experience with zero burning technique, a training or
practice session should be conducted. If possible, a study field trip to a
plantation that has undertaken replanting by zero burning would be
beneficial.
Replanting provides the opportunity to rectify any physical problems or
inadequacies that have been encountered in the previous crop for
instances, the need for realignment of the road or drainage systems must
be identified during the planning stage.
Prelining
Prelining of micro lining is done to identify the new planting rows, roads,
harvesters, paths and drains as shown in Figure 2 for replanting on flat to
undulating terrain. Prelining on hilly terrain would have to follow the land
contours. This operation facilitates the placement of the shredded
materials and other field operations.
The tips of lining pegs should be painted with colors to identify various
field operations.
In order to minimize the risk of Ganoderma infection in coastal areas, new
planting rows are placed in between the previous rows.
Construction of Roads and Drains
The construction of collection and field of subsidiary drains can be done
before or immediately after felling of palms.
In situation where the old field drains do not fall in place with the new field
layout, they are filled up with soil and new drains that were prelined earlier
are constructed. Where the existing drains can be retained, they are
desilted and until they are of the same depth as the new drains.

A-21
In coastal areas, field drains are constructed every fourth or eight palm
row while the collection drains are placed in the center of two field roads.
A double rotary ditcher can be used for the construction of new drains.
Bulldozers or excavators are suitable for construction of new roads, which
should be chambered up to a height of about 30 cm in the center to
ensure adequate drainage and all year road access to vehicular traffic.
Felling and Shredding/Chipping
The old palms are directionally felled using an excavators hydraulic boom
that is fitted with a chipping bucket.
For effective shredding, the chipping buckets cutting edge should be
made of high tensile carbon steel.
The palm trunk is cut at an angle of 45 - 60 into 5-10 cm thick slices of
about 0.8 to 1.0 m in length. Thinner slices of trunk tissues would hasten
the rate of disintegration and decomposition. The shredding or chipping
operation normally commences from the basal end of the palm trunk.
Bole tissues and the adjoining root mass should also be shredded.
A 120 HP track-type excavator is capable of felling and shredding 50 to
80 palms, depending on the height of palms, ground conditions and
ground conditions.
Stacking/Windrowing
In straight-lined plantings on flat to undulating terrain, the shredded
materials are stacked as follows:
In an area where the field drain intensity is 1 in every 4 palm rows, the
shredded materials are stacked in the center avenue of 4 palm rows
between the two field drains.
In an area where the field drain intensity is 1 in every 8 palm rows, the
shredded materials are stacked at alternate avenues except along the
drain avenues.
In hilly areas, the shredded materials are spread out evenly on the inter-
terrace slopes.


A-22
Ploughing and Harrowing in Coastal Areas
After completion of felling, shredding and stacking, ploughing and
harrowing are done along the new planting strips to produce a friable and
level planting surface.
Construction of Terraces in Inland Undulating to Hilly Areas
On land with slopes exceeding 10, planting terraces of about 4 m width
should be constructed, except on shallow soils where narrower terraces
are made to avoid cutting into parent materials/rocks. The terraces should
follow contour lines.
In areas where the slope is between 5-10, soil conservation terraces
should be constructed, the distance between terraces is about 30 m.
If the area to be replanted has a history of severe infestation of
Ganodermaboninense, which causes Basal Stem Rot, a higher initial
planting density ought to be considered, particularly in coastal areas (both
on clay soils and peat soils) and the requirement for oil palm materials
from the nursery and the field layout would have to be raised accordingly.
Removal of Ganoderma Diseased Palms
In areas with a high incidence of Basal Stem Rot, a detailed census of
Ganoderma diseased palms should be undertaken. Vacant points should
also be recorded as they are likely to be due to Ganoderma.
Diseased palms should be felled ahead of the replanting operations and
the palm bole and the adjoining root mass should be removed by an
excavator and placed in the interrow, away from any new planting points.
The bole and root mass should also be shredded.
The palm trunks are left behind for shredding along with the rest of the
old palm stand during the replanting operations
.

A-23
Annex 4
Best Management Practices for Enhancing Mill Operation Practices and
Minimizing Waste [Source: The Industrial Processes and the Environment,
Handbook No.3, for Crude Palm Oil Industry (DOE, 1999)]

No
Production
Flow Sequence
Model Situation Inspection Focus
1 Raw materials
reception areas
for fresh fruit
bunch
Areas clean, tidy
and free of
accumulation of
bruised fruits and
rotten empty
bunches
Look out for:
Crushing of loose fruits Oil and
dirt accumulation Cleaner
Production Opportunities
Cleaning of reception areas after
unloading of FFB with pressure
host Removal of dirt and other
unwanted materials
2 Loading of FFB
into cages
Clean and tidy area
Provision for
spillage
containment
Proper loading
system based on
first come first load
principle
Look out for:
Over-filling of cages Cleaner
Production Opportunities Recover
EFB and loose fruits on ground
Remove all dirt and waste
materials
3 Control of water
usage
Less than
1.5m
3
/tonne FFB
processed
Look out for:
Water faucets and hoses kept
open when not in use Leaking
pipe joins, valves and faucets
Cleaner Production Opportunities
Flow meeting of water
consumption and effluent
discharge Installing float
valves/cut off switch for water
tanks
Training of factory operators in

A-24
No
Production
Flow Sequence
Model Situation Inspection Focus
good housekeeping
4 Control of oil
clarification
temperature
Not less than 90
0
c
in batch or
continuous settling
tank
Look out for:
Poor oil separation and excessive
losses to clarification station
waste water Under flow sludge
from static settling tank should
have less than 1% oil content
Cleaner Production Opportunities
Improved temperature control in
crude oil settling tanks to
minimize oil losses to clarification
station wastewater
5 Control of oil
spillage and
leaks
Proper preventative
maintenance and
speedy response in
the event of oil spill
occurrences
Look out for:
Oil storage tank overflows and
absence of level controllers
Leaking pipe and appurtenances
Cleaner Production Opportunities
Minimum oil losses to
wastewaters and reduced organic
loading of treatment facilities
6 Proper design
and operation of
oil/fat traps
Good design of
oil/fat traps with
minimum HRT of
about 1 day
Look out for:
Basic design dimensions and
features and determine the HRT
Poor oil separation and high oil
content in effluent. Cleaner
Production Opportunities
Minimum oil losses to
wastewaters and reduced organic
loading of treatment facilities
7 Proper design of
boiler and dust
scrubbing system
Incorporated with
dust scrubber,
appropriate
chimney height and
stack gas sampling
Look out for:
Sampling port, platform, ladder
and chimney height Smoke
detector analysis and
maintenance schedule.

A-25
No
Production
Flow Sequence
Model Situation Inspection Focus
access, boiler
feeding system and
smoke
detector/recorder
Fuel feed system Scrubber
maintenance record and
efficiency test. KWh- readings
(after turbine fluctuations
8 Proper interim
storage of solid
by-product and
waste materials
Storage areas
should be away
from drains and
preferably
sheltered from
rainfall and
provided with
containment bunds
Look out for:
Solid waste and by product
materials and residues finding
access into storm water or
effluent drains Cleaner Production
Opportunities Absence of solid
waste materials in drainage
systems reflects good
housekeeping


A-26
Annex 5
Proposed POME Treatment Checklist for Self-Monitoring by Palm Oil Mills

Daily Record of Anaerobic Pond
Date Flow rate (m
3
/ hr) pH Temp (
o
C ) SV
30
( mL) Remarks




Daily Record of Aerobic Pond
Date Flow rate( m
3
/ hr) pH
DO
(mg/L)
SV
30
(mL)
DO Uptake
Rate
(mg/L.min)
Remarks




Weekly or Monthly Record of all Ponds
Date
BOD
3
(mg/L)
MLSS
(mg/L)
MLVSS
(mg/L)
Nutrient
(mg/L)
F/M
Ratio
SVI
Microscopic
Examination
of Protozoa
Remark
In Out


A-27

Example: A POME Polishing Plant Functionality Check List
Date
Equipment
Running Hrs
Flow rate
(m
3
/
month)
Pump
Functionality
( / )
Chemical
Dosages
( mg /L)
Remarks






A-28
Annex 6
Relevant RSPO Principles and Criteria based on Malaysian National
Interpretation of Indicators and Guidance to Establish the RSPO Principles
& Criteria

Criterion 4.2: Practices maintain soil fertility at, or where possible improve
soil fertility to, a level that ensures optimal and sustained
yield.
4.2.1 Monitoring of fertilizer inputs through annual fertilizer recommendations.
Minor compliance
4.2.2 Evidence of periodic tissue and soil sampling to monitor changes in
nutrient status.
Minor compliance
4.2.3 Monitor the area on which EFB, POME and zero-burn replanting is
applied.
Minor compliance
Guidance:
Long-term fertility depends on maintaining the structure, organic matter content,
nutrient status and microbiological health of the soil. Managers should ensure
that best agricultural practice is followed. Nutrient efficiency must take account of
the age of plantations and soil conditions.



A-29
Criterion 4.3: Practices minimize and control erosion and degradation of
soils.
Indicators:
4.3.1 Documented evidence of practices minimizing soil erosion and
degradation (including maps).
Minor compliance
Specific Guidance:
Replanting on sloping land must be in compliance with MSGAP Part 2:
OP (4.4.2.2)
For Sarawak, steep slopes are considered high risk erosion areas and
cannot undergo replanting unless specified in the EIA report and
approved by the Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB).
For Sabah, slopes 25 degree and steeper are considered high risk
erosion areas and cannot undergo replanting unless specified in the EIA
report [Environment Protection (Prescribed Activities)(Environment
Impact Assessment) Order 2005] and approved by the Environment
Protection Department (EPD).
Slope determination methodology (slope analysis) should be based on
average slope using topographic maps or topographical surveys.
4.3.2 Avoid or minimize bare or exposed soil within estates.
Minor compliance
Specific Guidance:
Appropriate conservation practices should be adopted.
4.3.3 Presence of road maintenance programme.
Minor compliance

A-30
4.3.4 Subsidence of peat soils should be minimized through an effective and
documented water management programme.
Minor compliance
Specific Guidance:
Maintaining water table at a mean of 60 cm (within a range of 50-75cm)
below ground surface through a network of weirs, sandbags, etc. in fields
and watergates at the discharge points of main drains.
4.3.5 Best management practices should be in place for other fragile and
problem soils (e.g. sandy, low organic matter and acid sulphate soils).
Minor compliance
Guidance:
Techniques that minimize soil erosion are well-known and should be adopted,
wherever appropriate. These may include practices such as:
Expediting establishment of ground cover upon completion of land preparation for
new replant.
Maximizing palm biomass retention/ recycling.
Maintaining good non-competitive ground covers in mature areas.
Encouraging the establishment/regeneration of non-competitive vegetation to
avoid bare ground.
Construction of conservation terraces for slopes >15 degrees
Advocating proper frond heap stacking such as contour/L-shaped stacking for
straight line planting and stacking along the terrace edges for terrace planting.
Appropriate road design and regular maintenance.
Diversion of water run-off from the field roads into terraces or silt pits.
Construction of stop bunds to retain water within the terrace.

A-31
Maintaining and restoring riparian areas in order to minimize erosion of stream
and river banks.

Criterion 4.5: Pests, diseases, weeds and invasive introduced species are
effectively managed using appropriate Integrated Pest
Management (IPM) techniques.
Indicators:
4.5.1 Documented IPM system.
Minor compliance
4.5.2 Monitoring extent of IPM implementation for major pests.
Minor compliance
Specific Guidance:
Major pests include leaf eating caterpillars, rhinoceros beetle and rats.
4.5.3 Recording areas where pesticides have been used.
Minor compliance
4.5.4 Monitoring of pesticide usage units per hectare or per ton crop e.g. total
quantity of active ingredient (a.i.) used/ tonne of oil.
Minor compliance
Guidance:
Growers should apply recognised IPM techniques, incorporating cultural,
biological, mechanical or physical methods to minimize use of chemicals. Native
species should be used in biological control wherever possible.



A-32
Criterion 4.6: Agrochemicals are used in a way that does not endanger
health or the environment. There is no prophylactic use of
pesticides, except in specific situations identified in national
Best Practice guidelines. Where agrochemicals are used that
are categorized as World Health Organization Type 1A or 1B,
or are listed by the Stockholm or Rotterdam Conventions,
growers are actively seeking to identify alternatives, and this
is documented.
Indicators:
4.6.1 Written justification in Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) of all
agrochemicals use.
Major compliance
4.6.2 Pesticides selected for use are those officially registered under the
Pesticides Act 1974 (Act 149) and the relevant provision (Section 53A);
and in accordance with USECHH Regulations (2000).
Major compliance
Specific Guidance:
Reference shall also be made to CHRA (Chemical Health Risk
Assessment)
4.6.3 Pesticides shall be stored in accordance to the Occupational Safety and
Health Act 1994 (Act 514) and Regulations and Orders and Pesticides
Act 1974 (Act 149) and Regulations.
Major compliance



A-33
Criterion 5.1: Aspects of plantation and mill management, including
replanting, that have environmental impacts are identified,
and plans to mitigate the negative impacts and promote the
positive ones are made, implemented and monitored, to
demonstrate continuous improvement.
Indicator:
5.1.1 Documented aspects and impacts risk assessment that is periodically
reviewed and updated.
Major compliance
5.1.2 Environmental improvement plan to mitigate the negative impacts and
promote the positive ones, is developed, implemented and monitored.
Minor compliance
Guidance:
Non-restrictive format e.g. ISO 14001 EMS and/or EIA report incorporating
elements spelt out in this criterion and raised through stakeholder consultation.
Criterion 5.3: Waste is reduced, recycled, re-used and disposed off in an
environmentally and socially responsible manner.
Indicators:
5.3.1 Documented identification of all waste products and sources of pollution.
Major compliance
5.3.2 Having identified wastes and pollutants, an operational plan should be
developed and implemented, to avoid or reduce pollution.
Minor compliance
Specific Guidance:

A-34
Schedule waste to be disposed as per EQA 1974 (Scheduled Wastes)
Regulations, 2005. Reference to be made to the national programme on
recycling of used HDPE pesticide containers. Municipal waste disposal
as per local authority or district council in accordance to the Ministry of
Health guidelines (i.e. specifications on landfills, licensed contractors,
etc) or Workers Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990
(Act 446).
5.3.3 Evidence that crop residues / biomass are recycled (Cross ref. C 4.2).
Minor compliance
Specific Guidance:
POME should be discharged in compliance with the Environmental
Quality Act 1974 (Act 127) and Regulations.
For Sabah and Sarawak, POME should be discharged according to the
respective state policies.

Criterion 5.4: Efficiency of energy use and use of renewable energy is
maximized.
Indicators:
5.4.1 Monitoring of renewable energy use per tonne of CPO or palm product in
the mill.
Minor compliance
5.4.2 Monitoring of direct fossil fuel use per tonne of CPO or kW per tonne
palm product in the mill (or FFB where the grower has no mill).
Minor compliance
Guidance:
To establish baseline values and observe trends within appropriate time-frame.

A-35
Growers and millers should assess the energy use including fuel and electricity,
and energy efficiency of their operations. The feasibility of collecting and using
biogas, biodiesel and biofuels should be studied if possible.
Criterion 5.5: Use of fire for waste disposal and for preparing land for
replanting is avoided except in specific situations, as
identified in the ASEAN Guidance or other regional best
practice.
Indicators:
5.5.1 No evidence of open burning. Where controlled burning occurs, it is as
prescribed by the Environmental Quality (Declared Activities) (Open
Burning) Order 2003.
Major compliance
5.5.2 Previous crop should be felled/mowed down, chipped/shredded,
windrowed or pulverized/ ploughed and mulched.
Minor compliance
Specific Guidance:
A special dispensation from the relevant authorities should be sought in
areas where the previous crop or stand is highly diseased and there is a
significant risk of disease spread or continuation into the next crop.
5.5.3 No evidence of burning waste (including domestic waste).
Minor compliance



A-36
Criterion 7.1: A comprehensive and participatory independent social and
environmental impact assessment is undertaken prior to
establishing new plantings or operations, or expanding
existing ones, and the results incorporated into planning,
management and operations.
Indicators:
7.1.1 An independent and participatory social and environmental impact
assessment (SEIA) to be conducted and documented (Cross ref. to C
7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6).
Major compliance
Specific Guidance:
SEIAs to include previous land use / history and involve independent
consultation as per national and state regulations, via participatory
methodology which includes external stakeholders.
For Sabah, slopes 25 degrees and above are considered high risk
erosion areas and cannot undergo replanting unless specified in the EIA
report [Environment Impact Assessment (Order 2005)] and approved by
the Environment Protection Department (EPD).
For Sarawak, steep slopes are considered high risk erosion areas and
cannot undergo replanting unless specified in the EIA report [Natural
Resources and Environment (Prescribed Activities) Order 1994] and
approved by the Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB).
7.1.2 The results of the SEIA to be incorporated into an appropriate
management plan and operational procedures developed, implemented,
monitored and reviewed.
Minor compliance
7.1.3 Where the development includes smallholder schemes of above 500ha in
total, the impacts and implications of how it is managed should be
documented and a plan to manage the impacts produced.

A-37
Minor compliance
Guidance:
The terms of reference should be defined and impact assessment should
be carried out by accredited independent experts, in order to ensure an
objective process. Both should not be done by the same body. See also
C 5.1 and C 6.1. This indicator is not applicable to development of
smallholder schemes below 500ha.
For Sabah, new planting or replanting of area 500ha or more requires
EIA. For areas below 500ha but above 100ha, proposal for mitigation
measures (PMM) is required.
For Sarawak, only new planting of area 500ha and above requires EIA.
Onus is on the company to report back to the DOE on the mitigation
efforts being put in place arising out of the EIA.
Assessment of above and below ground carbon storage is important but
beyond the scope of an EIA.

Criterion 7.2: Soil surveys and topographic information are used for site
planning in the establishment of new plantings, and the
results are incorporated into plans and operations.
Indicators:
7.2.1 Soil suitability maps or soil surveys adequate to establish the long-term
suitability of land for oil palm cultivation should be available.
Major compliance
7.2.2 Topographic information adequate to guide the planning of drainage and
irrigation systems, roads and other infrastructure should be available.
Minor compliance

A-38
Guidance:
These activities may be linked to the SEIA (C7.1) but need not be done
by independent experts.
Soil surveys should be adequate to establish the long-term suitability of land for
oil palm cultivation. Soil suitability maps or soil surveys should be appropriate to
the scale of operation and should include information on soil types, topography,
soil depth, moisture availability, stoniness, fertility and long-term soil
sustainability. Soils unsuitable for planting or those requiring special treatment
should be identified.
This information should be used to plan planting programmes, etc. Measures
should be planned to minimize erosion through appropriate use of heavy
machinery, terracing on slopes, appropriate road construction, rapid
establishment of cover, protection of riverbanks, etc.
Criterion 7.3: New plantings since November 2005, have not replaced
primary forest or any area required to maintain or enhance
one or more High Conservation Values.
Indicators:
7.2.1 Soil suitability maps or soil surveys adequate to establish the long-term
suitability of land for oil palm cultivation should be available.
Major compliance
7.2.2 Topographic information adequate to guide the planning of drainage and
irrigation systems, roads and other infrastructure should be available.
Minor compliance
Guidance:
These activities may be linked to the SEIA (C7.1) but need not be done
by independent experts.

A-39
This criterion applies to forests and other vegetation types. This applies
irrespective of any changes in land ownership or farm management that have
taken place after this date. High Conservation Values (HCVs) may be identified in
restricted areas of a landholding, and in such cases new plantings can be
planned to allow the HCVs to be maintained or enhanced.
Specific Guidance to the above indicator is listed below:
New plantings within Nov 05 and Nov 07 must be in compliance with existing
regulatory requirements that relate to social and environmental impacts
assessment i.e. SEIA (ref.C7.1) and also comply with the legalized land spatial
planning.
Where it can be proven that the land did not contain HCV after Nov 2005, the
land can enter the RSPO certification programme.
Where the HCV status of the land is unknown and/or disputed, the land will be
excluded from the RSPO certification programme, until an acceptable solution for
HCV compensation has been developed.
Companies owning such land can enter other estates in the programme. This
arrangement is valid only for land development between Nov 05 and Nov 07
which was the RSPO P&C initial pilot implementation period.
7.3.2 No conversion of Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) to oil palm as
per Peninsular Malaysias National Physical Plan (NPP) and Sabah
Forest Management Unit under the Sabah Forest Management License
Agreement.
Major compliance
Specific Guidance:
ESA rankings and management criteria as per the NPP are listed in
Appendix 3.
7.3.3 No new plantings on floodplains (reference to be made to State DID).
Major compliance

A-40
7.3.4 Dates of land preparation and commencement are recorded.
Minor compliance
Criterion 7.4: Extensive planting (to be determined by SEIA) on steep
terrain, and/or on marginal and fragile soils, is avoided.
Indicators:
7.4.1 All new plantings should not be cultivated on land more than 300m above
sea level and on land more than 25 degrees slope unless specified by
local legislation (Ref: MSGAP Part 2: OP 4.4.1.3 & 4.4.1.4)
Major compliance
7.4.2 Where planting on fragile and marginal soils is proposed, plans shall be
developed and implemented to protect them without incurring adverse
impacts (e.g. hydrological) or significantly increased risks (e.g. fire risk) in
areas outside the plantation.
Minor compliance
Guidance:
This activity should be subjected to a comprehensive EIA as required by
C 7.1. Marginal and fragile soils, including excessive gradients and peat
soils, should be identified prior to conversion to plantation.



A-41
Criterion 7.7: Use of fire in the preparation of new plantings is avoided
other than in specific cases as identified in the ASEAN
Guidance or other regional best practice.
Indicators:
7.7.1 No evidence of clearing by burning. This activity should be integrated
with the SEIA required by C 7.1
Major compliance
7.7.2 Evidence of approval for controlled burning, as per Environmental Quality
(Declared Activities) (Open Burning) Order 2003.
Major compliance


A-42
Annex 7
Checklist of native plants (Sabah) suitable for river reserve rehabilitation
(Source: Guideline for Managing Biodiversity in the Riparian Zone, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment)

SPECIES DATA PLANTING DATA
Species: (Family) : (Local name) Habit Habitat
Type of
river
habitat
for
planting
Planting
Zones
near
river
banks
Maximum
height/
forest
cover
Planting
radius/
distance
Socio-economic
Ecological
benefits
Acer laurinum; (Medang) Tree to 30m tall
Peat swamp
and lower
PS, MS TF,UT CA 6m FF,TS
Alstonia augustifolia (Pulai)
Small tree about
10m tall
Seasonal
swamps or hill
forest
FS,NS,S
S
TF CA 8m HC, EX, TS, WQ
Alstonia pneumatophara (Pulai
Basong)
Tree to 40m
Lowland
swamps or hill
forest
FS, SS,
MS
UT CA 8m EC, EX,TS
Archidemdron kunstleri
Shrub or small
tree to 1.5m tall
Often in
swampy
lowland forest
FS, RS TF MS 3m FF, TS
Avicennia alba; (Api-api hitam) Tree to 21m tall
Muddy
mangroves
MF LB,UB CA 2m BC,FF, WQ
Avicennia officinata; (Api-api ladat) Tree to 18m tall
Mangrove,
generally on
landward fringe
MF LH, UB MS 1.5m BC, FF,FU,WQ

A-43
SPECIES DATA PLANTING DATA
Species: (Family) : (Local name) Habit Habitat
Type of
river
habitat
for
planting
Planting
Zones
near
river
banks
Maximum
height/
forest
cover
Planting
radius/
distance
Socio-economic
Ecological
benefits
Barringtonia acutuangula (L);
(Putatnasi)
Shrub or small
tree to 13m tall
Lowland forest
near rivers
RS,NS,S
S
TF MN 2m FF,FV,MD,TS,SF
Blumeodendrum nakbrul;
(Calnam budak)
Tree to 36m tall
sometimes still
rooted
Lowland swamp
and hill forest to
450m
FS, PS,
NA, SS
TF, UT CA 7m FF, TS
Brackenridgea palustris ; (Ladah
mura)
Tree to 9m tall
Swampy
lowland and
montane forest
FS, MS TF GR 2m FF
Brownlowia argentata; (Dungun)
Shrub or small
tree to 18m tall
Mangroves and
tidal channels
MF UB MS 1.5m BC, TS
Brugniera parviflora; (Berus) Tree to 24m tall
Inner side of
mangrove
forests
MF TF, UT CA 2m BC,FU,WQ
Campnosperma auriculatum;
(Terentang daun besar)
Big tree to 33m tall
Lowland swamp
and montane
forests to
1600m
FS, RS TF, UT CA 6m FF, TS
Campnosperma squamatum;
(Terentang daun kecil)
Tree to 30m tall
Both swampy
and dry lowland
forest to 1200m
FS, RS,
NS, SS,
MS
TF, UT CA 6m FF, TS
Cebera odollum; (Pong-pong) Small tree
Mangroves and
muddy forests
MF TF MS 2m
BC, FU, MD, PQ,
VO
Chionanthus ramiflorus Tree to 17m tall
Riverine and
swamp forest
FS, RS,
NS
TP, UT MS 3m FF, TS

A-44
SPECIES DATA PLANTING DATA
Species: (Family) : (Local name) Habit Habitat
Type of
river
habitat
for
planting
Planting
Zones
near
river
banks
Maximum
height/
forest
cover
Planting
radius/
distance
Socio-economic
Ecological
benefits
Cratoxylum arborescens
(Geronggang)
Large tree to 42m
tall
Lowland swamp
forest and in the
hills
RS, NS,
SS
UT CA 8m DT, TS
Cynometra ramiflora (Katong Laut)
Bushy crowned
tree to 25m tall
Riverbanks and
swamps
RS, NS,
SS
TF CA 5m BC, FF
Dacryodes incurvata; (Kedondong) Tree to 30m tall
Lowland and hill
forest including
swamps
FS UT CA 5m FF, TS
Dialium indum; (Keranji paya) Tree to 35m tall
Lowland swamp
forest
FS UT CA 7m FF, TS
Diperocarpus oblongifolius;
(Keruing neram)
Large tree
Banks of fast
flowing rivers
FS UT CA 8m EC,FF,TS,WQ
Dolichandrone spathacea (Tui) Tree to 24m tall
Mangroves and
other midday
areas near the
sea
MF UT CA 5m FB, MD TS
Dyera costulata; (Jelutong)
Huge lactiferous
tree to more than
60m tall
Lowland and
hills, often near
river
NS, SS TF, UT CA 10m EX, TS
Elaeocarpus griffithii; (Medang
kelawar)
Tree to 7m tall
Lowland forest
near rivers and
swamps
FS, NS,
SS
TF GR 1.5m FF, TS
Excoecaria agallocha; (Buta-buta)
Small tree to 15m
tall
Mangrove
swamps
MF UB MS 2m
EC, MD, PO, TS,
WQ

A-45
SPECIES DATA PLANTING DATA
Species: (Family) : (Local name) Habit Habitat
Type of
river
habitat
for
planting
Planting
Zones
near
river
banks
Maximum
height/
forest
cover
Planting
radius/
distance
Socio-economic
Ecological
benefits
Ficus microcarpa; (Jejawi)
Large tree with
aerial roots
Swampy places FS, RS UB, TF CA 15m
BC, EX, FF, MD,
OR
Gonystylus bancanus; (Ramin
melawis)
Tree to 27m tall
Peat swamp
forest
PS TF CA 5.5 m FF, MD, TS
Gluioa pleuropteris; (Penyamok) Tree to 10m tall Riverine forest NS, SS UB GR 2m FF, MD, TS
Gynotroches axillaris; (Mata keli) Tree to 36m tall
Lowland
swamps, to
mountains at
1400m
FS, NS,
SS, MS
TF, UT CA 7m FF, MD, TS
Helicia attenuata ; (Golang paya)
Shrub or small
tree to 20m tall
Lowlands and
mountains near
streams
NS, SS,
MS
TF MS 4m EX
Helicia robusta; (Medang keladi)
Small tree to 10m
tall
Lowland and hill
forest, mostly
near streams
NS, SS UB, TF GR 2m FV, MD, PO, TS
Heritiera littoralis;(Dungun)
Small bushy tree
to 1.5m tall
Mangrove
swamps
MF TF MS 2m EC, TS
Hibiscus tillaceus; (Baru-baru) Tree to 12m tall
Tidal freshwater
reaches
MR, RS UB, TF MS 2.5 m
EC, FB, FP, FV,
MD, CR, TS
Intsia bijuga; (Merbau ipil) Tree to 25m tall
Tidal reaches of
rivers
MF, RS UB CA 5m FF, MD, TS
Jackiopsis ornata; (Medang
gambut)
Tree to 35m tall
Lowland
swamps or near
rivers
FS, NS,
SS
UB, TF CA 7m TS

A-46
SPECIES DATA PLANTING DATA
Species: (Family) : (Local name) Habit Habitat
Type of
river
habitat
for
planting
Planting
Zones
near
river
banks
Maximum
height/
forest
cover
Planting
radius/
distance
Socio-economic
Ecological
benefits
Knema curtisii; (Pendarahan) Tree to 10m tall
Freshwater
swamp forest
FS TF GR 2m FF, TS
Lagerstroemia speciosa; (Bungor) Tree to 15 m tall
Open country
near rivers
NS, SS UB, TF MS 3m
DT, EC, EX, FF,
MD, CR, TS
Lophopetalum multinervium;
(Perupok)
Tree to 35 m tall
often with short
columnar
pneumatophores
Peat swamp
forest
PS UB CA 7m EC, FF, TS
Macaranga motleyana (Mahang
bulan)
Small bushy tree
Freshwater
swamp forest
FS, RS UB, TF GR 2m EC, FF
Madhuca motleyana ; (Nyatoh
ketiau)
Tree to 35m tall
Lowland forest
and swamps
FS, NA,
SS
TF CA 7m EX, FF, TS
Mallotus floribundics; (Balik angina) Small tree
Common along
river banks
RS, NS UB, TF GR 2m FF, MD,TS
Mussaendopsis beccariana;
(Merlimau penyabong)
Tree to 35m tall
Freshwater
swamp forest
FS TF CA 7m FF, TS
Neesia malayana; (Bengang) Tree to 25m tall
Freshwater
swamp forest
FS, RS TF, UT CA 5m FF, TS
Neoscortechinia philippinensis;
(Beki)
Small tree
Lowland and hill
forest to 700m,
often in swamps
FS, RS,
NS, SS
UB, TF GR 2m EC, TS
Nephelium lappaceum; (Rambutan) Tree to 25m tall
Swampy
lowland forest to
400m
FS, RS,
NS SS
TF CA 5m
DT, FF, MD, TS,
VO

A-47
SPECIES DATA PLANTING DATA
Species: (Family) : (Local name) Habit Habitat
Type of
river
habitat
for
planting
Planting
Zones
near
river
banks
Maximum
height/
forest
cover
Planting
radius/
distance
Socio-economic
Ecological
benefits
Nephelium ramboutan-ake;
(Pulasan)
Tree to 35m tall
Lowland forest,
often near rivers
NS, SS UB,FF CA 7m
BV, FF, MD \, TS,
VO
Norrisia maior; (Sarapak paya) Tree to 24m tall
Lowland forest,
often near rivers
NS, SS UB, TF CA 5m FF, TS
Nypa fruticans (Nipah) Palm to 6m tall
Tidal reaches of
estuaries
MF LB, UB GR 1m
BV, EC, FB,
FF,FS, MD,WQ
Pimelodendron macrocarpum;
(Perah ikan)
Tree to 18m tall
Lowland swamp
forest
FS, RS TF MS 3.5m EX, FF, TS
Polyalthia glauca; (Mempisang)

Tree to 45m tall
Lowland swamp
forest
FS, RS TF CA 9m FF, TS
Polyathia hypoleuca; (Mempisang) Tree to 30m tall
Lowland and
peat swamp
forests
PS, RS UB, TF CA 6m FF, MD, TS
Pometia pinnata; (Kasai daun
besar)
Tree to 40m tall
Dump forest in
the lowlands
and hills
RS, NS,
SS
UB,TF CA 8m EC,FF,MD,OR,TS
Pterocarpus indicus; (Angsana) Tree to 30m tall
Along tidal
rivers
MF, RS UB, TF CA 6m
DT, EX, FF, MD.
CR. TS
Rhizophora apiculata; (Bakau
minyak)
Stilts-rooted tree
to 30m tall
Mangrove forest MF LB, UB CA 6m
DT, EC, FF, FU,
TS
Rhizophora mucronata; (Bakau
kurap)
Stilt-rooted tree to
30m tall
Mangrove forest MF LB,UB CA 6m EC, FF, FU, TS
Ryparosa hullettii Shrub or tree to Lowland swamp FS, RS TF MS 4m TS, FF

A-48
SPECIES DATA PLANTING DATA
Species: (Family) : (Local name) Habit Habitat
Type of
river
habitat
for
planting
Planting
Zones
near
river
banks
Maximum
height/
forest
cover
Planting
radius/
distance
Socio-economic
Ecological
benefits
20m tall forest
Saraca cauliflora; (Gapis) Tree to 15m tall
Lowland and hill
forest, often
riverine
SS LB, UB MS 3m EC, FF, WQ
Shorea palembanica; (Meranti
tekawang ayer)
Tree of middle
size
Lowland swamp
forest
NS, SS TF, UT MS 3m TS
Stemonurus secundiflorus;
(perapat bukit)
Tree to 12m tall
Forest to 1500m
mostly in
lowland
swamps
FS, PS,
MS
TF MS 2.5m FF, MD, TS
Tetramerista glabra; (Punah) Tree to 35m tall
Lowland
freshwater and
peat swamp
forest
FS, PS TF CA 7m FF, TS

A-49
SPECIES DATA PLANTING DATA
Species: (Family) : (Local name) Habit Habitat
Type of
river
habitat
for
planting
Planting
Zones
near
river
banks
Maximum
height/
forest
cover
Planting
radius/
distance
Socio-economic
Ecological
benefits
Tristaniopsis whiteana; (Pelawan) Tree to 24m tall
River banks in
the lowlands
RS, NS,
SS
UB CA 5m TS
Vatica venulosa; (Resak letop) Small tree
Lowland swamp
forest
FS, RS TF GR 2m TS
Xylocarpus granatum;
(Nyireh bunga)
Tree to 15m tall Mangroves MF UB MS 2m FU, TS




A-50
Abbreviations:
Distribution:
PM=Peninsular Malaysia, Ps=Perlis, Kd=Kedah, Pn=Pulau Pinang, Kl=Kelantan,
Tg=Trengganu, Pk=Perak, Ph=Pahang, Sl=Selangor,NS=Negeri Sembilan,
Ml=Melaka, Jh=Johor, Sb=Sabah, Sw=Sarawak

Type of river habitats for planting:
MS=Montane stream, SS=Saraca stream, NS=Neram stream, RS=Rasaustream,
FS=Freshwater stream, PS=Peatswamp, MF=Mangrove

Maximum height/forest cover:
CA=Canopy, MS=Middle storey, GR=Ground

Planting zones near river bank:
LB=Lower bank, UB=Upper bank, TF=Terrace face, UT=Upper terrace

Socio-economic/Ecological benefits:
BV=Beverages, DT=Dyes and tannins, EC=Ecology/reafforestation,
EO=Essential oils, EX=Exudate/resins, FB=Fibre/thach, FF=Fruits, flowersand
seeds (food for wildlife), FU=Fuel/charcoal, FV=Vegetables, MD=Medicinal
plants, OR=Ornamental, PO=Poison, SF=Spices/flavours, TS=Timber/structure,
VO=Vegetable oils, WQ=Water quality improvement




A-51
Sources used to compile species and planting data:
Ng, F.S.P. (ed.), 1978.Tree Flora of Malaya, Vol. 3.Forest Department,Ministry of
Primary Industries, Malaysia.339 pp.

Ng, F.S.P. (ed.), 1989.Tree Flora of Malaya, Vol. 4. Forest Research Institute,
Malaysia. 549 pp.

Ridley, H.N., 1922-1925. The flora of Malay Peninsula. Vol. 1-5. Reeve. London.

Said, I.M., 1990.A List of wetland plant species of Peninsular Malaysia, with
particular reference to those having socio-economic value.Asian Wetland Bureau
Publication No. 67a. 107pp.

Soerianegara, I. & Lemmens, R.H.M.J..(Editors), 1994.Plant Resources of South
East Asia No. 5(1). Timber trees: Major commercial timbers.Backhuys Publishers,
Lieden.610 pp.

Sosef, M.S.M., Hong, L.T. & Prawirohatmodjo, S. (Editors), 1998. Plant
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Backhuys Publishers, Lieden.859 pp.
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Wyatt-Smith, J. and K.M. Kochummen, 1979. Pocket Check List of Timber Trees
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Annex 8: Department of Agriculture Brochure on Recycling Used Pesticide Containers


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GLOSSARY
Aerobic condition A condition in which free (atmospheric) or dissolved
(molecular) oxygen is present in the aquatic environment.
Algae Plants which contain chlorophyll and live floating or are
suspended in water or attached to structures. Algae produce
oxygen during sunlight hours and use oxygen during the night
hours.
Anaerobic
condition
A condition in which free (atmospheric) or molecular
(dissolved) oxygen is not present in the aquatic environment.
Biodegradable Organic matter that can be broken down by microorganisms e.g.
bacteria to more stable forms which will not create a nuisance or
give off foul odours.
Biodegradable
Organics
Composed principally of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.
Biomass Material derived from plants
BOD Biochemical Oxygen Demand. The rate at which organisms use
the oxygen in water or wastewater while stabilizing
decomposable organic matter under aerobic conditions.
Clarifier Settling Tank, Sedimentation Basin. A tank or basin in which
wastewater is held for a period of time during which the heavier
solids settle to the bottom and the lighter materials float to the
water surface.
Cleaner Production An approach to production and manufacturing that focuses on
source reduction, waste minimization, energy efficiency and low-
waste and non-waste technology.
Coagulation The clumping together of very fine particles into larger particles
caused by the use of chemicals (coagulants). The chemicals
neutralize the electrical charges of the fine particles and cause
destabilization of the particles. This clumping together makes it
easier to separate the solids from the liquids by settling,
skimming, draining or filtering.
COD Chemical Oxygen Demand. The amount of oxygen that is
consumed in chemical reactions (i.e. the oxidation of organic
and inorganic matter), under test conditions. It is used to
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measure the total amount of organic and inorganic pollution in
wastewater.
Counter-current Two different media moving in opposite directions of each other.
Crude Palm Oil The primary liquid product from a palm oil mill.
Depericarper Equipment to separate the fibres and nuts in the press cake.
Effluent Wastewater or other liquid - raw (untreated), partially or
completely treated - flowing from a reservoir, basin, treatment
process, or treatment plant.
Empty Fruit Bunch The fibrous core of the fruit bunch after stripping of the fruitlets
during the milling process.
End-of-pipe Waste management solutions that are applied to the waste at
the point of emission or discharge.
Facultative
bacteria
Facultative bacteria can use either molecular (dissolved) oxygen
or oxygen obtained from food materials such as sulphate or
nitrate ions. Facultative bacteria can live under aerobic or
anaerobic conditions.
HRT Hydraulic Retention Time. The time required to fill a tank at a
given flow rate or the theoretical time required for a given flow of
wastewater to pass through a tank.
Kernel The endosperm or seed (excluding the shell) of the palm oil
fruitlet.
Mesocarp The fleshy fibrous layer of the palm oil fruit from which palm oil is
extracted.
Mulching The recycling of pruned fronds, shredded palm biomass at
replanting as well as excess mesocarp fibre and empty fruit
bunches back on land in the plantation.
Neutralization Addition of an acid or alkali to a liquid to cause the pH of the
liquid to move pH of 7.0.
Potash Potassium compound obtained from fertilizer sources (e.g.
Potassium Chloride, etc.) as well as from ashes from
incineration of EFB (bunch ash or BA) in the mills.