Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in oil palm plantations using a life cycle assessment approach

Abstract

The growth of palm oil plantations in Indonesia has increased rapidly. Behind that rapid growth of palm oil commodities, negative issues and problems have emerged such as operation of palm oil plantations are caused of environmental damage and the increasing of Greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions. This study aimed to analyze GHG emissions caused by palm oil plantation activities and provide an alternative to reduce GHG emissions through the reuse of solid and liquid waste as a substitute for inorganic fertilizers. The method used is a life cycle assessment based on the ISO 14040 framework. This study found that the average of GHG emission was 0.08 TCO2 e/TFFB/Year. Fertilizing activities contribute a large number of emissions of 0.07 TCO2e/TFFB/Year. Solutions to reduce GHG's emission by optimizing the use of remains organic fertilizer from crude palm oil (CPO) production process which utilizes the liquid waste and empty fruit bunch. The results from the calculation of liquid waste utilization as fertilizer can be potential to reduce the GHG's emission which produces is 0.015 TCO2eq/TFFB or equivalent to 17.03% mean a while the utilization of fresh fruit bunch (FFB) can potentially decrease GHG's emission by 0.029 TCO2eq/TFFB or equivalent to 33.98%. The optimization of liquid waste and FFB make a significant in terms of reducing GHG's emission in palm oil plantation.