Abstract

While waste management is given more care for protecting the environment and human health, agro industrial wastes are still a concern, in developing countries. This study quantitatively assesses the palm oil wastes generated by mills and describes their management in Southern Benin. Twenty four out of 335 regional palm oil mills were randomly selected and assessed for waste quantities generated during the oil production season. From 1 ton (t) of full fruit bunches (FFB), each palm oil mill produces an average of 712.1 kg of fruits, 254.7 kg of empty fruit bunches (EFB), and 399.8 kg of palm kernel cake, 114.9 kg of fibre, 240.4 L of palm oil mills effluents (POME) and 152.3 L of crude palm oil. Numeric classification analyses resulted in four groups of palm oil mills following production factors and wastes quantities generated: small, medium, large and very large mills. These groups produced yearly on average respectively 12.4, 31.3, 132.7, and 800.7 t of EFB; 5.6, 13.6, 135.2, and 637 t of fibre and 15.1, 40.9, 233.4, and 572.6 t of POME. They differed in nature, plantations size, and capacity to employ people. About 80% are small producers. The use of all POME generated depend on waste quantity produced.

Key words: Palm oil mills, wastes, system production.