Small-Scale Palm Oil Production in Ghana: Practices, Environmental Problems and Potential Mitigating Measures

Abstract

The environmental impact of small-scale palm oil processing mills in Ghana has come under serious questioning, especially the disposal of wastewater generated from their operations. This chapter describes the small-scale palm oil production operations in Ghana to highlight the associated environmental problems arising from the disposal of wastewater and other waste by-products. The chapter further discusses the effluent discharge permitting arrangements and possible modifications to the production practices and policy interventions that could improve their environmental compliance and encourage resource recovery. The data in this chapter was obtained from a survey of selected small-scale palm oil processing mills in Ghana, laboratory analysis of wastewater samples from processing mills and review of related literature. Wastewater generated from the processing activities is currently disposed of without any form of treatment. The characteristics of wastewater indicate the need for treatment before disposal. Treatment technologies that could achieve resource recovery (such as biogas, compost, earthworm biomass) and fit into the framework of circular economy should be explored.

Smallholder Palm Oil Production Sector in African Countries: State of the Art, Practices, Constraints, and Opportunities in Cameroon

“…It is estimated that for every Nigerian household of five, about two liters of palm oil is consumed weekly for cooking [2]. It has also been shown from the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey that one out of every two households (54%) in the country and four out of five (80%) households in the Centre Region used palm oil in food preparations [3]. Small-scale palm oil processing has been shown to be profitable and can also be a source of employment.…”

“…Awere et al [3] observed the need for the treatment of wastewater produced from palm oil processing activities before disposal. They proposed the exploration of treatment technologies that could achieve recovery of resources (e.g., biogas, compost, and earthworm biomass) and fit into the framework of the circular economy.…”

Application of Palm Kernel Shell Granular Filter Medium for Decolourisation and COD Removal from Clarified Palm Oil Mill Effluent

“…Small-scale palm oil processing involves the receipt of fresh fruit bunches, splitting, storage, stripping, fermentation, boiling, digestion/pressing, and clarification. Detailed information on the palm oil production processes may be obtained from our earlier publication [10].…”

“…Table I shows the characteristics of POME from small-scale palm oil processing mills in Ghana and Nigeria as well as industrial-scale mills in Asia. According to numerous research studies, small-scale processing mills typically discharge their POME into the natural environment without any treatment [7,10,[20][21][22]. Improper disposal of POME contaminates the receiving land, aquatic bodies, and air by emitting odour, and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.…”