PALM OIL MILL WASTE IMPORTANCE AND ITS MANAGEMENT IN A SUSTAINABILITY CONTEXT IN SOUTHERN BENIN

Abstract

Palm oil is one of the most valuable oleaginous trees worldwide. Wastes from palm oil production are used for many purposes (soap, fire starting cake, butter…). While researchers have paid attention to the sustainability of the palm oil mill environment, there have been no studies about the importance of each kind of waste in relation to its sustainability. To analyze these questions, a survey was conducted in Southern Benin with a random sample of 335 palm oil mill owners. An ethnobotanical index was used to evaluate the importance and value of palm oil mill wastes in palm oil production. A double Principal Component Analysis was performed to characterize palm oil mill waste using categories of palm oil production. The study reveals that palm fiber and empty fruit bunches were plays the same social important (p>0.05) to mill owners, with the Importance Value at 0.52 and 0.45, respectively. The importance of these wastes varied within palm oil production. The quantity of empty fruit bunches and palm oil mill effluent used depended on the amount generated and use value to mill owners. At the same time, the quantity of fiber used depended only on its use value. When fiber was used for many purposes, the mill owners did not use all the quantity produced. Palm oil mill waste was more valorized in soil fertilization in Ouémé. The discharge of palm oil mill effluent in Plateau, Couffo and Mono contributed more to environmental pollution than palm oil mill solid wastes.