Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Palm Oil Boiler Ash (POBA) Implementation Scenarios as an NPK Fertilizer Alternative Substitution in Palm Oil Plantations

Abstract

Indonesia is the world's largest producer of CPO, with high demand to meet global vegetable oil needs. To maintain the plantation productivity, NPK fertilizer provides additional nutrients. However, their intensive use has negative impacts on the environment, including causing imbalances in aquatic ecosystems due to agricultural run-off that promotes eutrophication and ecotoxicity. In addition, Palm Oil Boiler Ash (POBA) is a waste generated from CPO mill boilers, which is generally underutilized. Nevertheless, POBA has the potential to improve soil quality, although improper management may cause a pH imbalance in water bodies. This study modeled the POBA implementation as an alternative to NPK fertilizer with a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach to evaluate the potential for reducing environmental impacts. The scenarios consisted of 0% or operational conditions, 10%, 30%, and 50% substitution of NPK fertilizer with POBA. openLCA 2.5.0 was used for impact calculation, supported by primary data, and secondary data from the Ecoinvent database 3.11. The results indicated a significant reduction in impact values, particularly in the eutrophication and ecotoxicity categories, with increasing proportions of POBA substitution. This modeling provides the palm oil industry with environmental improvement programs aimed at mitigating impacts and achieving sustainability goals.