First order for palm oil mill effluent treatment system in Malaysia − Kubota contributes to environmental improvement by raising effluent quality and recovering biogas with the membrane technology

Kubota Corporation has announced that the company has received a turnkey order for an effluent treatment and biogas recovery system for the treatment of the effluent generated in the palm oil producing process in Sarawak, Malaysia.

Working with contract partner BBC Biogas Sdn.Bhd, this new installation will be based at a new palm oil mill in Bintulu, Sarawak, Malaysia. The biogas recovery plant (anaerobic MBR) and effluent treatment plant (MBR) will have a plant capacity of maximum 936 tons per day, and is due to commence operations in summer 2013.

In general terms, the palm oil mill treats the effluent discharged from plants manufacturing palm oil, an important export of Malaysia and Indonesia, often doing so in reservoirs (open lagoons). The diffusion into the atmosphere of methane gas, and water quality pollution have become significant problems. In recent years, the Malaysian government has strengthened its water quality regulations for palm oil effluent so the palm oil mills have been required to take prompt measures.