Consumption

According to the Belgian daily Le Soir, several European ministers will ask the European Commission for an investigation. Reportedly, there's banned palm oil in Pome incorporated into fuels.

A significant portion of plant materials used for biofuel in Europe is imported. These oilseeds are part of the fuel for our cars, the names E5, E10, B7 and B10 representing the percentage of biofuel in the mixture from the pump at the service station (E for petrol, B for diesel).

Don't put oil
However, it seems that there is palm oil that sometimes ends up in Europe's car tanks tanks; an oilseed that is banned in the composition of biofuels in many countries, including Belgium, France and the Netherlands among others. On the other hand, waste from palm oil production, "Palm Oil Mill Effluent" or "Pome" is indeed authorized. Especially since the reuse of Pome avoids methane emissions. So what's the problem?

Double points

According to Le Soir, producers could be directly incorporating palm oil into Pome residues from wastewater, in order to make "authorized" biofuels. They would thus disguise the final product by injecting the surplus oil. Why? Because as a reused material treated to avoid methane emissions, Pome benefits from points that count as double in the greening objectives. All bonuses for fuel producers.

Too much Pome

The suspicion comes from the high volume of imported Pome compared to palm oil production. To get to the bottom of it, Ireland, with the support of Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, will ask the European Commission for an investigation during the Council of European Energy Ministers in Luxembourg on Tuesday, October 15, 2024. And if too much palm oil is found in the Pome, Europe will have to act.

(MH with Olivier Duquesne – Source: Le Soir – Picture: © picture alliance / NurPhoto | Mohamad Hamzah)