LAHAD DATU: The first factory in the palm oil industrial cluster (POIC Lahad Datu) here to process spent bleaching earth (SBE), a solid waste generated by palm oil refineries in Sabah, will commence operation in July 2014.

Owned by EcoOils Sabah Sdn Bhd, a unit under Singapore-based Kewalram Chanrai Group, the factory will extract residue palm oil and lipids from SBE which is currently send to landfills.

At a ceremony to mark the commencement of civil works at the 2.34 ha site, company spokesman said the factory, which will employ a waste recycling technology developed in Malaysia, is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2014 and recycling operation to begin in July.

The unit will be “zero waste” as all the waste will be recycled for creating value added products using state of art technology, the spokesman said.

The factory would employ more than 80 technical and workers and all Sabahans, the spokesman added.

Currently, EcoOils Group has facility to recycle SBE in Nilai and Johor.

Solid Waste agency has recommended all refineries to opt for recycling to reduce pressure on landfills and this will also ensure that this waste does not end up in use which harms the environment.

When completed EcoOils Sabah’s SBE plant will join the other 12 investors at POIC Lahad Datu who have begun their operation.

The industrial cluster has so far attracted a total investment of over RM2bil.

POIC Sabah Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Dr Pang Teck Wai said the developer of the industrial cluster welcomed the commencement of work on the SBE plant.

He described it as a stamp of investors’ confidence of Lahad Datu despite recent intrusion in a village 150km from Lahad Datu Town.

He said the security forces have thoroughly dealt with the threat while stepping up patrols, increasing military hardware and personnel to deter recurrence.

The counter measures, including the setting up of the East Coast Security Command (ESSCom) to coordinate the actions of law enforcement and security units, have regained public confidence, he added.

Source : The Star