Palm oil is used in the majority of packaged products in the U.S., and is the most commonly used vegetable oil in the world. The oil comes from the fruits of oil palms, primarily the African oil palm. It’s widely used due to its productivity, as it provides a large yield for a very low price of production. But, even with its numerous uses and productive industry, palm oil comes with a downside that most people are not aware of.

 

According to the World Wildlife Fund, the environmental effects of the palm oil industry are widespread and extremely damaging. To create palm oil plantations, large expanses of tropical rainforest are cut or burned down. Each palm oil mill generates 2.5 metric tons of effluent, liquid waste and sewage, for every metric ton of palm oil produced. The waste produced, if not properly handled, can become freshwater pollution which eventually affects downstream ecosystems and human communities. Additionally, palm oil farms are often located on converted tropical peat forests, which are sites of large carbon sinks. When converted to plantations, the carbon is released and is a significant contributor to climate change. These are just a couple of the more severe environmental impacts, others including habitat loss, contribution to soil erosion and air pollution caused by the burning of forests.

 

A study done by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, an organization committed to creating global standards for a sustainable palm oil industry, found that from 1990 to 2010, 8.7 million acres of forest were converted to palm oil plantations, which is about twice the size of New Jersey.

 

One of the most widely known impacts of the palm oil industry is its effect on orangutan populations due to deforestation through logging and mining. The extremity of the situation is described by Michelle Desilets, executive director of the Orangutan Land Trust.

 

"The conversion of forest for oil palm is the single greatest threat to [their] survival in the wild."

 

But while the impacts are severe, many companies have been confronted for their use of unsustainable palm oil use, and due to public outrage have started to make the change to deforestation-free palm oil only. According to National Geographic, 60 percent of the global palm oil trade is now covered by sustainable palm oil practices. In 2013, the world’s largest palm oil company, Wilmar International, committed to a zero-deforestation policy across all of its palm oil production.

 

Regardless of any environmental impacts and improvements, harvesting palm oil involves a certain level of human exploitation as well. A study conducted by the Rainforest Action Network found that child labor is common on palm oil plantations, with many of the children working in order to help their parents. Many of the workers are also exposed to dangerous chemicals within the pesticides and fertilizers used, including Gramoxone, which has a chemical herbicide banned in many countries. The plantations hire ‘casual workers’, which, though they’re intended to only keep the job for a few months, end up working for years with low wages and no health care.

 

The palm oil industry, despite the recent efforts of individual companies, has been one full of controversy for many years. While the numerous uses and cost effectiveness of palm oil is undeniable, it’s an industry full of environmental degradation and hazardous, unfair work conditions. With the recent trend being decent improvements, however, it’s hopeful that a balance can and will be found for a more sustainable and more safe industry overall.