In the palm oil industry, mills discharge 3%-6% organic solids derived mostly from mesocarp pulp into effluent ponds during processing. In addition, solids are generated during the anaerobic digestion of the effluent, and this precipitates to the bottom of the digestion ponds and after a period of time there is a solid build-up within the ponds. The solid build-up if left unchecked will result in significant reduction in the capacity of the effluent ponds, leading to a reduction in the hydraulic retention time of the effluent. Current process technology does not offer a continuous removal of sludge from the ponds and this poses problems to the mill management, as the mills find it difficult to keep the biological oxygen demand (BOD) of the discharge within 100 ppm. Now, with the proposed new ruling on the maximum BOD at below 20 ppm, the mills are concerned about how to implement the new demands by the Department of Environment (DOE). Failure to comply with the new requirement will result in compounding by the DOE.