 An example of a current threat which has potentially created a 'cheap' (for the short term) - but unsustainable feedstock is Palm Oil.
It has come to our attention that tropical rainforest has been cleared felled in Malaysia and Indonesia to expand palm oil plantations, This practice is not sustainable. Therefore imported palm oil feed stocks cannot ethically be used in Australian production plants.
The policy should be to investigate any feed-stocks deemed unsustainable on application. If it can be proven that the feedstock in question has progressed to the point of being deemed ‘sustainable production’ it would be accepted for limited application. This has been demonstrated in Thailand where palm oil plantations are being established where rubber plantations were once the local cash crop, the rubber price has made it unviable to grow rubber trees so palm plantations are being planted on land that is otherwise abandoned and risks erosion by the elements. Planting something is usually better than doing nothing, especially where high rain fall is the norm. Buying palm oil from such a plantation could have many positive effects.
For Full Article Creating a Sustainable Biodiesel Industry in Australia.Labels: alternative fuels, biodiesel |
