Bintulu
Bintulu
Bintulu
17 October 2025
17 October 2025
17 October 2025
Back to News
Turning sludge into growth
Turning sludge into growth
Turning sludge into growth
In most industries, sludge is treated as a messy byproduct, something to be managed, not celebrated.
In most industries, sludge is treated as a messy byproduct, something to be managed, not celebrated.
In most industries, sludge is treated as a messy byproduct, something to be managed, not celebrated.
But at OCI TerraSus, we reimagined this industrial residue as a resource for growth. Each year, thousands of tonnes of sludge are produced from our manufacturing processes. Instead of sending it to landfills or wastewater plants, we asked ourselves whether this material could help grow food instead. That question sparked a research partnership with Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Sarawak to explore how treated sludge could serve as a soil conditioner for agriculture, focusing on crops like melon and corn. The findings were remarkable. Led by Prof. Dr. Patricia King, the study involved field trials to examine the sludge’s effects on soil and plant growth. The results showed that the treated sludge was able to retain nutrients in the soil, reduce nutrient leaching, and improve nutrient availability to plants. When used in the right proportions, the sludge enhanced soil fertility, water retention, and texture, resulting in healthy, high-yield crops. Melons and corn grown using the sludge-based soil conditioner performed just as well or might be even better than those grown with chemical fertilisers. To us at OCI TerraSus, this is the circular economy in action - transforming what was once waste into something that sustains life. Instead of the conventional linear approach of producing, using, and disposing, we are creating a circular system that transforms waste into value and turns environmental challenges into opportunities for growth. Encouraged by the success of the trials, the next phase will focus on continuous cultivation on the same plots to assess whether the sludge-based soil amendment can restore and sustain soil health beyond what synthetic fertilisers can achieve. The trials will also be expanded to larger areas and other fruit crops, including papaya. This is what the circular economy looks like in practice. It is about closing loops between sectors - from industrial production to food systems - and creating shared value for people and the planet. By linking advanced manufacturing with sustainable agriculture, OCI TerraSus proves that innovation does not stop at the factory gate. Sometimes, it takes root in a field - nurtured by a byproduct that found a new purpose. At OCI TerraSus, sludge is no longer the end of a process, it is the beginning of something greener.
But at OCI TerraSus, we reimagined this industrial residue as a resource for growth. Each year, thousands of tonnes of sludge are produced from our manufacturing processes. Instead of sending it to landfills or wastewater plants, we asked ourselves whether this material could help grow food instead. That question sparked a research partnership with Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Sarawak to explore how treated sludge could serve as a soil conditioner for agriculture, focusing on crops like melon and corn. The findings were remarkable. Led by Prof. Dr. Patricia King, the study involved field trials to examine the sludge’s effects on soil and plant growth. The results showed that the treated sludge was able to retain nutrients in the soil, reduce nutrient leaching, and improve nutrient availability to plants. When used in the right proportions, the sludge enhanced soil fertility, water retention, and texture, resulting in healthy, high-yield crops. Melons and corn grown using the sludge-based soil conditioner performed just as well or might be even better than those grown with chemical fertilisers. To us at OCI TerraSus, this is the circular economy in action - transforming what was once waste into something that sustains life. Instead of the conventional linear approach of producing, using, and disposing, we are creating a circular system that transforms waste into value and turns environmental challenges into opportunities for growth. Encouraged by the success of the trials, the next phase will focus on continuous cultivation on the same plots to assess whether the sludge-based soil amendment can restore and sustain soil health beyond what synthetic fertilisers can achieve. The trials will also be expanded to larger areas and other fruit crops, including papaya. This is what the circular economy looks like in practice. It is about closing loops between sectors - from industrial production to food systems - and creating shared value for people and the planet. By linking advanced manufacturing with sustainable agriculture, OCI TerraSus proves that innovation does not stop at the factory gate. Sometimes, it takes root in a field - nurtured by a byproduct that found a new purpose. At OCI TerraSus, sludge is no longer the end of a process, it is the beginning of something greener.
But at OCI TerraSus, we reimagined this industrial residue as a resource for growth. Each year, thousands of tonnes of sludge are produced from our manufacturing processes. Instead of sending it to landfills or wastewater plants, we asked ourselves whether this material could help grow food instead. That question sparked a research partnership with Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Sarawak to explore how treated sludge could serve as a soil conditioner for agriculture, focusing on crops like melon and corn. The findings were remarkable. Led by Prof. Dr. Patricia King, the study involved field trials to examine the sludge’s effects on soil and plant growth. The results showed that the treated sludge was able to retain nutrients in the soil, reduce nutrient leaching, and improve nutrient availability to plants. When used in the right proportions, the sludge enhanced soil fertility, water retention, and texture, resulting in healthy, high-yield crops. Melons and corn grown using the sludge-based soil conditioner performed just as well or might be even better than those grown with chemical fertilisers. To us at OCI TerraSus, this is the circular economy in action - transforming what was once waste into something that sustains life. Instead of the conventional linear approach of producing, using, and disposing, we are creating a circular system that transforms waste into value and turns environmental challenges into opportunities for growth. Encouraged by the success of the trials, the next phase will focus on continuous cultivation on the same plots to assess whether the sludge-based soil amendment can restore and sustain soil health beyond what synthetic fertilisers can achieve. The trials will also be expanded to larger areas and other fruit crops, including papaya. This is what the circular economy looks like in practice. It is about closing loops between sectors - from industrial production to food systems - and creating shared value for people and the planet. By linking advanced manufacturing with sustainable agriculture, OCI TerraSus proves that innovation does not stop at the factory gate. Sometimes, it takes root in a field - nurtured by a byproduct that found a new purpose. At OCI TerraSus, sludge is no longer the end of a process, it is the beginning of something greener.