Japan is well known for its innovation in developing new toilet technology to meet the most basic needs of the modern world. Now a developer has come up with a way he thinks can eliminate the need for toilet water, which can save massive amounts of water and money, and even produce income.
The new “biotoilet” by Showa Denko uses sawdust in place of water, in a mechanism that works just like the units in many homes that are used to process biodegradable kitchen waste into fertilizer.
After having made a deposit, the toilet is “flushed” by turning a handle that breaks down the business and mixes it together with the sawdust. After a few twists, the mixture is so well blended there’s no sign of any foreign objects having been dropped at all — even toilet paper!
Although the sawdust originally starts while in a light and fluffy condition, after a while it begins turning a darker color and becomes moist and clammy.
“You only need to change the sawdust twice a year,” [the president of Showa Denko] says. “And you can recycle the sawdust from the toilet by using it as fertilizer.”
As good as all of this sounds, there is one major obstacle – government regulation. Current Japanese law mandates that only flush toilets can be install in any area that has access to a sewage system. Showa Denko has applied to the authorities to have its system approved for installation, but there is no sign right now that we will need to turn in our flush commodes for a litter box anytime soon.
But what about the bidet? If there’s no autowash this is not an innovation, it’s a step in the wrong direction.
A sandblaster maybe?
When writing this up, I actually had the same thought as you, feitclub. It seemed like a step backward being touted as a step forward.
What about the trees it would take to produce this sawdust? Maybe we could cut down what’s left of the Amazon to make this great sawdust toilet idea happen.
This reminds me of the biodeisel cars I see hippies driving in Berkeley, CA. They are oh so proud of themselves. But not smart enough to realize it takes MORE energy to first grow the plants, then make fuel from them, than it is to burn your everyday gasoline.
V
Maybe they can use some of Ishihara’s cedars.
backward step? or back-wood step…
(jeez!! i’m surprised you missed that one guys).
I saw something like this designed for places that lack plumbing. A Japanese inventor installed several in China. So, it’s a step up from your typical outhouse.
I can’t imagine it for home use. Though, in Japan, there is almost certainly a niche market for those who would enjoy being made to use kitty-litter. Sandblasting, too, for that matter.
Just remember, Vin, you can grow plants and trees until the sun goes nova. We’ll be out of easily-obtainable oil for making gasoline in a few thousand years. So whether it takes more or less energy is a moot point, at some point it will have to be done.
And the sawdust they’re prototyping now, I’m sure someone will figure out how to use something more quickly renewable, such as bamboo.
All that aside, the main problem with composting toilets is the smell. If you can’t hermetically seal the biomass, people won’t want it in their homes.