Toyota and Dung

Okay, not technically Prius news, but for those that think Toyota's interest in hybrids is only so they can sell non-hybrids, it appears their interest in and concern with global warming is quite real.

Article from Guardian Unlimited.

George

http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,1799382,00.html

Toyota reveals dung development

Charlotte Moore and agencies
Friday June 16, 2006

Guardian Unlimited

The car manufacturer Toyota today announced the invention of a more environmentally friendly way of composting cow dung.
The company, which developed the Prius, one of the world's most environmentally friendly cars, said it had developed a new process that speeds up the composting of dung.

The process dramatically reduces the amount of nitrous oxide, methane and other greenhouse gases released.

A new compound cuts the amount of time it takes to convert cow dung into a high-quality compost from between 90 and 180 days to 45 days, and also cuts the odours released by decomposing cow manure.

"After using this formula, the neighbours stopped complaining about the pungent smell," Reuters reported a cattle farmer who had used the new compound as saying.

Japanese farmers have to dispose of 89m tonnes of livestock manure every year, according to official figures, with one dairy cow producing 50kg of dung.

Toyota - the world's second-largest car maker - has been involved in biotechnology since 1998, using it to fight global warming and promoting the reuse and recycling of resources.

Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006