Farmers reduce pollution in Taiwan by potty training pigs
Last updated 12/17/2009 3:13:49 PM
Farmers reduce pollution in Taiwan by potty training pigs
They have something of a reputation and may seem the most unlikely of animals to teach toilet etiquette. But, believe it or not, pigs are being potty-trained by farmers in southern Taiwan to reduce pollution.
The unusual scheme is part of a pilot programme which see pigs doing their business in special toilets on farms in the region. Farmers have smeared pig waste on the walls of the piggy loos to encourage them to use the facilities rather than nearby rivers.
One farmer explained: "The pig toilets on my farm help me collect about 95% of all pig waste, making cleaning much, much easier."
So far, the initiative has been tried and tested in Taiwan's Yunlin and Changhua counties and a fee on water contamination is expected to be introduced in 2010.
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