Taiwan: Government urges farmers to install pig toilets

This incentive was announced in order to combat water and waste pollution, reports state. In addition to fighting pollution, another advantage to the pig toilet is that it increases piglet survival rates.

 

“The EPA will provide NT$1,500 [US$50] for each pig toilet installed under an exemplary plan for cleaner pig farms promoted by the EPA,” said Hsu Yung-hsing, director of the Department of Water Quality.

 

The EPA will urge the use of the pig toilets in seven cities and counties – Greater Tainan, Greater Kaohsiung and Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung and Hualien counties.

 

The EPA wants to promote pig toilet use by March. The EPA has already advised 95 pig farms in three counties -Yilan, Yunlin, and Changhua  to build 3,350 pig toilets, and with another the seven cities and counties being reeled in, the total pig toilets will amount to almost 7,000.

 

Cutting waste
The pig toilets is said to be able to cut waste produced by 177,600 hogs, according to Hsu.

According to EPA statistics Taiwan has 6.19 million pigs and the pig waste produced accounts for 26% of river pollution. High concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus are found in pig feces and urine, which affect water quality and is responsible for unpleasant odours.