INAX Corp., a major Japanese manufacturer of bathroom fixtures, announced on January 28, 2006 that it has developed a water-saving flushing system named "eco 6," and started using the system in its core product line of toilets on April 1, 2006. The eco 6, which is used in about 80 percent of the company's residential toilets, can clean the bowl using only six liters of water per flush. This will result in a significant reduction in both water use in the toilet and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with water supply and sewage treatment. The toilets with the eco 6 are the nation's first siphon toilets to achieve a level of only six liters of water per flush.

INAX has been working on the development of new toilets under the concept of "greater cleaning power with less water." In 2005, the company released a line of toilets with the "Gurupika" flushing system which gives toilets a powerful flush using eight liters of water. The toilets with the Gurupika system have been well accepted by consumers, and are now the main products of INAX residential toilets. Their flushing power was achieved by flushing the entire amount of water from one outlet located in the upper part of the bowl. Based on this technology, INAX has developed the eco 6 to save more water. One of the additional improvements is the higher position of water in the tank to increase water pressure.

The eco 6 requires only about 40 percent of water previously used by the 13-liter models sold between 1989 and 2001. INAX estimates that an average Japanese family of four (two males and two females) will save 45,260 liters of water per year, which will amount to 12,000 yen in water utility costs (about U.S.$103).

In terms of CO2 emissions, 0.59 kilograms of CO2 are released into the atmosphere for every 1,000 liters of river water is purified or sewage treated. This means that a switch to the eco 6 will reduce 27 kilograms of CO2 emissions per unit annually per toilet.

http://www.inax.co.jp/e/

Posted: 2006/04/17 11:17:53 AM
Japanese version

TAG Eco-product/Business , Food/Water , Manufacturing industry