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.