BERLIN, Germany (Reuters) -- Germany has only a small amount of its own natural oil reserves, but an enterprising power plant chief believes it has found an alternative source of energy with a bright future in an aging nation -- used incontinence pads.
"It's an environmentally friendly source of energy," said Thomas Lesche, director of a Bremen incinerator plant that has signed a pioneering deal with a local retirement home to buy up 100 tons of used pads and soiled tissues each year.
"The pollution emissions with used pads are far lower than with oil or coal," added Lesche, who said he did not know of any other plant in Europe that turns incontinence pads into energy. "The content of nappies provide a great source of energy. The demand for used incontinence materials will grow in the future."
Germany has a rapidly aging population with three percent of its 82 million people over 80, a figure which is projected to rise to 10 percent by 2040.
http://edition.cnn.com/2003/TECH/12/23/ ... index.html
