UK's First "POO BUS" Goes Into Service

The Poo Bus, UK's first bus that is powered entirely by human and food waste has begun its service between Bristol and Bath.

The 40-seater bus, which runs on biomethane gas, which is generated from sewage and food waste. The engine is similar to a conventional diesel engine.

This Bio-Bus, run by the tour operator Bath Bus Company, ferries people between Bristol Airport and Bath city. An average of 10,000 passengers travel from the airport to Bath each month.

The eco-friendly bus, on a full tank of biomethane gas, has a range of 300 km. A full tank of this gas takes the annual waste of about five people to produce. The carbon discharged by the bus into the atmosphere is 30 percent less compared to a regular diesel powered vehicle.

The biomethane gas that is needed to run the bus is generated at Bristol's sewage treatment works, that is run by a subsidiary of Wessex Water, GENeco.

Biomethane is produced in the plant through a process known as anaerobic digestion- bacteria breaks down the waste, which produce the gas. carbon dioxide is then removed and propane is added.

Mohammed Saddiq, the General Manager of GENeco says, "Gas-powered vehicles have an important role to play in improving air quality in UK cities but the Bio-Bus goes further than that and is actually powered by people living in the local area, including quite possibly those on the bus itself."