by Brianna Crandall — June 29, 2016 — Grabbing a “fresh” paper towel in a public washroom may leave the user with more on their hands than they bargained for, according to new research commissioned by technology innovator Dyson. The study shows that paper towels can harbor bacteria, which can be transferred to the user’s hands, mouth and face.
In analyzing paper towel samples from around the world, the study found the dirtiest paper towels in Paris, with 99% of unused paper towels containing bacteria. Close behind was New York with 88%, Chicago with 70%, and Shanghai with 45%.
Toby Saville, Dyson microbiologist, commented:
Hand washing is an important part of hand hygiene. But drying your hands is equally as important. Paper towels can contain bacteria, which are rubbed straight onto your hands. If a hand dryer with a HEPA filter is used, such as the Dyson Airblade hand dryer, clean air is directed onto hands, leaving them clean and dry without the need of touching anything.
Research in the United States was carried out by the Accugen Laboratory Chicago and SGS Laboratory New York. Paper towels were taken from restaurants, retail stores, luxury hotels and hospitals in each city.
But it is not simply a question of the environment in which these paper towels are held. A study in The American Journal of Infection Control shows that paper towels can actually pick up bacteria during the manufacturing process. The findings also concluded that the bleaching process for recycled paper does not significantly reduce the concentration of bacteria. In fact, the numbers of microorganisms in recycled paper were up to 1,000 times higher than in virgin paper towels.
Hands are a major vector for harmful microorganisms, with 80% of infectious diseases being transmitted by touch, according to an article in Infection Control Today. Damp hands can spread 1000 times more bacteria than dry hands. Therefore drying hands becomes increasingly important.
Dyson say its Airblade hand dryers dry hands quickly, effectively and hygienically using:
- Airblade technology: Sheets of high-velocity unheated air travel through tiny apertures at 420 mp, quickly scraping water from hands like a windscreen wiper, leaving them dry.
- HEPA filters: The Dyson Airblade hand dryer passes washroom air through a HEPA filter to remove 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns from washroom air before it is blown onto hands.
- The Dyson digital motor V4: A power-dense brushless DC motor, utilizing a bonded magnet encased in a carbon fiber sleeve, is one of the world’s smallest and fully integrated 1600 W motors. Using digital pulse technology, it accelerates from 0-90,000 rpm in less than 0.7 seconds.
