Hand Dryers Vs Paper Towels

Which method of hand drying is more appropriate, an electric hand dryer or a paper towel? In order to do such a comparison, one must first evaluate the three key elements that will influence the outcome: environmental, hygienic, and economic cost. Diverse studies are being conducted on a regular basis in order to finally answer these concerns, while both the paper towel and Commercial hand dryer markets attempt to fiercely defend their respective products.

Hand dryers:

Hand dryers are electric equipment used to dry hands in public restrooms. They may be operated manually or automatically through an infrared sensor. Hand dryers are classified into two types: the traditional, warm-air hand dryer introduced by George Clemens in 1948 and the jet models popularized by Dyson since 2006.

Paper Towel:

A paper towel is a disposable, absorbent textile made of paper rather than cloth. Paper towels are either standard or made from recycled materials.

Comparison of Hand Dryers and Paper Towel on the basis of Three Key Elements:

1. Environmental:

First, let us evaluate the environmental impact of paper towels vs hand dryers.

Environmental impact of paper Towel

Trees are cut down throughout the production process, and the timber must be transported to facilities where it is transformed into paper towels. The environmental cost of such a procedure is high since fossil fuels are used to provide the electrical energy required for both the production process and packaging, as well as the cost of transportation from the facility to the customer.

Furthermore, because paper towels can’t be reused once they’re unclean, they’ll need to be replenished on a regular basis. Because paper towels are formed of organic material, when they are disposed of in a landfill, harmful greenhouse gasses such as methane are generated during the decomposition process.

Paper towels make up 2% of total landfills in the United States, making this a significant concern. So, while it is impossible to analyze all environmental aspects associated with paper towel consumption, one may conclude that paper towels do leave a considerable carbon footprint.

Environment Impact of Hand Dryer

Let us check out the environmental effect of hand dryers.

A Commercial hand dryer will take around 1.5Kw (per hour of use) of electricity and is expected to last approximately 10 years. It is obvious that some electricity is used in supplying a hand dryer once it is installed; however, when compared to paper towels, CO2 emissions are much lower in terms of transporting the product because, once installed, nothing is required in terms of upkeep, making it more environmentally sustainable in this regard.

Hand Dryer v/s Paper Towels: Which is more eco-friendly?

According to studies, a hand dryer is approximately three times more eco-friendly than paper towels, producing about a 1/3 of the CO2 that paper towels do. Furthermore, there is no waste generated by the use of electric hand dryers, which saves landfill space and reduces the number of dangerous greenhouse gasses discharged into the environment. It has also been discovered that during the productive life of the average hand dryer, approximately 24 fewer trees are chopped down than if paper towels were used in place of this one hand drier. In terms of environmental sustainability, using hand dryers has an obvious advantage.

2. Hygiene:

Let us check out, which is more hygienic: Hand Dryer or Paper Towels

Sanitizing with Hand Dryers

Hand dryers are not as hygienic as paper towels and are known to transmit germs. Microorganisms can be blown up to one foot by standard dryers, but up to 6.5 feet by jet dryers. Bacteria on the hands climbed 194 to 254 percent with normal dryers and 15 to 42 percent with jet dryers were measured before and after washing. Standard dryers take 30 to 43 seconds to dry the hands, increasing the likelihood of cross-contamination. Jet dryers take between 8 and 10 seconds to dry.

Sanitizing with Paper Towels

Paper towels are both expensive and sanitary due to their disability. Furthermore, the physical activity of drying the hands eliminates microorganisms. Finally, hands dry quickly, generally within 10 to 15 seconds, which avoids cross-contamination since bacteria transmit from moist skin. As a result, drying hands using paper towels decreased germs on the hand before washing by 76 to 77 percent.

Hand Dryer v/s Paper Towels: Which is more Hygenic?

There are several online rumors claiming that hand dryers spread germs, sometimes even more germs than paper towels. But are these stories real, or is something else going on?

First and foremost, we must recognize that germs, also known as microorganisms, exist everywhere. You won’t be able to get away from them. The best method to keep hazardous germs at bay is to wash your hands for 20 seconds before thoroughly drying them with a paper towel or a hand dryer. Good hygiene consists of both thorough washing and proper drying. Hand dryers are no less sanitary than any other form of hand-drying in a washroom, so don’t stop using them. When it comes to hand cleaning, remember that hand drying is just as important as complete hand washing.

3. Cost:

The Cost is the important element to consider for comparing Hand Dryers with Paper Towels.

Cost of Hand Dryers

After the initial investment of purchasing and installing a hand dryer, their operating costs are substantially lower. According to the EPA, ordinary hand dryers cost $0.0125 per use and jet dryers cost $0.00809 each use, both of which include the original purchase cost.

Cost of Paper Towels

Paper towels require not just the towels alone, but also a disposal location that involves extra costs such as bin liners, manpower, and so on. Paper towels also have clean-up and disposal expenses. The cost of two regular paper towels is calculated by the researchers to be $0.0625.

There is no cost estimate for recycled paper towels, however, the EPA claims that production expenses are reduced by 40%, a substantial difference in price.

Hand Dryer v/s Paper Towels: Which is more expensive?

The initial cost of an electric hand dryer clearly outweighs that of its competitor, the hand towel. It is also true that practically all Handy Dryers units will pay for themselves in less than a year*. Without including the cost of garbage bags and upkeep, an average-sized business will pay roughly £2,000 per year. In comparison, the initial cost of an electric hand dryer is around £60, with an annual operating cost of around £60.

Even though paper towels will continue to be more expensive, consumers may make a major effect on both costs and the environment by reducing their usage of paper towels.

Final Words:

Finally, these three factors are all interconnected when selecting which technique of hand drying is best for your specific scenario. It is preferable, however, to invest in the development of hand dryers rather than utilizing paper towels for the purpose of short-term eco-friendliness. This is due to the fact that continual technology advancements are critical in ensuring long-term environmental sustainability since hand dryer efficiency is always growing.

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Archetype Health is a Birmingham area Chiropractor and wellness clinic specializing in holistic wellness through full-body movement.