Ultimate Hygiene for Hands
Cotton and paper towels are the best methods of hand drying to achieve ultimate hygiene, says a study carried out in March this year.
Undertaken by the School of Biosciences at the University of Westminster on behalf of E.T.S.A, The European Textile Service Association, the study looked at continuous cotton towels, paper towels and warm air dryers and monitored the number of bacteria on the hands before and after using the three hand drying methods. Three different growth media were used to distinguish the different types of bacteria commonly found on the hands. Bacteria Reduced by 85%
Both continuous cotton roller towels and paper towels decreased the numbers of all types of bacteria on the fingertips by up to 85% and on the palms by up to 70%. There was no significant difference between the performance of the two types of towel.
Meanwhile, warm air dryers significantly increased the numbers of all types of bacteria on the fingertips by up to 189% and on the palms by up to 56%. The study concludes that cotton and paper towels should be considered better alternatives to warm air dryers for use in locations where hygiene is paramount such as food establishments and clinical settings. Cabinet Design Aids Ultimate Hygiene
Advanced cotton towel cabinet designs guarantee utmost hygiene. Kennedy's mechanical retractable TEKNA cabinet for example isolates clean towel and positions it above used towel. It is also impossible to pull back dirty towel portions thus alleviating any risk of contamination.
Visibly & Microbiologically Clean Cotton Towels
Cotton towels undergo a controlled washing procedure in industrial laundries which ensures that towels are both visibly and microbiologically clean. Anti-bactericidal & Fungicidal Protection
What's more, typically industrial laundries wash towels at 80 degrees centigrade with professional washing agents. During the final rinse cycle, towels are treated with anti-bactericidal and anti-fungicidal agents that help protect the towels when in service. The process of industrial towel washing is so thorough that it is even capable of killing high risk viruses including H5N1 (avian flu). Cotton's Natural Properties Complement Hand Hygiene
This is where cotton really comes into its own for hygiene. The cotton towel provides sufficient friction to complement hand hygiene by helping to remove bacteria still on the hands after washing and rinsing. What's more, cotton has a superior capacity for absorption. Its macroscopic and microscopic capillaries transport water in the fabric and act as reservoirs by absorbing the water. It is crucial that water is removed from the hands lest a wet, warm, perfect breeding ground for germs will develop. Cotton for Excellent Environmental Performance A wise choice for hygiene, cotton's environmental performance is similarly excellent. A recent study commissioned by The European Textile Service Association (E.T.S.A) proves that in six out of seven environmental aspects, cotton outperforms paper towel alternatives. The cotton roll system also supports recycling and the closed loop economy.
Life Cycle Analysis
The study referenced here was undertaken last year by The Öko-Institut in Germany. A Life Cycle Analysis compared two mechanical hand drying systems, the continuous cotton roll and the paper towel. The objective was to identify the system which performed best environmentally in order that E.T.S.A could inform the public of the environmental impacts of hand drying systems.
Cotton For Lowest Environmental Impact
It was proved that throughout its life cycle, from manufacture of the towel to final disposal, the continuous cotton towel generates the lowest environmental impact. These results apply both when cotton towels are compared with paper towels made from luxury paper and with towels made from 50% recycled paper.
Total Environmental Burden
A detailed analysis considered the environmental burden generated by the two systems. Factors included greenhouse gas emissions, acidification and nutrient enrichment of soil and water and the contribution to summer fog formation. Results clearly illustrated the environmental advantage of cotton towels.
150% More Damaging than Cotton
Paper towels made in part from recycled paper have an environmental impact that is 100% greater than cotton towels. The impact of paper towels made from virgin luxury paper is a massive 150% higher than that of cotton.
Cotton – Higher Performance In Six Out Of Seven Environmental Aspects
Compared with paper towels, the cotton roll system uses up to 63% less energy, generates up to 48% less greenhouse gases and 79% less waste.
A Closed Cycle
At the core of the cotton roll's environmental performance is a closed cycle. Paper towels are discarded after one use whereas cotton towels can be washed and reused up to 100 times. Once the cotton towel has finished its effective life for hand drying, in most cases it embarks on a second life where it is used as cleaning cloths. So, even once discarded, cotton towels continue to be useful.
Clean Energy & Minimal Packaging
Also worthy of note as far as cotton's positive environmental performance goes; the energy used for washing towels comes from clean natural gas and a minimum amount of packaging materials are used in the distribution of cotton rolls.
Where Cotton Performs Less Well
Water use in the cotton life cycle is nearly 40% higher than that of paper towels due to the water needed to irrigate cotton crops. To counter this, water needed for the washing of towels accounts to just 16% of the total use and the total waste water pollution generated by the cotton roll system is just 10% of that of the paper towel system.
Lifecycle Systems of Cotton & Paper
The Öko-Institut study considered the entire lifecycle of both systems, from forestry and farming through to final disposal. One pull of a continuous cotton roll was equated to the use of two paper towels.
The Life Cycle Analysis followed the strict requirements established by the ISO 14040 series of standards for life cycle analysis. An independent review panel checked the analysis to ensure its neutral and unbiased nature and compliance with ISO standards. Cotton the Sustainable Choice Recent studies into Life Cycle Analysis, hygiene, user preferences and perceptions have brought significant new arguments to the table with reference to hand drying methods. Despite a growing choice of hand drying alternatives being available, cotton maintains its well deserved position in the highest echelons of hand drying, due for the main part to its environmental and hygienic qualities. Without doubt, where importance is placed on sustainability and responsible choice, cotton hand towels make for a very sound decision.
Detailed results of the Öko-Institut and Westminster University studies can be ordered from E.T.S.A www.etsa-europe.org
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