14 DAY TRIAL // Students at the University at Buffalo in the United States have recently taken the time to investigate just how eco-friendly hand dryers are when compared to paper towel dispensers, and have obtained some very interesting results.
Thus, it appears that, contrary to what some might assume, hand dryers need not be listed among the kings and queens of carbon dioxide pollution, Phys Org informs.
More precisely, the University at Buffalo students behind this research project maintain that, when compared to paper towel dispensers, hand dryers release about 42% less carbon dioxide throughout their working life.
Given the fact that carbon dioxide emissions have been documented to be a major contributor to climate change and global warming, this suggests people who want to help limit these phenomena might want to favor them.
What's interesting is that, according to the University at Buffalo group of students, opting for hand dryers instead of paper towel dispensers also appears to be the right thing to do financially-wise.
The young scientists maintain that a hand dryer burns just $28 (about €20.5) in energy consumption yearly. A paper towel dispenser, on the other hand, eats up $900 (approximately €660) to remain functional for one year.
Since saving the best for last is argued to be the way to go, it can now be said that, by the looks of it, hand dryers are also a whole lot cleaner. Specifically, they were found to accommodate for six times fewer bacteria.
Granted, the hand dryers and the paper towel dispensers that these students got to analyze and swab for microbes were the ones installed in campus bathrooms, and the dryers were all fitted with special blades, but the findings are still noteworthy.
Commenting on this research project, professor James Jensen says, “These outstanding students represent the best of UB [University at Buffalo]: engaged, thoughtful and enthusiastic students devoted to making the world a better place for others.”
To prove that these students did a really good job comparing the perks of using hand dryers against the alleged advantages of opting for paper towel dispensers, it need be said the team won second place in this year's New York State Pollution Prevention Institute's R&D Student Competition.
The students plan to continue their work and try to establish exactly which germs are present on hand dryers and paper towel dispensers. They hope that, sometime later this summer, a peer-reviewed journal – maybe even two or more – will agree to publish their findings.