Cascades Tissue Group applauds third annual ‘STOP! Clean Your Hands Day’

North America's fourth largest producer of towel and tissue paper, Cascades Tissue Group, applauds the third annual "STOP! Clean Your Hands Day," today, May 7, for building greater awareness for the importance of hand hygiene. The day also marks a good time to note that paper towels are the most hygienic choice when it comes to drying hands.

A recent study conducted by the Bradford Infection Group, University of Bradford, and Dyson Limited, makers of the Dyson Airblade hand dryer, reported that "rubbing with paper towels appeared to be the best means of reducing bacterial loading on the fingertips."

These findings correlate with the results of an earlier study conducted by the University of Westminster, London. That study found that when participants used paper towels to dry their hands, the number of all types of bacteria on the hands was reduced by up to 77 percent, and that air dryers actually increased the number of most bacteria on the hands - up to 254 percent more for warm air dryers and 42 percent more for jet air dryers.

In addition to examining the bacteria on users' hands, the study also looked at the potential contamination of other users and the washroom environment. The study found that the jet air dryer was capable of blowing microorganisms up to six-and-a-half feet away, potentially contaminating users and the washroom. Traditional warm air dryers spread microorganisms less than one foot away, while paper towels showed no significant spread of microorganisms.

The final portion of the study looked at the number of bacteria in the machines themselves. Some of the bacteria found were potential pathogens that could cause disease (E. coli, Staphylococcus).

Based on the results of this study, the use of warm air dryers and jet dryers should be carefully considered in locations where hygiene is of great importance. These places include hospitals, clinics, schools, nurseries, care homes, kitchens and other food preparation areas.

"Third-party research has recognized paper hand towels as being the best and most hygienic hand drying method for forty years," said Cascades Tissue Group CEO Suzanne Blanchet. "We find it especially telling that this new study came to the same conclusion and we're proud to produce products that are both environmentally-preferable and the most hygienic available."