A leading Massachusetts-based research university study has proven that the Dyson Airblade hand dryer is the most sustainable way to completely dry hands.
Paper towels and warm air hand dryers have the highest environmental toll according to this comprehensive lifecycle analysis (LCA), generating 70% or more carbon emissions than the Dyson Airblade hand dryer. Rather than warm air, the Dyson Airblade hand dryer uses sheets of cool, clean air to literally scrape water from hands.
People perceive recycled paper towels to always be better for the environment. The report’s researchers found that the environmental impact of recycled towels equals that of virgin paper towels in a number of environmental measures, including CO2 emissions and water consumption.
Recycled and virgin towels both generate over three times more carbon emissions than the Dyson Airblade hand dryer - creating waste, consuming more energy and using more water.
This comprehensive LCA has helped Dyson pinpoint where engineering improvements can be made to further reduce the environmental impact of its technologies.
“Paper towels and warm air hand dryers, like vacuum bags, are from a bygone era,” said James Dyson. “Technology has moved on. People want to dry their hands quickly, completely and without damaging the environment.”
Unlike paper towels, the most resource intensive hand drying method, the environmental impact of warm air hand dryers (and most home appliances) occurs during use.
Energy-hungry heating elements and inefficient motors tip the sustainability scales, making warm air dryers up to 80% less energy efficient than the Dyson Airblade hand dryer.
To download the Executive Summary of the research visit:
http://msl.mit.edu/publications/HandDryingLCA-ExecutiveSummary.pdf
