Hand dryer

In the UK, this will typically be around 10–12p, the only way to compare costs accurately is to work out the rated energy consumption and divide it by the number of drys the hand dryer is capable of performing back to back in one hour, which will give the energy consumption per dry.

Due to the reduction in litter and waste in comparison with paper towels, which cannot be recycled,[4] hand dryers are claimed to be better for the environment.

[8] The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention both stress the importance of frequent and thorough hand washing followed by their complete drying as a means to stop the spread of bacteria.

[10] Other research suggests paper towels are much more hygienic than the electric hand dryers found in many public toilets.

They found that: In a study conducted by TÜV Produkt und Umwelt GmBH from May 2004 to February 2005, different hand drying methods were evaluated.

[12] The following changes in the bacterial count after drying the hands were observed: Another paper found that air dryers dispersed[specify] marker bacteria in a radius of three feet (one metre) and onto the investigator's laboratory coat.

[14] This is corroborated by another study which found that the mechanical action of paper towel drying removed bacteria, something air dryers cannot do.

[16] The European Tissue Symposium, a trade body, has produced a position statement on the hygiene standards of different hand drying systems.

Typically, installed hand dryers make over 80 decibels of sound at a distance of 10 ft (3.0 m) while in operation.

The term aural diversity was coined following the findings of Prof. John Levack Drever’s study of the noise impact of high-speed hand dryers and the inadequacy of policy and guidance of acoustics.