Paper towels actually carry germs, study shows

MONTREAL -- A Canadian study may give you pause for thought next time you reach for a paper towel in a public washroom.

The study finds bacteria thrive on the paper products, even on unused towels.

The new study by researchers at Laval University in Quebec City, and published in the American Journal of Infection Control, says some of those germs could be transferred to people after they've washed their hands.

Research into bacterial transmission from unused paper towels to hands and surfaces has not previously been well-documented.

The study authors cautioned that their work doesn't imply that paper towels are unsafe; just that they could possibly be an unwanted source of contamination in certain environments.

For example, the study suggests paper towels could pose a danger in certain clinical or industrial settings or for those with immune disorders.

A study of six towel brands, all commercially sold in Canada, showed all had germs. However, recycled towels were the most heavily contaminated.

"In our study, the concentration of bacteria in the recycled paper was between 100- to 1,000-fold higher than the virgin wood pulp brand," the researchers wrote.

No illness was found to be connected to paper towel use.

Scientists wrote that the findings in their paper towel study are consistent with high bacterial counts found in other products made of recycled paper. Researchers also say the bacteria may thrive on recycled paper because it contains binding ingredients like starches and fillers, which serve as food.

Paper manufacturers reject the notion that paper towels are worse than using hand dryers. One such company argues on its website that towels are a better bet, because dryers often contain bacteria on the actual device.

While at least 17 bacterial species were found on the towels, researchers found the most common one was Bacillus, which is transferable to hands and linked to food poisoning.

Contamination is a problem in the pulp and paper industry, where contaminated machinery can later affect the paper product.

"Because of their high resistance to a wide range of chemical and physical agents, Bacillus spores may survive the various procedures encountered in the papermaking process," the authors write.

"It is worth mentioning that harmful toxin-producing Bacillus species were also detected in paper mills."

[justsane-2009]

"No illness was found to be connected to paper towel use." so WHY is this a story? there's a definite reason why the early show is consistently last in the ratings and has to continually reinvent itself.

[barbaram99]

We did..Growing up years ago there was not the fear they throw at us today. We went to school. We lived. We used common sense. We used paper towels in the school. We washed our hands..We did not spit. We did not worry about germs and when sick we stayed home. Covered our mouths when coughed.ETC.

[soossspert]

It's worth noting that various bacteria and the like are only getting stronger.

[Vibradiant]

If you did the least bit of research, you'd easily find that back in your day, penicillin alone wiped out most bugs which now take top-level antibiotics to even try to kill.

[MIO42]

And then you touch the door knob and Reinfect yourself !
Note to graven 13777. Nice spitefull remark. " *******"
And that's called *** for tat

[erasmus111]

"And then you touch the door knob and Reinfect yourself !"


Actually, you are supposed to use the paper towel to touch the door knob. Then you throw it out.

[gruven13777]

I think I'll take the results of this study with a grain of salt since it was done in Canada.

[erasmus111]

You can trust what Canada says, more than you can trust the U.S.

For instance, when the H1N1 flu thing was happening, you should have been listening to what Canada was saying about it, not your country. Everything was blown way out of proportion. You want the FACTS? Trust Canada to give them to you.

[gruven13777]

The study was done with paper products that were manufactured in Canada. Canadians are pretty much known for not being the cleanest folks on the planet. Now you understand why the results of the study should be discounted.

[renl54]

Can't share cloth towels.

The control button on the electric hand dryer spreads germs.

And now paper towels are germ-laden too.

What do you have to do to be safe these days?

[Ericwvb]

Don't forget that the hand dryers also blow germs all over the place.

[AAnnie52]

Stay home? LOL. Personal hand sanitizers, I guess - but don't use too much of that either (bacteria develop resistance.) Seriously, how did human beings survive down the ages with all these germs??