ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Nov. 10, 2014) — Workers who routinely used laundered cloth shop towels do not suffer increased health risks compared with those who use paper towels, according to a study in the October 2014 issue of The Journal of Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology.
Conducted by consultancy firm Arcadis U.S. Inc. for the Textile Rental Services Association (TRSA), the study sampled laundered shop towels from 10 laundering facilities across the U.S.
The study evaluated 27 metals with hazard indices calculated for three exposure pathways: towel-to-hand, hand-to-food and hand-to-mouth.
In each instance, the TRSA said, the highest hazard indices were at least 10 times lower than the threshold level for concern.
“The validation that comes with publication in this esteemed peer-reviewed journal validates TRSA's long-held position that properly laundered shop towels do not pose significant health risks to workers,” said TRSA President and CEO Joseph Ricci.
