Health Risk Assessment Clears Shop Towels of Toxicity Claims

The firm’s assessment indicates that metals that remain on shop towels after laundering are not readily transferred to the hands of workers who use the shop towels, countering flawed speculation to the contrary, the TRSA said.

 

TRSA plans to expand the research beyond the initial sample of shop towels from 10 locations to further verify conclusive evidence that the reusable products do not harm workers, they said.

 

ARCADIS measured metal traces in laundered towels and increased the scope of testing to include leachability tests using “synthetic sweat” to estimate residual elements that could be freed when they are used. The firm determined the amounts of each metal a worker might be exposed to based on factors including skin contact and hours worked, the TRSA said. 

 

The independent research found either zero risk from the transfer of these metals or a level that would be considered insignificant even by comparison to health-conservative values established by the EPA, TRSA said.

“Reusable cloth shop towels have been used by millions of workers for more than 100 years with no indications that clean shop towels have any impact on worker health,” said TRSA President and CEO Joseph Ricci. “By measuring leachate, and not simply relying on a modeling format, ARCADIS realistically portrayed the miniscule amount of metals that shop towel users are exposed to, reaffirming our confidence there is absolutely no risk to users. We look forward to gathering more independent data using this comprehensive protocol to increase confidence that clean reusable textiles pose no health risks.”

 

The TRSA said reusable cloth shop towels satisfy the EPA’s “reduce, reuse, recycle” hierarchy, and create less waste than disposable shop towels. 

 

TRSA represents companies supplying laundered garments, uniforms, linens, floor mats, towels and other textile products.