The Dyson Airblade™ hand dryer – the sustainable way to dry hands

The Dyson Airblade™ hand dryer – the sustainable way to dry hands

The Carbon Trust has awarded the Dyson Airblade™ hand dryer with the Carbon Reduction Label. Winning the label was the result of a rigorous analysis carried out by Dyson engineers to measure the environmental impact of the hand dryer.

It is the first hand dryer to achieve the Carbon Reduction Label, meaning Dyson has set the industry standard for reduced carbon emissions.

Powered by the Dyson digital motor, the Dyson Airblade™ hand dryer channels cold air at 400mph - literally scraping water from hands in 10 seconds. Unlike conventional hand dryers, the Dyson machine does not require a power-hungry heating element to dry hands – making it nearly 80% more energy efficient. And it avoids paper towel waste in landfills.

To calculate the machine’s carbon footprint - the total CO2 and other greenhouse gases produced during its life – Dyson engineers collected supplier data on materials and manufacture. Transport, in use and end of life were also studied.

The results found that Dyson Airblade™ hand dryers have a carbon footprint so small that drying one pair of hands with air travelling at 400mph produces the same amount of carbon emissions as watching just over two minutes of TV. The numbers vary from country to country based on the different method used to produce electricity available.

“The usual assumption is that materials and transport create the most carbon, but as we explored the results we realised that energy efficiency is key,” said Tom Blower, Dyson design engineer. In-use energy makes up more than 90% of the machine’s carbon footprint in the UK.

Tom said: “The carbon footprinting tool has shed light on ways we can continue to make improvements, by looking at a machine’s entire lifecycle.” And this is only the beginning.

The label itself is a small addition to the machine’s casing, but it is vital in establishing the Dyson Airblade™ hand dryer’s green credentials. It shows that Dyson is serious about reducing its environmental impact.

James Dyson, chief engineer said: “Good design and environmental responsibility go hand in hand. By considering the environment from the start, our engineers develop machines that are more powerful, perform better and work using less energy and materials.”

Tom Delay, chief executive of the Carbon Trust: “Product carbon footprinting will help to deliver the lower carbon products of the future, by informing design decisions that drive out carbon emissions. We commend Dyson for their commitment to measure and reduce the carbon footprint of the Airblade™ hand dryer.”

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