Solid Waste: Bathroom Air Hand Dryers Tribal Casino Best Management Practices What? Casinos restrooms receive heavy usage from patrons and each restroom is typically equipped with one or two conventional paper towel dispensers for hand drying. A medium-sized casino can spend from $10,000 to 30,000 annually per bathroom in paper towel purchase and labor costs. In addition, staff maintaining the bathrooms must regularly monitor and replenish the paper towels, and handle the large amounts of trash generated. Recently, several manufacturers of air hand dryers have introduced significantly improved designs to the U.S. market that are more efficient, quieter, and better designed than the air dryers found in fast food restaurants. The new models use an "air knife" and are better designed to significantly reduce drying time. Casino patron responses indicate users are satisfied after about 5 seconds of drying, and feel their hands are completely dry after 10-15 seconds. Why? Casino patrons using the newer models like the dryers, typically viewing them as more hygienic. Casino operators using the new dryers benefit from eliminating paper towel purchases, eliminating most maintenance requirements, significantly reducing housekeeping labor, and improving visitor aesthetic with no paper towel waste. Eliminate cost of purchasing and changing paper towels. Reduce most of the labor cost associated with managing solid waste from bathrooms. Reduce solid waste generation and disposal costs from retrofitted bathrooms. (For casinos charged by the ton for solid waste disposal, savings will be immediate, and for those charged a fixed monthly fee, renegotiation of contract may be required to recognize savings.) Eliminate housekeeping issues associated with paper towels on the floor and overflowing garbage receptacles Air drying potentially viewed by patrons as a more hygienic method for drying hands 2010 1 EPA-909-F-09-006 EPA Region 9 contact: Jessica Counts-Arnold, Pollution Prevention Coordinator; counts-arnold. jessica(Sepa.aov . This fact sheet was produced by EPA's Pacific Southwest Regional Office. Mention of trade names, products, or services does not convey, and should not be interpreted as conveying official EPA approval, endorsement, or recommendation. \ * Printed on 100% recycled paper, 50% post-consumer content - process chlorine-free. 41 ------- Solid Waste: Bathroom Air Hand Dryers Tribal Casino Best Management Practices How? 1. Identify pilot test location; good candidates are heavily used bathrooms and "back of house" bathrooms where employees can test units. 2. Remove existing paper towel dispensers and install air hand dryer units; accompany installation with brief explanation of switch. 3. Track pilot test implementation issues daily: usage, operation, noise, benefits. 4. Implement casino-wide with gradual replacement, or convert over shorter time period and post explanation in restrooms emphasizing environmental and hygienic benefits. Challenges: ¦ Understanding/Acceptance: As with most new equipment, installation should be accompanied by an explanation to increase awareness and acceptance. Consider posting sign/placard at or near the unit and highlighting the air dryers in promotional materials as part of the casino's environmental sustainability efforts. The most successful implementation occurs when the paper towel dispensers are removed entirely. ¦ Noise: The air hand dryers add a noise source to the bathroom, but after some minor complaints, casino patrons have been overwhelmingly positive. Equipment: ¦ Electrical connection - 120v ¦ Air Hand Dryer: o Mitsubishi Jet Towel Hand Dryer ($1,350 each) o Dyson Air Blade ($1,400 each) Resources: Air Hand Dryer Manufacturers: www.dvsonairblade.com/ www.mitsubishiiettowel.com/ Cost savings calculator: www.dvsonairblade.com/whv/cost effective/calculator.asD 2010 2 ------- /\SL) Solid Waste: Bathroom Air Hand Dryers / Tribal Casino Best Management Practices Savinas and Cost Analysis for Each Air Hand Drver1 Current Proposed Savings Paper Towel Purchase $1,600 (40 cases/year) $6,400 (160 cases/year) $0 $1,600 (low usage) $6,400 (high usage) Solid Waste Disposal Casinos pay a monthly fee or a tipping fee of $20-$40/ton of solid waste disposed. Based on 50 pounds/case of paper towels, eliminating paper towels would reduce solid waste by 1 ton per bathroom. $20 - 1 ton (low usage) $80 - 4 tons (high usage) Maintenance $650/yr (low usage) $2,000 (high usage)2 Energy Cost $0 $40.53/yr3 300 kWh/yr ($40.53/yr) (300 kWh/yr) ($162/yr) (1,200 kWh/yr) Equipment Purchase Cost $0 $1,400 ($1,400) Installation $0 $904 ($90) Total Annual Savings Installation Cost Simple Payback $2,230 (low usage) $8,317 (high usage) $1,490 8 months (low usage) 2.5 months (high usage) 1 Estimated paper towel purchase costs are lower than those reported by medium-sized casinos and therefore likely underestimate possible savings for all but the lowest usage bathrooms. 2 Air dryers require less maintenance and upkeep than paper towel dispensers; labor difference estimated at 30 minutes/week or 26 hours/year based on daily replacement of paper rolls; $650 = ($25/hr) (26 hr/year) 3 Based on "medium usage" (150+ uses/day) and $0.1351/kwh (Energy Information Agency: Commercial Rates - May 2009: http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/table5_6_a.html; $40.53 energy costs/dryer/yr) 4 $40 = (1 hour/dryer) ($40/hour) + ($50 for rewiring/retrofitting any electrical connections) 2010 3 ------- |