ROSWELL, Ga. -- Stewart Spinks, CEO of the Spinx convenience store chain, often references how ecstatic his customers were when he placed hand sanitizer on the fuel island. Turns out he was on to something. A new study by Kimberly Clark shows gas pumps are among the most germ-ridden objects that people use in day-to-day life. Not too far behind: ATM buttons.
Kimberly-Clark Corp. tested gas stations, bank machines, mail boxes and other objects commonly touched every day in six major cities. Its conclusion: 71% of gas-pump handles and 68% of mailbox handles were highly contaminated with germs, potentially exposing people to illness-causing bacteria.
The testing was conducted by trained hygienists in high-traffic locations in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami and Philadelphia.
Using a device commonly used to monitor sanitary conditions in industry, hygienists swabbed the objects to measure levels of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). ATP is present in all animal, vegetable, bacteria, yeast and mold cells. Detection of ATP indicates the presence of contamination by any of these sources. Everyday objects with an ATP reading of 300 or higher are considered to have a high risk for illness transmission. In all, more than 350 separate swabs were taken and analyzed.
The percentage of public surfaces tested and found to have high levels of contamination (an ATP count of 300 or higher), includes:
- 71% of gas pump handles
- 68% of mailbox handles
- 43% of escalator rails
- 41% of ATM buttons
- 40% of parking meters/kiosks
- 35% of crosswalk buttons
- 35% of vending machine buttons
"People do not realize the amount of contamination they are exposed to going to work each day and doing everyday things like filling their gas tank or riding on an escalator," said Dr. Charles Gerba, professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona. "This new testing is compelling because it underscores the importance of hand and surface hygiene. Most cold and flu viruses are spread because people touch surfaces in their immediate area and then touch their faces, other objects and other people. Washing and drying your hands frequently throughout the day can help prevent your risk of getting sick or spreading illness around the office."
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