Cascades Antibacterial Paper Towel Now Available Online at Office Depot

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Cascades Tissue Group, Candiac, Que., Canada, announced that the Cascades® Antibacterial paper towel is now available for purchase online at Office Depot. The offering makes Office Depot the first national retailer to sell the product, since its launch in the U.S. away-from-home market in October 2012. The Cascades Antibacterial paper towel minimizes hand contamination by killing more than 99.99% of harmful bacteria almost instantly, the company notes.

Since 80% of all infections are transmitted by hand, the lack of proper hand hygiene—namely inadequate hand washing and drying practices—continues to be a consistent, if not deadly, problem, Cascades Tissue explains.

The green-colored Cascades Antibacterial paper towel can fit anywhere, doesn’t require additional steps, and compensates for people’s imperfect hygiene habits without changing the way they wash or dry their hands. When placed in contact with wet hands, the towel releases Benzalkonium Chloride. This active ingredient has been used safely in common products like gel sanitizers, baby wipes, and antiseptic skin solutions since 1935, but is unique to dry paper towels, according to Cascades.

Cascades performed several third-party laboratory tests to ensure the safety and efficacy on the Antibacterial Paper Towel. Microbiologists reported that the towel, when used after washing hands with soap and water, provides a more hygienic result than alcohol-based gels and other hand sanitizers, Cascades points out. While these other products kill bacteria and are useful when there is no water and soap available, they don’t remove the organic matter (grease, dirt, blood, etc.) often found on hands, it adds. First cleared by Health Canada, Cascades’ paper product now also complies with the regulation and policies of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

"We’re delighted that this product, which makes such good common sense as it relates to hand hygiene and human health, is now available through Office Depot," said Suzanne Blanchet, CEO of Cascades Tissue Group. "This represents a major milestone in that people nationwide now have convenient access to such a major tool for thwarting the spread of bacteria."

Cascades Tissue Group has 18 mills in North America, including 10 in the U.S.