Toilet Flushing Can Send Aerosols Into the Breathing Zone
A new review finds that flushing toilets can send tiny aerosols into the air around breathing height, with larger flushes generally producing more particles.
Details
Flushing a toilet does more than move water and waste away. A new review of 22 studies finds that the turbulent action of flushing can create airborne droplets and aerosols that reach the breathing zone of adults. The amount produced varies with toilet design, the material present in the bowl, and the energy of the flush. Across the reviewed research, higher levels of microbes in the bowl and larger flush volumes were generally linked with more bioaerosol generation. Some experiments have also found toilet aerosols remaining suspended in the air for at least 20 seconds after flushing. The review found that evidence about the independent effects of lid position and ventilation was limited and inconsistent, so closing the lid should not be treated as a complete barrier. The findings are mainly about potential exposure, not proof that ordinary toilet use causes illness. Better toilet design, hygiene, ventilation, and further research could help reduce exposure, especially in settings where vulnerable people are present.
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