> I'm not sure why they're so common given that they seem to only make things worse.
Air hand dryer:
One purchase - zero daily maintenance needs.
Paper towels:
Continuous purchase expense (buying new stock) - continuous daily maintenance needs (resupply of dispenser), increased refuse expense (all the discarded paper towels increase the refuse stream size).
When you tally up the expenses for "air dryer" vs. "paper towels" for a busy restroom and over a reasonable time span (say 1 year) the cost differential is why air dryers are so common.
Of course, some owners also advertise the environmental aspects, but the true reality is the air dryer is there because it saves the restroom owner a significant amount of money each year.
The "zero maintenance" is part of the problem. Any hand dryer should have an air filter, and that air filter should need to be replaced frequently considering the nasty things that happen in that room.
Air hand dryer:
One purchase - zero daily maintenance needs.
Paper towels:
Continuous purchase expense (buying new stock) - continuous daily maintenance needs (resupply of dispenser), increased refuse expense (all the discarded paper towels increase the refuse stream size).
When you tally up the expenses for "air dryer" vs. "paper towels" for a busy restroom and over a reasonable time span (say 1 year) the cost differential is why air dryers are so common.
Of course, some owners also advertise the environmental aspects, but the true reality is the air dryer is there because it saves the restroom owner a significant amount of money each year.