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Disposable and reusable shop towels (includes rags and wipes) are commonly used in auto body shops and maintenance areas to wipe off parts and cleanup spills and leaks. When used, the towels can take on the character of the fluid they came in contact with. If the fluid is hazardous, then the towels can become hazardous.
Disposable towels that have not been contaminated with hazardous materials can still be a waste problem: the large volume of waste that ends up in a solid waste landfill takes up valuable and expensive disposal space.
To reduce towel wastes:
Reusable shop towels
Purchasing reusable cloth shop towels can help you reduce your purchasing and waste disposal costs. The benefits include:
A disadvantage of using reusable towels is that the towels may create a fire or explosion hazard if they came in contact with a flammable liquid or are not stored properly in closed containers.
The following series of questions will help you prevent pollution in shop towel management: