Deposit return machines pose no biological risk to public health, study finds
The country's deposit return machines for recycling cans and plastic bottles do not pose a biological risk to public health, researchers at University College Cork (UCC) have found.
The findings came amid public commentary raising concerns that the machines pose hygiene and infection control issues.
A team led by Dr John Mac Sharry at UCC's School of Microbiology analysed samples from the machine and found no threat to public health.
“While the call for general cleanliness is valid, it is important to look at the actual microbial ecology of these machines to avoid unnecessary public alarm,” Dr Mac Sharry said.
He added that the research team has been conducting environmental sampling to analyse specific microbes colonising the reverse vending machines.
Their data indicated that the organisms present are overwhelmingly "fermenters", which are primarily common environmental yeasts and non-pathogenic bacteria "that naturally thrive on the trace sugars and alcohol left in unrinsed...
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