Submitted by Denise Ann Dack on Sunday 25th January 2026
Published on Thursday 26th February 2026
Current status: Open
Open until: Wednesday 26th August 2026
Current Signatures: 77
(count is updated approximately hourly)
Relevant Departments
Tagged with
Anxiety ~ autism ~ Autistic ~ Avoid ~ Children ~ Clothes ~ Cost ~ Distressed ~ Effective ~ Electric ~ Individuals ~ Mandate ~ Panic ~ Paper ~ People in the UK ~ quiet ~ Restaurants ~ shops ~ Spaces
Mandate paper towels in public toilets for sensory-sensitive people
Require public toilets (including shops, restaurants, and public buildings) to provide paper hand towels as an accessible alternative to electric dryers. This could support proper hand drying and hygiene for people with sensory sensitivities, such as autistic individuals distressed by dryer noise.
Electric hand dryers terrify some autistic children. They can cause them to panic, cry, cover their ears and wipe their wet hands on their clothes. Autism affects 1 in 100 people in the UK; many with noise sensitivities avoid toilets or outings. We think paper hand towels as a quiet alternative are simple, low-cost and effective. They can reduce anxiety, and make public spaces inclusive for autistic children and adults.
If you want to sign this petition (as opposed to merely discuss it), you need to do that on the government's e-Petitions website.
216.73.216.219 Wed, 03 Jun 2026 23:35:13 +0100