New strains of MRSA, a drug-resistant bacteria, are emerging nationwide, causing hundreds of thousands of infections annually according to federal data, reports and academic studies. Though cases once were confined to hospitals, they are now showing up regularly in schools and gym locker rooms.

Formally known as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA typically causes skin infections, from small pimples to painful boils, that usually can be treated effectively by doctors. In some cases, the infections advance, destroying tissue and causing large abscesses that can require hospitalization. And when staph enters the bloodstream or attacks the lungs as bacterial pneumonia, it becomes especially dangerous — often fatal. Federal data suggest that nearly 23,000 people die each year with MRSA infections.

Locker rooms are an ideal living environment for bacteria. Warm, humid, and moist environments encourage their growth and reproduction – See more here.

The CDC urges MRSA education and routine cleaning and disinfecting is recommended for lockers.

Tufftec athletic gym lockers are made of HDPE solid plastic which is a naturally germ resistant material. In addition, they are power washable and steam cleanable so there is no risk of rust or delamination therefore leaving a healthier environment for students. Because the material is a solid color throughout and not painted, a wide variety of cleaning solutions can be applied to the HDPE surface.

According to Sports Turf Northwest,, there are two ways to kill bacteria lurking on surfaces in a gym locker room that can cause MRSA and Staph. Harsh and toxic chemicals can be used, but will need to be used at least once a day with particular attention to sanitizing every locker room surface. A simpler and less toxic solution is ultra violet light technology (also called germicidal UVC). UVC is a special wavelength of light not visible to the human eye that penetrates the cell walls of microorganisms and destroys their ability to reproduce. Applying this light to your locker room surfaces is made easy with the miniZapr, made by Greensgroomer Worldwide. The miniZapr offers everything you need to eliminate harmful bacteria in locker rooms, on gym equipment, or community mats and other sports items. The miniZapr can be used just like a vacuum cleaner on floors or comes with a pull away germicidal UVC wand to sanitize tough to reach surfaces and small spaces. It is powered by either a small generator or you can plug it right into a wall outlet. Anyone can use the miniZapr, and it poses no health risk, unlike toxic chemicals, to patrons or staff. – See more here

Scranton Products has also tested their Tufftec athletic gym lockers with SiTU Bioscinces LLC by the ISO 22196 methods. The test results showed that after 24 hours, MRSA bacterial died off the surface of HDPE plastic without the use of any cleaning solutions.

There are many choices when choosing a material for your bathroom partitions. Though you may not be aware of it, many of the materials available for restroom partitions are not solid throughout meaning that the core is made from a particleboard or cardboard core. These cores are subject to mold,mildew and/or rust in a wet environment.

Hiny Hider partitions by Scranton Products are constructed from premium American-made 1″ solid High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) with a homogenous color throughout. The material resists dents, scratches, corrosion, graffiti and mildew – and will absolutely never rust.

This is especially important in restrooms because HDPE can be fully power washed and steam cleaned helping eliminate germs and bacteria that can feed in a restroom environment. The material is also impermeable to moisture and the non-porous surface does not support the growth of mold and mildew.

Because they never need painting, Hiny Hiders HDPE partitions deliver no VOC emissions and are Greenguard Gold Certified. It is important to look for this certification from manufactures because in an increasingly muddled green marketplace, GREENGUARD Certification provides an advantage by serving as a health-based differentiator. Products GREENGUARD Certified for low-chemical emissions can contribute to healthier indoor environments.

The HDPE material is also naturally germ resistant. Testing conducted by SiTU Bio sciences LLC. by ISO 22196 methods show that after 24 hours, 98.4% of MRSA bacteria died off the surface of HDPE plastic without the use of any cleaning solutions.

There are many choices when choosing a material for your bathroom partitions. Before making a decision take a closer look at whats inside!

Material Options

The five main material options when choosing a bathroom partition are; Plastic laminate, Phenolic (black core), Stainless Steel, Baked Enamel, and Solid Plastic. All of these material choices vary in cost and have different cost of ownership models.

My Core is What?

Plastic laminate partitions are made from particle board and finished in a plastic laminate surface.

Phenolic (black core) partitions are compression molded; made from many layers of decorate papers which are saturated with phenolic resin. This forms the base which is then laminated with heat.

Stainless Steel partitions are generally manufacturered with a honey comb or wood core glued under pressure to #304 stainless steel sheets and assembled with roll formed molding.

Powder coated steel or baked enamel is a hybrid epoxy / polyester powder coated finished over galvanized steel is fabricated with roll formed molding and a honeycomb or woodcore.

Solid plastic is made from a polymer composed from extruded resin and is solid throughout.

How Cores Affect You

A source of potentially harmful air quality issues occur with exposure to mold, mildew and fungus.

Veneer exterior, particle board and honeycomb cardboard cores are at high risk for moisture penetration. This risk increases dramatically when these materials are placed in damp and wet environments such as shower rooms and restrooms.

Laminated or hollow core materials cannot be installed without penetrating the veneer exterior, exposing the interior to moisture and potentially water. This can create a harmful condition whereby the core of the partition becomes exposed to moisture while the thin veneer remains seemingly intact. As the core begins to mold and deteriorate, the integrity of both the air quality and partition structure are compromised.

This could result in an unforeseen hazardous and costly mold problem. This is particularly true in rooms with increased humidity such as showers, restrooms and locker rooms

Utilizing solid surfacing materials such as HDPE contributes to better indoor air quality as the solid, non-porous property of these materials resist the growth of mold and mildew.

Photo courtesy of U.S. News & World Report

What is the latest styles in commercial restrooms?  Upscale restrooms that contain high-end materials, commercial bathrooms that feel more like home, and design influences that match the environment around them are three trends you can expect.
Added sophistication – The words luxurious and sophisticated are rarely associated with public restrooms, until now. High end materials such as granite and stainless steel are making their way from the kitchen into the bathroom. This trend is not limited to residential applications. Hotels and other high end facilities are looking for ways to add that same level of sophistication to their public bathrooms. Materials like granite and stainless steel, or surfaces that look like granite and stainless, provide that luxurious feel they are looking for. Check out our designer, mosaic and metallic color series combined with our contour or rotary brushed textures and REGAL™ hinge to add some luxury and sophistication to your next bathroom project.

There’s no place like home – There is no place like your own private bathroom when it comes to “nature calling.” But, let’s face it, when you have to go, you have to go, even when you are far from home. A recent trend is creating a spa-like bathroom at home complete with a garden tub, massaging shower and soft lighting. Similar elements can make commercial restrooms feel more like home. In addition to using high-end materials, designers are replacing bright, fluorescent light fixtures with softer incandescent down lighting to create that spa-like atmosphere. They are also incorporating privacy features such as taller doors and privacy hinges. Try our zero sight continuous brackets, hinges and strikes to add privacy to your next restroom project.

Common theme all around – Designers are taking elements from the building’s interior design or the surrounding environment and carrying it into the restroom. This goes beyond the simple themed bathroom that pays homage to an era, famous person or pop culture icon. Examples include the public restroom in Bryant Park, New York that mimics the design of the nearby New York Public Library, the restrooms at Santa Monica Pier, California (pictured) that feature an undulating roof evoking thoughts of a vintage wooden roller coaster or the nearby ocean waves, or the bathroom at The Muse Hotel, New York that allows visitors to choose if they are feeling envious, passionate, glamorous, rebellious, macho or vain. What they all have in common is a uniqueness that is personal. To add uniqueness to your next project, ask for our custom embossing – perfect for a school mascot, company logo, or any other personalized detail.

In essence of the Greenbuild International Expo this week in New Orleans we feel that discussing sustainable material options for your restroom and locker room products are very important.

When you choose Scranton Products Hiny Hider Partitions, Resistall Partitions, Tufftec Lockers or Duralife Lockers you are supporting a healthier environment. Our products reduce industrial waste by using a blend of virgin and pre-consumer recycled content to produce a high quality product that is 100% recyclable.

GREENGUARD Gold Certified our products meet strict criteria intended for use in environments where children and adults spend significant periods of time. Because our products never need painting, they do not contribute to VOC emissions, which improves both indoor and outdoor air quality. In addition, they can be power-washed or steam cleaned, eliminating the need for harmful chemical cleaners. Incorporating our products can contribute points toward LEED certification as well. To learn more about Greenguard Certifications you can follow this link. Greenguard Certification

Scranton Products incorporates 25-100% pre-consumer content in all of our products allowing us to help achieve our goal of being a zero landfill facility and providing our customers with a greener solution to our materials. For those customers looking for a little bit more of a sustainable product we offer our Hiny Hider HDPE (high density polyethylene) partitions in 100% post consumer content. Our HDPE materials do not contain any added Urea-Formaldehyde resins and have an downstream process for recycling.