Korean researchers have developed an innovative toilet flushing system designed to combat the spread of bacteria in bathrooms. 

The automatic device ensures flushing occurs only when the toilet lid is closed, aiming to significantly reduce microbial dispersion. 

The initiative, highlights at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2024) in Barcelona, Spain.

The device has been tested in eight hospital bathrooms, with findings indicating a noticeable reduction in bacterial spread on surrounding surfaces compared to standard toilets. 

“Human faeces can contain a number of disease-causing bacteria, including E. coli, Staphylococcus, and Campylobacter. Hospital toilets are especially cause for concern for transmitting particles from infected waste,” says Jihye Park from the Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea. 

The investigations point towards a significant reduction in bacterial colonies on surfaces around toilets equipped with this technology.

The study found that surfaces in proximity to these advanced flushing systems harboured less than half the bacterial colonies found near conventional toilets. 

“Our study underscores the importance of closing the lid before flushing and fitting automatic flushing devices to reduce the contamination of bathroom surfaces,” Park added. 

The research team plans to install these devices across more hospital bathrooms, alongside automatic UV disinfection systems, to test the combined effect. 

The findings were detailed in a poster abstract at ECCMID. The abstracts were peer reviewed by the congress selection committee, but there is no full paper at this stage.