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DCLBPA, or Bisphenol-A, seems nearly impossible to avoid. A recent study published in Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews, along with a report from the Environmental Working Group (EWG), revealed that significant amounts of BPA are still detectable on thermal paper receipts used by cash registers and credit card/debit machines.
In a study by John C. Warner, 8 out of 10 receipts collected from stores in the suburban Boston area showed measurable BPA levels, while the EWG report found 14 out of 36 receipts from fast-food chains, retailers, grocery stores, gas stations, and post offices contained BPA, a chemical known to disrupt the endocrine system and is commonly found in plastics.
Most studies on the effects of BPA in humans (and animals) have concentrated on exposure through diet, such as liquids in plastic bottles or foods in cans lined with BPA-containing plastics. However, the impact of BPA exposure through the skin remains unclear. Consider how often you touch your lips in a day or when you’ve grabbed a receipt with your mouth while loading the kids in the car. It's clear that BPA from receipts can easily transfer into our mouths.
There’s no way to determine if a thermal paper receipt contains BPA, so unless governments impose a ban, it's up to consumers to minimize exposure. While this may seem challenging, a few straightforward steps can help reduce contact with the chemical.
First and foremost, if you don’t need the receipt, simply decline it and ask the cashier not to print it, if possible. For many minor purchases, and unless you're buying something you might return, receipts are unnecessary. Plus, you’ll be reducing paper waste as a bonus.
If you do need the receipt, ask the cashier to place it in a bag. Once home, take receipts out of the bags and store them in a designated drawer or space on your desk, avoiding unnecessary contact. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling receipts.
Avoid placing receipts in bags with food, particularly items that you eat raw. If necessary, store receipts in your wallet, checkbook, or a special business card holder or coin purse dedicated solely to receipts.
If you retain receipts for balancing your checkbook, make sure to keep them in a single place and always wash your hands thoroughly once you’ve finished balancing the books.
If your business uses thermal paper receipts, verify with your supplier whether the paper contains BPA. If it does, consider switching to a BPA-free paper supplier, like Appleton Paper, the largest manufacturer of thermal paper receipts in the U.S., which switched to BPA-free paper in 2006.
