Check Your Receipt: Thermal Paper Increases BPA Exposure

Thermal paper (commonly used for print receipts) could cause substantially more exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA) than was previously recognized, according to a new PLOS One study. The research is the latest of about 600 articles on the harmful effects of BPA published in medical journals since 2010.

Manufacturers produce roughly 6 billion pounds of BPA a year. The chemical is used in items like plastic bottles and tableware, water pipes, dental and medical products, plastic food storage containers and many other items—including thermal paper.

Given its prevalent use, it isn’t surprising that the studies suggest that upwards of 95 percent of the US population have BPA in their bodies.

Thermal paper, regularly in use for cash register, ATM and gas pump receipts, often contains substantial amounts of BPA. Handling these receipts, even briefly, increases exposure through the skin and through hand-to-mouth activity (such as eating), according to earlier studies.

Worsening BPA Exposure via Thermal Paper

The PLOS One study shows that much more BPA transfers from a thermal-paper receipt onto the hands when someone uses hand sanitizer, skin lotions or other skin products just before handling. The more BPA on the hands, the more the skin will absorb. The new research also demonstrated that handling food (the experiment used french fries) transfers BPA into the food at higher concentrations, which would cause more exposure when the food gets eaten.

Widespread exposure to the toxin is cause for concern. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classify BPA as an “endocrine-disrupting chemical.” Studies link BPA to early-onset puberty, obesity, neurological and developmental problems, asthma, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Furthermore, results from animal testing raise concerns about BPA’s contribution to breast cancer.

An official statement by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) earlier this year recognized the hazard of BPA in thermal paper. The agency cautioned that most chemicals that have been proposed as replacements are also hazardous. The EPA recommended using “safer alternatives” and/or technological solutions like digital receipts instead of thermal paper receipts. In light of the PLOS Onestudy, these recommendations resonate even more.

North Shore-LIJ’s Occupational and Environmental Medicine Center offers prevention, education and treatment programs for businesses and employees, including on-site health fairs, annual flu vaccines, healthy lifestyle campaigns and mental health services. Email us for more information.

This post was written by Ken Spaeth, MD, director of the Occupational and Environmental Medicine Center at the North Shore-LIJ Health System.

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