In a new study, researchers have looked at whether the chemical bisphenol (BPA) could be found in shop, till, cashpoint or similar types of receipts.
BPA used to be widely used in the manufacture of plastics and resins. It is now less used because of the health concerns that exposure to BPA could cause a range of health problems such as obesity, heart disease and prostate and breast cancer; this is because it can disrupt the effects of certain hormones. There is not strong evidence for proving BPA causes cancer in humans, but many health professionals are concerned. The charity Brest Cancer UK have called for BPA to be banned from food and drink packaging.
Researchers who carried the investigation out were from the Insituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada in Spain, Université Paris Descartes in France, and the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Brazil.
The researchers found BPA in between half and 95% of receipts they collected in France, Spain and Brazil. These receipts were printed on thermal paper which has a coating that allows heat instead of ink to mark the paper. Shop workers and waiting staff were found with higher levels of BPA in their system as a result of handling receipts. The European Union have lowered the daily intake guidelines of BPA and will reduce its presents by 2020.
This was an experimental laboratory research to test BPA levels in a sample of till receipts and look at the hormonal activity of the chemicals found on receipts. The study did not test the safety of the chemicals or look at the potential for the chemicals to transfer to people.
Researchers collected 112 thermal paper samples between June and August 2017 from businesses in Brazil, France and Spain. The receipts collected include bank card receipts, food store receipts, restaurant receipts, post office tickets, public transport tickets, parking tickets and other store receipts.
Concentrations of BPA found were:
- 36mg/g in France
- 91mg/g in Spain
- 79mg/g in Brazil
Recommended EU levels for BPA concentration in thermal paper are planned to be 0.2mg/g from 2020.
