Reality Check: 80% of U.S. Restaurant, Bar and Supermarket Receipts Contain Toxic Chemicals Linked to CANCER, Study Warns
The push to go paperless to save the planet could have another public health benefit.
One study found that the vast majority of receipts used in the US contain chemicals linked to a large number of cancers.
Researchers at the Center for Ecology in Detroit found toxic substances in 80 percent of checks used at restaurants, supermarkets and big box stores, including 7-Eleven, ALDI and Costco.
It’s the latest research to warn of toxic chemicals lurking in everyday objects, after a report last week highlighted the dangers of toilet paper.
The receipts are made of thermal paper, a special thin paper that has a heat-sensitive coating that contains bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS) color developers.
Bisphenol-based receipts from major companies in 2017 and 2022
The receipts are made from thermal paper, a special thin paper that has a heat-sensitive coating that contains bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS) color developers.
BPA is the oldest chemical and is classified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as toxic to the reproductive system.
It is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream through the skin. BPA is banned in the European Union on thermal paper above 0.02 percent, which basically prohibits its use there. Receipt rolls should use BPA paper instead.
BPS is the most common developer used on US receipts, according to the Center for Ecology.
The US EPA listed it as a potentially high risk of human developmental toxicity.
BPS is absorbed through the skin but not as quickly as BPA. The EU chemicals agency (ECHA) said that BPS is a reproductive toxicant and plans to regulate it.
Both chemicals are linked to hormone-related cancers, including breast, prostate, and ovarian cancers.
They are also associated with birth defects in developing embryos.
BPA has also been linked to increased blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Because of the way ink develops on receipts, BPA and BPS don’t stick to paper, so the chemicals can easily transfer to anything the receipt comes in contact with.
Multiple studies have found that even brief handling of receipts leads to the absorption of significant amounts of BPA or BPS into the body.
The researchers tested 374 receipts from 144 major chain stores in 22 US states and the District of Columbia.
They found BPS in nearly 80% of receipts tested, an improvement from 84% of receipts tested in 2017.
Meanwhile, BPA was found in less than one percent of receipts, up from nine percent in 2017.
Nancy Buermeyer, director of programs and policy for Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, said: “BPA and BPS are known to disrupt our hormones and have been linked to numerous health harms, including cancer, birth defects and other health problems. developmental”.
It is not clear how much exposure to the chemicals would be required to increase a person’s risk of cancer.
Melissa Cooper Sargent, environmental health advocate at the Michigan Ecology Center, said: ‘Receipts are a common exposure route for hormone-disrupting bisphenols that are easily absorbed through the skin. Our studies show that most retailers use BPA-coated receipt paper.
‘Switching to non-toxic paper is an easy change. We urge retailers to stop delivering chemical-laced paper to their consumers and putting employees at risk.”