Bisphenol A Detected in Cash Registers and ATM Receipts

The controversial steroid compound bisphenol A (BPA) has been found in 40% of thermal paper receipts, at levels that were 250-1,000 times greater than those found in food cans or plastic containers.

Researchers at the at the University of Massachusetts (Amherst, USA) and the Environmental Working Group (EWG; Washington, DC, USA) gathered thermal paper receipts from automated teller machines (ATMs) and cash registers at major U.S. retailers such as McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), and Wal-Mart, in the Boston (MA, USA) area. The researchers found detectable levels of BPA in 40% of them, in amounts that varied from 3-19 milligrams per 30 cm long receipt. The study was published in the July 2010 issue of Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews.

"There is still an open-ended question that's being researched in academic institutions on how much of that BPA from the receipt would actually make it into your body,” said Dave Andrews, Ph.D., a senior scientist at EWG. "The BPA is in much higher concentration in the receipt and much higher concentrations are available to be wiped off the receipts. It's a concern that retail workers who are handling receipts all day long would be exposed to higher amounts.”

"After reviewing toxicology reports and available studies we concluded removing BPA from our thermal products was the responsible thing to do,” commented Kent Willetts, vice president of strategic development at Appleton Papers (Appleton, WI, USA), the largest manufacturer of thermal paper for cash register and credit card receipts in the United States. He added that Appleton papers had dropped BPA from its formulation in 2006 due to growing concerns about the safety of the chemical.

BPA is an estrogenic organic compound with two phenol functional groups that is used to make polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins, among other applications. The BPA found in thermal receipts is deposited as a powdery layer, together with invisible ink; when pressure and/or heat are applied, the two materials merge together on the paper to form a glossy, colorful layer. The BPA can further leach through the skin on touch or it may be ingested after being rubbed onto the hands. In animal models, BPA has been found to cause abnormal reproductive patterns, early puberty, and diminished intellectual capacity, and it is thought to be associated with some forms of cancer.

Related Links:
University of Massachusetts
Environmental Working Group
Appleton Papers