High levels of toxic chemicals found in paper receipts
New research has found that paper receipts from major retailers in the United States have a high level of bisphenol S, which has been linked to cancer and reproductive problems.
Some receipts reportedly have such a high level of bisphenol S that holding one for 10 seconds can cause the skin to absorb the toxic chemical and violate California's safety threshold.
The new findings are being used in legal action aimed at forcing retailers to stop using receipt paper with bisphenol S, or BPS.
The Center for Environmental Health nonprofit has sent violation notices to 50 retailers — including AMC Theaters, Dollar General and Burger King — that have reportedly exceeded California's Proposition 65 limits.
Bisphenol is a class of chemicals used in a variety of consumer products, such as food packaging, fabrics, toys and cookware. The use of bisphenol A, which has also been branded as toxic, is no longer widely used, and food companies now advertise when packaging is BPA-free.
BPS is added as a coating to thermal paper to develop ink on receipts. The Center for Environmental Health urges companies to use a safer alternative to BPS, such as vitamin C thermal paper.
The violation notices give companies 60 days to respond by switching to paper that does not use BPS — or include a warning that alerts consumers to its toxicity. If there is no response, the nonprofit can sue the companies in a California state court under Proposition 65 and ask a judge to order the changes.