WTF! How to avoid toxic BPA & BPS in receipts, drink/food cans, plastic, skincare, tickets

Jessian Choy, She/Woman #NotGuys #NotAGirl

3 min readMay 1, 2019

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WTF: What’s The Fuss

Toxic chemicals like bisphenol-A (BPA) are in receipts, cans (beer, baby formula), plastic (foodware, toys), skincare, tickets (events, plane, lottery), labels (deli, cheese, prescription), ultrasound and medical machine printouts.

BPA:

Can penetrate skin so deep that it cannot be washed off.
Is linked to behavioral issues, cancer, asthma and diabetes, and impotence.

A receipt can contain an amount of toxic BPA that is 250 to 1,000 times greater than the amount in a can of food. Substitutes such as BPS might be just as bad, even at low doses. 93% of tested receipts were coated with BPA or BPS.

Thank you. Have a nice day. Kidding. How to avoid BPA & BPS:

Watch that funny video based on true stories of what not to do with receipts like blotting grease or stopping bleeding.
Before a cashier rings your order, ask how to avoid a paper receipt. Many businesses like Whole Foods and CVS offer digital receipts. But you have to ask.
If you touch receipts, keep your hands dry with no hand sanitizer or lotion. Fold it printed side in so BPA and BPS don’t rub onto your things.
Don’t recycle receipts so BPA and BPS won’t contaminate new recycled foodware or food packaging where they could migrate to food.
BPA-free food (EWG’s FoodScores), foodware, skincare (EWG’s SkinDeep).

Petitions for safer receipts

CVS receipts are almost 5 feet long, even if you buy one thing.
Whole Foods
Target
TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, Sierra Trading Post

Support new laws

The European Commission banned BPA in thermal receipt paper by 2020. Let’s hope California’s “Skip the Slip” bill (AB 161) passes so large businesses will issue e-receipts by 2022, unless a customer requests a paper receipt. Businesses would receive two warnings before being fined up to $300 a year.

Cards for cashiers to safely handle toxic receipts

Print in English or Spanish. Tips include gloves for cashiers.

Cards for managers on safer receipts

Print in English or Spanish.

Safer receipts

Unlike other phenol-free paper that has questionable or undisclosed ingredients, Koehler’s BLUE 4EST Thermal Paper is phenol-free and approved for food contact.

E-receipt software for businesses

Here’s a list from Minnesota’s Pollution Control Agency:

Software using existing point-of-sale (POS) equipment

Customers can still request a paper receipt.

Transaction Tree: Installation, around $50, services start at $35/month
Yreceipts: Monthly SaaS (Software as a Service) fee per store; services around $30/month

Simple digital receipt POS products

In combination with receipt software, these physical electronic devices are used as front counter mobile apps to swipe cards, capture signatures and send e-receipts.

Clover: Equipment rent/lease/purchase available. Monthly and transaction fees may apply.
iProcess: Free to download. No additional per transaction fees.
Pay Junction: Free equipment for qualified businesses. 2.26% per credit-card swipe. No contracts. Most applicable for service businesses.
ShopKeep: Buy hardware from company. Monthly services, one register — $49/month.
Square: No set-up fees or long-term contracts. Pay 2.75% per swipe for major credit cards.

Integrated retail paperless solutions

Combines front-counter POS and back-office management, conduct sales from mobile devices, and integrate e-commerce and marketing.

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(I made this post because I couldn’t find all these things in one place).