Pay Attention to the Toxic Receipt in Your Daily Life

Environmental Working Group (EWG) from U.S. environmental organization found that shoppers’ receipts or invoices printed by the ATM contain toxic chemicals bisphenol A. Even if only contact with the receipt, bisphenol A can also enter the body through the skin, long-term exposure may cause serious disruption of human hormone secretion, and may even cause cancer.

The organization said they collected receipts from Wal-Mart, McDonald's, KFC, supermarket chain Safeway, Starbucks, Bank of America and other well-known commercial institutions in the U.S. seven states and Washington, DC area, and then sent these receipts to Research Laboratory of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri .

Researchers pulled out 36 receipts for test and found that more than 40% contain excessive amount of bisphenol A which is 250 to 1000 times higher than commodities known for contains bisphenol A, such as canned milk.  Among them, the receipts from McDonald's, KFC, Wal-Mart, Safeway and other enterprises have the highest level of bisphenol A.

Bisphenol A is an environmental hormone, commonly found in plastic products. Also epoxy resin in food containers is produced from bisphenol A, and it may penetrate the food, absorbed by the body. Studies indicate that BPA may be related hormonal problems, breast cancer, prostate cancer, obesity, hyperactivity disorder, abortion and other reproductive system problems.

It is reported that toxic substance bisphenol A used in the thermal paper to make it widely exposed by people in retail, grocery stores, convenience stores, gas stations, fast food shops, post offices and ATM. But so far scientists failed to confirm that how much bisphenol A contaminated to the skin will enter into human body.

EWG says bisphenol A has become a serious hazard for the shopper obviously, but these people who contact with receipt frequently, such as cashiers is high-risk group. Retail staff’ level of bisphenol A will be 30% higher than other adults.

This morning, the International Food Packaging Association Vice Chairman and General Director Jason Dong said in an interview, the chemical bisphenol A’ effect on the human body is rather serious, Canada and some states in United States have banned using it.

He told reporters that bisphenol A is also called transparent agent, it is contained in the mineral water and cola bottles, etc. If people contact bottles by hand, they will touch it. The standard content for this substance on the packaging is 0.6 mg / kg.

In addition, bisphenol A is widely used in store receipts and bank slip. He said that the receipt containing such substances is very common; because of a receipt will have waterproof composition to increase transparency, and bisphenol A will be used in light compound.     For the harm of bisphenol A, he said, bisphenol A is mainly harmful to the fetus. For pregnant women, the bisphenol A may affect the sex of the fetus and cause fetal malformations. In addition, for adults, the impact on male is bigger than female, mainly affecting male fertility.

After reading this news, my mother feels worry about the receipt so much and she does not know how to solve the problem. One day, my neighbor recommended her an online store www.dinodirect.com, and then she loves go online shopping with no worry about the toxic bisphenol A.