Q: Can paper cash-register receipts be safely recycled? What about added to compost? I've read that receipts have high levels of bisphenol A (BPA), which is an endocrine disruptor.
A: The short answer is no to both. Most receipts are "thermal" paper, printed via a heat process instead of with old-fashioned ink. The paper requires a fairly large infusion of BPA for the numbers to appear. When it gets recycled with other kinds of paper, it potentially ends up in products like shopping bags—or even toilet paper—which give you a more intimate contact with the chemical than you want. Organizations such as the National Institutes of Health, the Mayo Clinic, and even the American Chemical Society warn that BPA may be harmful, especially to children and developing fetuses. http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/2017-2-march-april/enjoy/hey-mr-green-should-receipts-be-recycled?mostpopular=true
Article courtesy of sierraclub.org by Bob Schildgen
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