There’s no longer much doubt that the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) poses some health risks, both physically and behaviorally. It’s been linked to cancer, diabetes, reproductive problems, and behavioral problems in children. The chemical has been banned in sippy cups and bottles, and advocates have petitioned for its ban in adult products, too. The problem is that it seems to be everywhere: In plastic bottles, the lining of tin cans, in dental fillings, and in cash register receipt paper. And this last source was the main interest of a new study in the journal PLOS ONE. The authors tested people’s BPA levels before and after they’d handled receipt paper – and eaten with BPA-contaminated fingers – and were a little alarmed by what they found. Whether it’s really cause for concern remains to be seen.  “Our research found that large amounts of BPA can be transferred to your hands and then to the food you hold and eat as well as be absorbed through your skin,” said lead author Frederick vom Saal. “BPA exhibits hormone-like properties and has been proven to cause reproductive defects in fetuses, infants, children and adults as well as cancer, metabolic and immune problems in rodents. BPA from thermal papers will be absorbed into your blood rapidly; at those levels, many diseases such as diabetes and disorders such as obesity increase as well.”  In the new study, vom Saal and his team had people come into the lab and handle receipt paper. Some of the participants used hand sanitizer before doing so, which, like sunscreen and lotions, is known to make skin super-absorbent. As an added real-world task, some of the participants also ate French fries with their BPA-contaminated fingers. BPA levels were measured in skin, urine, and blood before and after the different treatments.  The team found that 45 seconds of handling the receipt paper made BPA levels on the skin jump up to 581 ug BPA (just 2 seconds of handling the papers transferred 40% of the total amount). The levels went down to 73% of the maximum after 4 minutes, possibly because it was being absorbed into the skin.  When the team measured BPA levels in the urine or in the blood serum of the participants 90 minutes after handling the receipts, their levels were also higher, at 20 mg BPA/g creatinine: This is as high, the authors say, as the levels previous studies have shown to be linked with heart risk and type 2 diabetes risk. The differences were greater in women than in men, for reasons that aren’t totally clear.  Although the study was quite small and more research will be needed, it may be worth passing up store receipts, if you can help it. The issue may be more of a concern for cashiers, who handle receipts all day long, and who may regularly use hand sanitizer to protect against illness.  “Store and fast food receipts, airline tickets, ATM receipts and other thermal papers all use massive amounts of BPA on the surface of the paper as a print developer,” says vom Saal. “The problem is, we as consumers have hand sanitizers, hand creams, soaps and sunscreens on our hands that drastically alter the absorption rate of the BPA found on these receipts.”  The EPA did a recent study on BPA and possible alternatives for use in thermal printing paper. Their conclusion was that no safer alternatives to BPA exist at present, and that ‘‘decision makers may wish to consider alternative printing systems.”  The American Chemical Council disagrees that BPA from sources like food containers and receipt papers can pose risk. “Due to the use of unrealistic experimental conditions,” said Steven G. Hentges, “much of the data presented in this new study has very limited relevance to the potential for human exposure to BPA from handling thermal receipt paper…. Typical BPA exposure from all sources is about 1,000 times below safe intake levels set by government bodies in the U.S., Canada and Europe.” Although past research has shown similar results to the current study, it will probably take a few more studies and a few more years before the current practices are changed, given the amount of debate about the “dose” that would be needed to affect our health. But just to be sure, if you’re worried, just say “no thanks” when anyone asks if you want a receipt. And if they try to push a receipt on you, run. But don’t forget to explain the findings of the new study to the cashier before you do.  Follow me @alicewalton or find me on Facebook.
BPA is found in everything from plastics to dental fillings. Researchers say receipt papers may pose the most risk.