Hum Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 (July 26) -- Cash-register receipts from many fast-food outlets, groceries, pharmacies, big-box stores and U.S. post offices contain high levels of the endocrine-disrupting chemical bisphenol A. A study released late today by the Environmental Working Group reported that a laboratory analysis it commissioned found the plastic component BPA on 40 percent of receipts from McDonald's, CVS, KFC, Whole Foods, Wal-Mart, Safeway and other businesses. BPA is used to coat thermal paper, which reacts with dye to form black print on receipts handled by millions of Americans every day. In laboratory tests, the chemical has been linked to a long list of serious health problems in animals. Several environmental activists, including Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., also have called for removing BPA from canned goods. "Consumers are being exposed to BPA at the point of sale once they're handed a receipt," senior scientist Dr. Anila Jacob told AOL News. These receipts pile up in purses, wallets and shopping bags, coming into contact with food and other items. When handled, the slips of thermal paper can easily contaminate fingers, which then can result in oral or dermal exposure, the physician explained. In animal tests, scientists have produced evidence that BPA can induce abnormal reproductive system development, diminished intellectual capacity and behavioral abnormalities and can set the stage for other serious conditions, such as reproductive system cancer, obesity, diabetes, early puberty, resistance to chemotherapy, asthma and cardiovascular system disorders. more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zhangm Supervisor Posted July 27, 2010 Supervisor Share Posted July 27, 2010 Oh crap, guess I'd better stop eating all those receipts I get from the store... :o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rigby Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 Oh crap, guess I'd better stop eating all those receipts I get from the store... :o You don't have to eat something that can be absorbed through the skin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shakey Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 Pretty huge find for something that has been happening for who knows how long.... Lately I have been handling a lot of receipts, and the skin around my tips of the fingers and area are sort of doing that peeling thing.... wonder if this could be a cause, or just the outside labor lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rigby Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 Pretty huge find for something that has been happening for who knows how long.... Lately I have been handling a lot of receipts, and the skin around my tips of the fingers and area are sort of doing that peeling thing.... wonder if this could be a cause, or just the outside labor lol. Handling paper a lot tends to dry your skin out, that's probably all it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metallithrax Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 Ain't it about time we just roll out the big headline "Everything is harmful, stop doing everything or you will die" Damn, everything is harmful in some way. Just get over it and carry on with life as normal. Next we'll have people collecting receipts using ****ing tongs and putting them into sealable bags so they don't have to touch them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wahoospa Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 There has to be some chemical in the thermal paper for the printers to use heat to 'burn' the info and logo on the paper. Thus the name 'thermal paper'. Ever notice that if that paper is exposed to light for a period of time it goes bad. Don't save these receipts for your records unless they are away from light source. Besides how long does one keep a store receipt if not for something like a guarantee? Most people throw the receipts in the trash almost immediately after purchase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COKid Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 "could be harmful..." Or maybe not. Read the entire article to get the full context of what is being discussed. Obviously, more research would need to be done before any clear-cut conclusions could be drawn. I wash my hands and use hand sanitizer several times per day, especially after handling cash. But there's only so much that a person can do. There's a million things out there that can harm the human body. Heck, I think millions of Americans still have 3M Scotchgard in their bloodstream. Or how coffee is supposed to be good for us. No, bad for us. No, good for us. I'll all for scientific advancements, but how about we all just enjoy life as much as we can and not worry about every little thing. Thanks for the article none the less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToneKnee Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 Guess it wasn't a good idea to eat a McDonalds receipt once.. haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+jamesyfx Subscriber² Posted July 27, 2010 Subscriber² Share Posted July 27, 2010 My friends purse is like a filing cabinet for receipts. I made her go through them all and throw them all away one time, haha. She had like 50 receipts for coffee at Starbucks.. stretching back from 2006! We had fun going through them though.. the hoarder! I guess I saved her life. :shifty: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orange Battery Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 Well I think thats done then, all things are now harmful to us on earth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zhangm Supervisor Posted July 27, 2010 Supervisor Share Posted July 27, 2010 You don't have to eat something that can be absorbed through the skin. It is not absorbed efficiently through the skin. The primary mode of exposure is by ingestion. This isn't a large problem for people who practice good hygiene and wash their hands after handling the filth at stores. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singh400 Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 Eh, what isn't bad for you these days? My friends purse is like a filing cabinet for receipts. I made her go through them all and throw them all away one time, haha. She had like 50 receipts for coffee at Starbucks.. stretching back from 2006! We had fun going through them though.. the hoarder!I guess I saved her life. :shifty: Make sure you spin that the right way ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metallithrax Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 "could be harmful..." Or maybe not. I wash my hands and use hand sanitizer several times per day, especially after handling cash. But there's only so much that a person can do. I'll all for scientific advancements, but how about we all just enjoy life as much as we can and not worry about every little thing. Not trolling, but I cant believe how many people are like this (the 1st part of the quote), and I agree with the 2nd part of the quote. I help a friend on his market stall most weekends, and he is even worse than part 1 of the quote. He sanitizes his hands before he goes to the toilet. Me, I rarely use sanitizer, and very rarely become ill. I think people are just getting a bit silly with the washing/sanitizing stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Laidher Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 I guess I better stop getting receipts, what do I do if my merchandise is defective? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phenom II Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 Our bus tickets are made from the same paper :o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+jamesyfx Subscriber² Posted July 27, 2010 Subscriber² Share Posted July 27, 2010 I guess I better stop getting receipts, what do I do if my merchandise is defective? Give them your name and address instead, they can look you up on a database. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hum Posted July 28, 2010 Author Share Posted July 28, 2010 Which is worse -- the receipt or the food in the bag ? :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin-uk Veteran Posted July 28, 2010 Veteran Share Posted July 28, 2010 thats why i employ a small boy for this very purpose, nothing else, just to accept receipts from cashiers. Seriously, i imagine you'd have to be drowning in the stuff for it to have any effect :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebor Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 I wash my hands and use hand sanitizer several times per day, especially after handling cash. Good point, anyone ever done a study of the bacteria and germs found on cash? I bet that is way worse as you have no idea where it has been and has at some point probably been dropped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Growled Member Posted July 28, 2010 Member Share Posted July 28, 2010 Which is worse -- the receipt or the food in the bag ? :laugh: Seems both will kill you one way or another. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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