Recycle This Pittsburgh

Paper Receipts

About These Items

With nearly every in-person retail interaction we are offered receipts. These thin, printed slips of paper might feel easy to recycle but they are not accepted by Pittsburgh curbside recycling nor should you compost them. The reason is that they often contain harmful chemicals Bisphenol A (BPA) or Bisphenol S (BPS) that contaminate other recyclables and the environment. These chemicals have been shown to impact human health. It is best to put receipts in with your regular trash, so that they go to a landfill and are contained.

Studies show there is reason for concern.

Most receipts used in the US are printed on thermal paper. This special type of paper uses heat to print on the paper instead of ink cartridges. Most thermal paper uses significant amounts of the chemicals Bisphenol A (BPA) or Bisphenol S (BPS). in their coatings. BPA and BPS are readily absorbed through the skin. These chemicals have been shown to be endocrine disruptors. They mimic estrogen and studies show they can disrupt thyroid function, increase cancer risk, and cause reproductive harm,

One study, based on CDC samples taken from 2013 to 2014, found 95% of Americans have BPA in their urine sample while 89% have BPS. Another study from 2013 looked at the amount of BPA and BPS in various products and estimated that 88% of human exposure comes through paper receipts while a more recent study in 2018 estimated based on real-world sampling that 93% of receipts in the US still contain BPA or BPS. Yet another study showed that if you use hand sanitizer and then handle receipts this can increase the amount of BPA and BPS your body absorbs, especially when then using your hands to eat food.

There appears to be a lot of research on-going about this issue but still many of the receipts we are handed regularly at local Pittsburgh stores are printed on thermal paper that likely contain BPS or BPA. Since there is no practical way to know for sure, it is best to avoid handling receipts.

How can you tell if it’s thermal paper?

Thermal paper is usually slightly shiny. Because it prints using heat, you can use the friction of scraping a thin, hard object (like a coin) across the paper to generate grey lines. Just because a receipt is thermal paper does not mean that it necessarily contains BPA or BPS, but given the prevelence of these chemicals in thermal paper receipts, it certainly is likely. Your best bet is to avoid paper receipts where you can.