BPA in Thermal Paper: 7 Tips to Use Thermal Paper Healthily

You’ve probably touched more receipts than you can count – yep, that tiny slip of thermal paper might be doing more than just showing your grocery total.

The potential health risks associated with Bisphenol A (BPA) have raised concerns in recent years, particularly regarding thermal paper. Commonly used for receipts, tickets, and labels, thermal paper often contains BPA as a color-developing agent in its manufacturing process. As more studies reveal that BPA can transfer to the skin and enter the body, posing risks such as hormonal disruptions and other adverse health effects, finding effective strategies to prevent BPA exposure from thermal paper has become crucial.

That’s where we come in.

As a thermal paper manufacturer that has been in the industry for over 25 years, we’ve seen just how important it is to reduce BPA exposure, especially for cashiers, business owners, and anyone else who handles receipts every day. The good news? There are still ways to reduce or even eliminate the associated risks. In this article, we’ll introduce seven practical tips to help you protect yourself from BPA in thermal paper, whether you’re behind the counter or just picking up a coffee.

1. Use Nitrile Gloves When Handling the Receipts

This is particularly useful to cashiers who have to hand out the receipts several times. Some studies found that cashiers who handed out thermal receipt papers had higher BPA levels than those who handed BPA-free receipts.

BPA can readily be absorbed through the skin, so it is advisable that you put on gloves not only when handing out the receipts but also when cleaning the receipt machines and changing the receipt rolls.

2. Keep Thermal Paper Away from Other Items

In case you need the receipt, fold it (the coated side on the inside) and put it in your bag or pocket away from any items like food, coins, or handkerchiefs. Also, avoid placing the receipts in your wallet. At home, remove the receipts and keep them in a sealed envelope, a sealed plastic bag, or in a drawer dedicated to receipts to avoid any contact with items you will need to use later on.

3. Do Not Handle Thermal Paper with Greasy Hands

Scientific studies have shown that alcohol-based cleaners and lotions increase the ability of the skin to absorb BPA. It is, therefore, advisable that you don’t handle these receipts with greasy hands. This also means that you should not wash your hands (before or after using the BPA-coated receipts) with alcohol-based sanitizers. Instead, use plenty of running water and soap.

Handling the receipts with wet handles can also increase the risks. Cashiers are therefore encouraged to see to it that their hands are dry when changing the receipt rolls and cleaning the receipt machines.

4. Avoid Hand-to-Mouth Contact

Again, the most exposed groups of people here are the cashiers and store clerks who have to hand out receipts from time to time. While it may sometimes be involuntary to touch your lips after handling a receipt, it is advisable that you become more alert and avoid doing this. You can pick up and ingest BPA quickly through the mouth.

5. Wash Your Hands After Handling Thermal Paper

This is especially important before handling any food items, cooking, or eating. And as noted earlier, avoid using alcohol-based cleaners or hand-wash lotions to clean your hands. Use water and soap only. Another important thing to note here is that if you have to hand out a receipt, keep it as dry as possible. Avoid keeping the receipts close to, say, a moist glass or placing them directly on food.

6. Avoid Handing a Receipt Paper to the High-risk Population

A study published in the American Medical Association Journal points out that BPA poses more risks to small children, infants, pregnant women, and nursing mothers. There is the need, therefore, to avoid exposing this population to the health risks that BPA presents as much as possible.

Ask pregnant women and nursing mothers if they need a receipt before handing it to them. Also, you can ask them if they would prefer it emailed to them. You should never give thermal paper receipts to young children or infants. At home, keep the BPA-coated receipts as far away from children’s reach as possible. You can, for instance, keep them in a locked drawer.

7. Do Not Recycle the Receipt Paper

Recycling these receipts means the BPA may end up with various products like paper towels or shopping bags. Again, the chemicals can end up in exhaust fumes or wastewater from the recycling plant. The best solution to this would, therefore, be getting your receipts emailed to you.

Wrapping Up: Choose Panda Paper Roll’s BPA-Free Thermal Paper Products

BPA-free thermal paper rolls – AI-generated image

In this article, we have provided practical guidance for individuals, especially those frequently handling thermal receipts, such as cashiers and store clerks, to use these papers more safely. While complete BPA elimination from thermal paper may be challenging, adopting the recommended precautions, such as using gloves and avoiding hand-to-mouth contact, can significantly reduce risks.

As a parting recommendation, we encourage you to take these steps and further safeguard your health by choosing BPA-free thermal paper products from our company to ensure both convenience and safety in your everyday transactions. At Panda Paper Roll, we’ve been manufacturing BPA-free thermal paper for over 25 years—long before it was trendy. Ready to make the safe switch? Email us at support@pandapaperroll.com to place an order or learn more about our BPA-free thermal paper products.

People Also Ask about Health Concerns on the Receipt Papers

To further support your understanding, here’s a roundup of frequently asked questions on safe practices with thermal receipt paper.

1. Is my staff actually at risk from receipts?

If your employees handle receipts all day, there’s a real reason to care. Conventional thermal receipts can contain BPA or BPS. Frankly, these chemicals can transfer onto skin every time someone grabs a slip. For cashiers or staff touching dozens (or hundreds) of receipts daily, studies show their chemical exposure is higher than people who only get the odd coffee receipt. It’s not likely to make someone sick overnight. But repeated, daily contact could add up. So, minimizing exposure is a smart move, both for health and peace of mind.

2. Should my small business switch to BPA-free receipt rolls?

Honestly? If it’s an option, yes. It’s a step toward a safer workplace and less worried customers. BPA-free rolls usually cost a bit more, but it’s becoming an industry standard, especially in health-conscious markets. Make sure you’re getting true BPA-free and ideally BPS-free paper (since some BPA-free alternatives just use a chemical cousin that might be just as risky). We’re just one inquiry away, should you wish to use safer options.

3. Do hand sanitizers or greasy hands make it easier to absorb these chemicals?

Strange as it sounds, yes, they do. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers, lotions, or even just sweaty hands can break down your skin’s natural barrier, making it easier for chemicals like BPA or BPS to get in. Studies found absorption rates are much higher when the skin is wet or “opened up.” So, if your team sanitizes a lot, which is great for germs, but then grabs a pile of receipts, they could actually be letting more chemicals in.

4. Can I absorb dangerous chemicals just by touching receipts for a few seconds?

For occasional customers, the risk is tiny. But for staff handling receipts all day? Those “few seconds” can compound. That’s why experts recommend things like gloves or minimal handling for anyone working retail or restaurant counters.

5. Are BPA-free receipts really any better?

They’re definitely better if “BPA-free” means also “BPS-free” (since BPS isn’t proven safer). True BPA/BPS-free options cut down the hormone-mimicking chemicals, which everyone, from scientists to eco-conscious parents, agrees is a plus. Always check what your supplier actually means by “BPA-free,” though. If they’re just swapping in a similar chemical, it’s not a huge improvement. But good suppliers are moving toward even safer, phenol-free options now, just like Panda Paper Roll.