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Study finds controversial chemicals on many receipts from popular stores

Posted at 9:48 PM, Jan 18, 2018
and last updated 2018-01-18 23:11:59-05

There’s a warning about BPA and BPS chemicals on receipts that may lead to serious health problems.

A recent study was done at several businesses in metro Detroit and found the chemicals on several of those receipts.

As you can imagine shoppers are shocked to hear about this study and say from now on they’ll be more cautious, most even saying they’ll switch to email receipts.

“I probably shouldn’t get receipts anymore unless they’re BPA free,” Blessing Bloodworth told us.

A recent study done by Ann Arbor’s Ecology Center tested more than 200 paper receipts from 150 businesses for known endocrine disrupting chemicals.

Researchers say BPA has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. It was found on 18 percent on receipts tested, while BPS was found on 75 percent.

Researchers say low doses of BPS disrupt maternal behaviors and the brain.

According to the study Meijer and TJX-companies use receipts made with BPS. Neither company has policies regarding chemicals in the products on their shelves or in their receipts.

Only one big box company, Best Buy, was using Pergafast 201, an alternative to toxic chemicals including BPA and BPS.

The ecology center is urging big box stores to follow Best Buy’s lead. According to the study Trader Joe’s changed their receipts to phenol free paper in January.