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Chemical BPA Found on Cash Register Receipts

from USA Today

Laboratory tests found high levels of the estrogen-like chemical bisphenol A on 40% of cash register receipts from major U.S. businesses, the Environmental Working Group today reports.

BPA levels higher than those in canned foods, baby bottles and infant formula were detected on at least one of several receipts from Chevron, McDonalds, CVS, KFC, Whole Foods, Safeway, the U.S. Postal Service, Walmart and the U.S. House of Representatives cafeteria, according to the private Washington-based research group.

In contrast, receipts from Target, Starbucks, Bank of America ATMs and the U.S. Senate cafeteria were BPA-free or contained only trace amounts. BPA, a plastic hardener linked to breast cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other health problems, reacts with dye to form black print on receipts handled by millions of Americans every day.