The Ecology Center (EC) recently published the results of a 2022 study of the chemical composition of retail receipts in the United States. It found that 80 percent of the receipts contained toxic substances.
The EC tested receipts from 144 major chain stores in 22 states, plus the District of Columbia. Bisphenols (most commonly BPA or BPS) were found in 80 percent of the receipts tested—a 13 percent decrease from the center’s findings in 2017.
The Ecology Center’s Lab conducts research and tests consumer products, air, soil, water, fish, food and more for toxic chemicals—with a special focus on lead in drinking water.
The Center’s stance is that “toxic chemicals have no place in our everyday products or our natural environment. Retailers and manufacturers have a role to play in driving the market toward safer alternatives.
According to the new study, “purchase receipts are an underrecognized source of hormone-disrupting chemicals in our bodies–especially for workers who frequently handle receipts.”
