Bisphenols and Endocrine Disruptors

Bisphenols, also known as ‘Everywhere Chemicals’, are industrial chemicals often used in receipts and tickets

Bisphenols in our receipts

There is increasing evidence that bisphenols are harming the environment and impacting human health.
Following a recent ban of bisphenol-A (BPA) from use in thermal paper, some retailers have now phased out all bisphenols from their receipts. However, many others are switching to alternative bisphenols, like bisphenol-S (BPS), which are of similar concern.
In a Fidra survey, leading retailers agreed that they would be ‘in favour of legislation to ban all bisphenols from till receipts’, identifying human health, environmental protection and economic savings as some of the main benefits.
Legislation enforcing a ban on all bisphenols from use in receipts is needed to protect both human and environmental health, and to ensure the safety of recycled paper products within a circular economy.

What are bisphenols?

Bisphenols are a group of chemicals used in thermal paper, such as tickets and receipts, as well as plastics and metal can linings. Bisphenol-A (BPA) is the most well studied bisphenol and one of the most highly produced chemicals in the world. BPA has been detected in the blood and urine of almost every person ever tested [1] and is a known endocrine disruptor, meaning it can interfere with the hormonal systems of people and wildlife [2]. Whilst other bisphenols have not been studied as closely as BPA, all bisphenols have similar chemical characteristics and are suspected of having similarly damaging effects.

Bisphenols can enter our bodies through our skin when handling products like receipts and tickets, and can pollute our environment through landfill leachate, paper mill effluent and the breakdown of bisphenol-containing products.

What's the solution?

Fidra have been working with some of the UK’s major retailers and are delighted to see that many have now committed to removing all bisphenols from receipts, as shown in our Retailer Tables. But this alone isn’t enough. We want to see all retailers choosing bisphenol-free options and for this, we need legislation.

In a Fidra survey, leading retailers agreed that they would be ‘in favour of legislation to ban all bisphenols from till receipts’, identifying human health, environmental protection and economic savings as some of the main benefits. This shows that a group-based restriction on bisphenols isn’t only possible, it’s desirable. In order to truly protect both people and the environment, ensure the safety of our recycled products, and create a level playing field for all retailers, we need to introduce legislation banning the use of all bisphenols from receipts.

Find out more about our retailer survey in our full report.

How can we regulate bisphenols?

What are the impacts of bisphenols?

Which retailers offer bisphenol-free receipts?

Regulating bisphenols

Growing concern around the effects of bisphenols has led to increases in regulation across the world. This has been most significant for BPA, which has been restricted from various products in countries such as the UK, Canada, China and across the EU [2].

Currently, the UK regulatory system addresses every chemical individually. This means that BPA will be researched and regulated separately to other bisphenols, such as BPS, rather than bisphenols being assessed as a group. This process allows companies to easily switch from one chemical to another when one is banned, referred to as ‘regrettable substitution‘, and is exactly what has occurred following the ban of BPA.

BPS is now commonly used as an alternative to BPA in receipts. In fact, an ECHA survey estimated that 61% of all thermal paper would contain BPS as a substitute for BPA [3], despite being a suspected reproductive toxicant and endocrine disruptor [4]. BPB, another common alternative, was identified as an endocrine disruptor by the French authority, ANSES, in 2019 [5].

Early Signs of Change

More recently, there have been early signs of a change in approach. In its UK REACH Work Programme, the UK government listed “bisphenols in thermal paper” as one of its priorities for 2022-23 [6]. This means the use of bisphenols in receipts will be reviewed under a Regulatory Management Options Analysis (RMOA). Whilst there is no guarantee that the RMOA will result in restrictions or any other changes in bisphenols use, the wording used suggests bisphenols may be considered as a group, rather than the traditional substance-by-substance approach.

Another encouraging sign comes from Germany, who has recently published a restriction dossier proposing to restrict BPA as well as any other “bisphenols and bisphenol derivatives with endocrine disrupting properties for the environment” [7]. The proposal not only highlights a crackdown on the bisphenols group, it also demonstrates a shift towards a more holistic and forward-thinking approach to chemical management by opening restrictions to more than one substance at a time.

How can you help?

Say ‘No, thank you!’

If you don’t need a receipt, say so! Retailers will soon get the message.

Keep your receipts safe

If you need a receipt for expenses or proof of purchase, keep them in an envelope to limit contact with the skin.

Bin them

We know this might not be what you expect from an environmental charity, but we do not recommend recycling receipts unless they are known to be bisphenol-free. This will help prevent bisphenols being introduced into recycled paper products, such as toilet roll and printing paper.

Dr Anna Watson, Head of Advocacy at CHEM Trust said:

“BPA is well known to have endocrine disrupting properties, and it is worrying that a number of the other bisphenols are also being found to have similar hazardous properties. We need the regulators to phase out groups of chemicals of concern, such as the bisphenols, rather than slowly restricting one chemical at a time, which allows companies to move from one harmful chemical to another. We fully support Fidra’s campaign calling on the industry to end the use of bisphenols in till receipts to protect people and the environment from these hazardous chemicals.”

The impacts of bisphenols

It is clear from scientific research that bisphenols can have a negative impact on human and environmental health and need to be monitored, regulated and banned where their use is unnecessary. Balabanič et al. (2017) [8] go as far as claiming that “endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) are one of the most critical class of contaminants”. As a result, many academics and NGOs, Fidra included, would like to see greater restrictions on the bisphenols group, not just on one bisphenol chemical, such as BPA, alone.

Human Health

Bisphenols have been linked to various human health concerns, including breast [9], prostate and ovarian cancer [10], obesity [11], fertility issues [12], diabetes and neurobehavioral difficulties [13]. The hormone-disrupting nature of these chemicals means pregnant women, children and infants are particularly vulnerable [14]. Valentino et al. (2015) [15] expressed that exposure to BPA via tin cans, plastic packaging, till receipts and tickets “must be reduced” due to the potential impacts on human health, especially in regard to foetal and neonatal exposure. Latest results from the EU’s human biomonitoring project, HBM4EU, found all adults tested to be exposed to at least low levels of BPA, and half the adults tested were also exposed to common BPA alternatives, BPS and BPF [16].

Environment

BPA is now ubiquitous throughout our natural environment [17]. A 2022 review paper highlights how BPA pollution originating from human activity now flows through wastewater, sewage sludge and landfill leachate into our groundwater reservoirs [18]. Despite efforts to treat wastewater, not all BPA can be effectively removed. This allows BPA to accumulate in sewage sludge, which is then spread over fields and forests for its high nutrient content, unintentionally spreading BPA pollution throughout our environment.

Many studies have shown BPA to cause hormonal disruption & reproductive stress in wildlife [17]. This includes interference to the development of Zebrafish larvae and amphibians, as well as altering the sex and reproductive systems of various fish species. BPA has also been shown to build up in green algae [19]. This is known as ‘bioaccumulation’ and refers to a chemical being absorbed by an organism quicker than it can be processed. The study demonstrated that bisphenols could be transferred from contaminated algae to the plankton that eats it, suggesting that it is possible for bisphenols to build up in food chains, which we are of course a part of.

Circular Economy

Contamination of recycled materials has already resulted in bisphenols appearing in a range of products, from pizza boxes [20] to toilet paper [21]. They have also been detected in paper pulp and sewage sludge, both of which are used as fertilizer, providing a direct route for environmental contamination [22]. Not only does this prolong exposure of people and the environment to hazardous chemicals, it also undermines the success of a safe and effective circular economy.

Who has already made the move away from bisphenols?

Many retailers have already committed to removing all bisphenols from their receipts ahead of legislation, as well as turning off automatic printing and offering digital receipts. See who’s doing what in our Retailer Tables, below.

Iain Ferguson, Environment Manager for the Co-op, said: “We believe how we do business really matters, from our work to cut carbon, source sustainably and eradicate hard to recycle plastic, through to bisphenol and phenol-free till receipts – we are committed to ensuring we have a healthy, sustainable natural environment to pass on to future generations.”

See the Co-op’s full case study, here.