Recycling of card receipts should be avoided
Because they are made with thermo-sensitive paper, recycling could contaminate other materials
Credit and debit cards are a convenience. Instead of having to withdraw money from the bank teller's mouth, you just pass the item on the reader and enter a brief password and everything will be solved. Or rather, almost everything. Did you know that proof of purchase by card can be dangerous to health and the environment?
That's because it's made with a type of paper called heat-sensitive. The printing of data takes place from the temperature of the machine, which reacts with the paper. Despite appearing harmless, thermal paper contains bisphenol-A (BPA) in its composition (see more about the dangers of BPA below).
What should be done?
Just have a simple habit: avoid printing your statement and card receipt. You may ask yourself: but how will I know about my expenses? Just access your homebanking or request proof of debit via SMS. Before making a purchase or when checking your balance or bank statement, do this operation observing the values on the equipment screens, without printing anything. You can also use the digital versions (sent by email) or check transactions via debit via SMS, although they are not 100% secure operations - do them when you are at your cell phone or computer. Despite being recyclable, it's not feasible to use this process with heat-sensitive paper because it could release BPA in recycling, contaminating other materials, according to the Pollution Prevention Resource Center (PPRC).
Dangers of BPA
According to information posted on the website of the Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism of the State of São Paulo (SBEM-SP), “it is worth noting that some of the harmful effects of bisphenol, such as altering the action of thyroid hormones, the release of insulin from the pancreas, as well as those of promoting the proliferation of fat cells, were observed with nanomolecular doses, that is, extremely small doses, which would be lower than the supposed safe dose of daily intake. (Source: Melzer et al, Environmental Health Perspectives, 2011)”.
In general, BPA unbalances the endocrine system, modifying the hormonal system. The effect of BPA in the body can cause abortion, reproductive tract abnormalities and tumors, breast and prostate cancer, attention deficit, visual and motor memory deficit, diabetes, decreased sperm quality and quantity in adults, endometriosis, uterine fibroids , ectopic pregnancy (outside the uterine cavity), hyperactivity, infertility, changes in the development of internal sexual organs, obesity, sexual precocity, mental retardation and polycystic ovary syndrome.
Normally, contamination occurs through ingestion, BPA is released from plastic containers and ends up contaminating the food. Research published by Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry showed that, in the case of thermo-sensitive papers, contamination can occur through contact with the skin. According to the research, the contamination varies according to the amount of BPA present in the composition of the paper, and it is much smaller than the contamination by ingestion, but we must still be careful.
Other materials had already been tested to make thermal paper, but they also used substances whose consequences for human beings are still nebulous.
