The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) in California has sent a violation notice to multiple retailers using widely used thermal receipt paper that contains dangerous levels of a highly toxic chemical. 

Bisphenol S (BPS) is a harmful chemical that is known to disrupt the body's metabolism, growth, and development, and has been linked to cancer and reproductive issues. Concentrations of BPS were so high in some cases that touching a receipt for just 10 seconds resulted in exposure that violated California's safety laws, according to research from the CEH release April 14. These levels of BPS were found in paper receipts issued by 32 retailers and restaurants in California, including Burger King, Victoria's Secret, Dollar General, Jack in the Box and Office Depot among many others. 

California added BPS to its list of chemicals known to cause reproductive issues in 2023 with the passage of Proposition 65, giving businesses a year to include a warning that their products contain the chemical, or to remove it from their products altogether. BPS can be absorbed through the skin, and is often added as a coating to paper receipts to help ink develop.

The CEH sent a violation notice on April 11 to all the companies using the chemical in their receipts, giving them 60 days to respond. If they don't respond within that time frame, Prop 65 allows the CEH to sue them in California's state court, and petition a judge to order the companies to comply with the state's toxic chemical exposure laws. 

For any workers that regularly handle paper receipts, the CEH advises that they wear gloves, and avoid using alcohol-based hand cleaners, which can significantly increase the absorption of the chemical. 

According to The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the receipts shoppers receive when buying groceries, prescriptions, gas, clothing, restaurant meals, and much more are generally printed on thermal paper coated with either BPS, or its chemical cousin Bisphenol-A (BPA). BPA is commonly used in other products, such as hard polycarbonate plastic (like helmet visors, eyeglass lenses, and some water bottles), in epoxy resins for adhesives, sealants, food can linings, and in flame retardants. Some manufacturers have been removing BPA from their products to protect consumers. Its use in paper receipts was banned in the European Union, starting in January 2020.