After many internal debates about whether receipts can be recycled and/or composted, I finally did someresearch as more and more stores (even natural and organic stores) are starting to use thermal receipts. Plain paper receipts can be recycled and/or composted, but thermal receipts require a different process.
Question: Can you recycle/compost thermal receipts?
Answer: You should NEITHER recycle NOR compost thermal paper receipts.
Thermal receipts may contain BPA or other potentially harmful chemicals. Therefore, you do not want to compost the receipts and transfer the chemicals to your garden and the fruits and vegetables that you grow. The receipts should be sealed well to prevent from blowing away to reduce the release of BPA into the environment (according to the Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Rapid Research (PPRC)). Recycling receipts releases BPA into the water and into the finished recycled product, which further exposes people and the environment to BPA and other potentially harmful chemicals.
And...remember to wash your hands after handling receipts!
No comments:
Post a Comment