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Why Purchase BPA-Free Receipt Paper?
Chemical components have made much of the conversation around BPA-free receipt paper, particularly the use of bisphenol A (BPA). As expected, business owners constantly think about how their operations influence health. Since the majority of receipt papers contain this component, it makes sense to research how it poses health risks and whether safer alternatives exist.
Why use BPA for receipt papers?
For a long time, BPA has been the leading option for coating thermal printer paper rolls because it offers better stability to heating. It also ensured that thermal printing was inkless, facilitating snappy printing and reduced machine breakdowns. Printing with this kind of paper gives improved legibility and deeper colors. But since this paper evidently poses health concerns, BPA-free paper rolls became the preferred alternative.
Does BPA have the potential to harm?
The professional community has pointed to the fact that BPA receipt paper poses some health challenges. The concern is that BPA is an endocrine disruptor and thus potentially leads to long-term health issues. Compounded by the fact that BPA is teratogenic, the health risk is highest in infants and the unborn.
That said, it is very hard for a person who works with thermal paper daily to be exposed to dangerously high levels of this compound. A study by Springer-Verlag showed that on average 71 μg is the daily exposure expected from handling receipt paper daily — more than 40 times less than the tolerable daily intake (TDI).
What Are Your Alternatives?
The most common BPA-free receipt paper uses bisphenol S (BPS) as a replacement coating. Though BPS eliminates BPA, some research suggests it carries similar chemical properties. For businesses with stricter requirements, phenol-free thermal paper avoids both BPA and BPS entirely and is available at POSPaper.com.
Urea-based rolls are another alternative — safer and offering excellent legibility and crisper colors, though at a slightly higher cost than BPA/BPS coated paper.
Which is the best receipt paper for thermal printing?
Each business will have different needs. If you are uncertain about the potential side effects of using BPA or BPS paper, our BPA-free and phenol-free options offer peace of mind with no compromise on print quality. Feel free to contact our team for guidance.