Receipts follow us wherever we go. However, it is known that the level of environmental hormones in the body increases just by touching it. Is it true?
(Picture from Clubart Korea)
The environmental hormone from the receipt is 'bisphenol A'. Bisphenol A, a combination of one molecule of acetone and two molecules of phenol, is known as an endocrine disruptor because it has a similar structure to estrogen, a female hormone. However, there are no studies showing that bisphenol A accumulated in the body leads to precocious puberty or sexual dysfunction. However, it is clear that it is a good substance to avoid because it can cause obesity or strain the liver. In receipts or waiting tables, thermal paper is used that creates color and letters appear when heat is applied. Bisphenol A is used as a color development catalyst for heat-sensitive paper, which is coated on the surface.
Just touching the receipt with your bare hands can increase the concentration of bisphenol A in the body. According to the research results of Seoul National University's research team, the concentration of bisphenol A in the body before work was 0.45 ng and 0.92 ng after work, which was about twice the difference. On the other hand, when working with gloves on, the average concentration of the body before work was 0.51ng and the concentration after work was 0.47ng. "To avoid exposure to the environmental hormone bisphenol A, you should wear gloves or use paper that does not contain bisphenol A," the research team said. "If you continue to touch the receipt, you may be exposed to a large amount of bisphenol A."
Paper receipts are also an environmental problem. According to the Ministry of Environment, about 12.8 billion paper receipts are issued annually in Korea. The issuance cost alone amounts to about 11.9 billion won, and the amount of waste emissions reaches 1079 tons. In the process of making paper receipts, 2,641 tons of greenhouse gases are emitted. To compensate for this problem, the Ministry of Environment has introduced electronic receipts since 2018. Since January, as part of the Carbon Neutral Practice Point System, a system has been implemented to refund 100 won when an electronic receipt is issued.
On the other hand, polycarbonate (PC) among bisphenol A plastic materials is abundant. Polycarbonate is transparent and hard, so it is mainly used in building exterior materials, but it is weak against heat, so it is not used in containers that require heat resistance.
Writer: Daniel Kim
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