Civil society groups urged government and business sectors to help protect the workers and the public from the adverse effects of exposure to endocrine disrupting and cancer-linked chemicals present in thermal transaction receipts.
Thermal transaction receipts are the ones used in transactions either withdrawals or balance inquiries using automatic-teller-machines and cash registers in grocery stores.
Dr. Won Kim, EDC-Free Asia Project leader said samples obtained from government offices, local and global franchise stores, large supermarkets, groceries and convenience stores, banks, pharmacies and other sources in the cities of Davao, Makati, Manila, Quezon and Taguig were shipped to South Korea for analysis and were found to be laced with high concentration of Bisphenol A (BPA) and Bisphenol S (BPS).
“Based on the analysis conducted by the Wonjin Institute for Occupational and Environmental Health, 32 out of the 53 samples from the Philippines have BPA concentrations ranging from .92 to 1.86 percent which is way above the European Union’s limit at .02 percent. 13 out of the 53 samples have .61 to 1.12 percent of Bisphenol S,” he said.
Kim bared that the BPA is classified as an endocrine disrupting chemical and is linked to an array of side effects like diabetes, obesity, increased high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, neurological problems, infertility, other reproductive disorders, breast and prostate cancer.
“There is a need for stronger policies that will protect workers and the society as a whole from toxic chemicals, she said.
Lemuel Loyd Manalo, program director of the Interface Development Interventions for Sustainability said the test results are concerning as the data shows that thermal paper receipts coated with BPA and BPS are widely used in commerce exposing BPA and BPS to some sectors of the society.
He said authorities need to act fast to protect the most vulnerable, particularly women and children.
Manny Calonzo, adviser of the EcoWaste Coalition revealed that thermal paper receipts containing BPA or BPS present health hazards for both cashiers and customers who unsuspectingly exposed these hazardous chemicals every time they handle or touch those receipts, since these chemicals can be easily absorbed by the skin. (PIA XI- Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)
