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Apparently consumers don't have as much control as they thought over avoiding products with bisphenol A (BPA), a hormone-disrupting chemical. What are two items that consumers cannot avoid? Dollar bills and receipts. And that's exactly where BPA is being found, according to a new
study conducted by nonprofit groups
Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families and the Washington Toxics
Coalition.
The
research found large amounts of unbound BPA on half of thermal paper receipts tested. The
data suggests that the toxic chemical is easily transferred to our skin. And no, you can't just gingerly grab the receipt and toss it away really fast. In just ten seconds, 2.5
micrograms of BPA are transferred to your fingers.
As for dollar bills, BPA was
found on 95 percent of the bills tested. BPA levels were much lower than those found on the receipts, but that doesn't help us rest any easier. Recent research has explored the connection between BPA exposure and various health problems like
cancer, and Canada recently became the first country to officially
list BPA as a toxic chemical.