Most paper receipts (发票) are not recyclable. This is because they're on thermal paper (热 敏纸) , which contains a chemical called BPA or sometimes BPS that cannot be easily removed from the paper during the recycling process. So we need a safe method of dealing with paper receipts.
Thermal printing uses heat from a printer head to print letters and numbers; no ink is used. This process requires the addition of BPA or BPS in the "free form", which means that the chemicals are not bound to the soft paper. According to Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families, "The chemicals can easily transfer to anything a receipt touches." They can be transferred from fingers to the mouth via food, or absorbed directly into the skin when held. BPA or BPS can affect brain development, the heart, lungs and reproductive abilities.
If thermal paper were to be recycled, it would contaminate other products in the recycling stream with BPA or BPS. These products are often turned into items such as facial tissues, paper towels and shopping bags and having BPA or BPS in them would mean our coming into even closer contact with the chemicals. Burning and composting are not an option either, as they would release BPA and BPS into the atmosphere or soil.
The only safe place to throw thermal paper receipts is in the rubbish, followed by immediate hand washing. It's not ideal, but it is the most effective way to separate BPA and BPS from the environment. Sierra magazine offers a small bit of relief: "Throwing receipts is not the severest of wrong behaviors, since they amount to a tiny part of all paper consumed, according to industry sources."
If you require a paper record for business purposes and if you often go to the same shops, ask if they consider switching to BPA- and BPS-free thermal paper. The best solution is to ask for receipts to be emailed, rather than printed. Not only will you avoid chemical exposure, but you will also decrease the demand for a paper product that drives deforestation every year; do away with that demand altogether and recycling becomes far less urgent.
