Those little receipts stuffed into your wallet aren’t just annoying. They’re actually putting your health at risk – and the planet’s, too.
Every purchase in Hong Kong comes with one, sometimes two, slips of paper, which usually end up in the bottom of a purse or wadded up in a pocket, only to eventually end up in the rubbish. Even if you say you don’t want a receipt, it’s still printed and lands in the store’s waste bin instead of yours. That’s bad news.
Why? Because receipts are almost always printed on thermal paper, which is coated with bisphenol A, commonly known as BPA. Yup, the very stuff you won’t let your kids have in their water bottles is all over those little pieces of paper. Worse yet, the levels of BPAs on receipts are stunningly high. The nonprofit Environmental Working Group did some testing and found that receipts have BPA levels up to 1,000 times higher than those inside the lining of a metal can.
And that has scary consequences.
A big study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association in 2014 found that BPA is absorbed through the skin, so handling those receipts could cause some major health issues such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, insomnia, arthritis, heart disease, MS, infertility and more. Pregnant mothers can pass BPA onto unborn children, too, which can create all sorts of horrible developmental problems.
If you don’t handle a lot of receipts, it may not seem like a big deal, but cashiers, for example, or people who collate receipts for events could be in real danger. Also, if your hands are greasy, it makes the absorption faster, so think about the times you’ve used a squirt of hand sanitiser then grabbed your bag of fast food with the receipt stapled at the top.
Esta historia es de la edición August - September 2018 de EL Hong Kong.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición August - September 2018 de EL Hong Kong.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
A Writer's Retreat
We meet children’s author (and saree enthusiast!) Bhakti Mathur at her peaceful home on the Peak.
A Lantau Project
The idea of renovating a home had long appealed to Jenya Mcguigan; a recent move from Lamma to Lantau gave her the chance to do exactly that.
Staycay Season
For a change of scenery (and a reminder of the pleasures of travel), check in to one of these five fabulous spots in five very different locations across Hong Kong!
Award-Winning School Camp Programme For The Summer
Are the kids keen for some fun over the holiday? Read on for details of an award-winning school camp programme for the summer – one with 13 different streams to choose from!
Pictures Of Pooches
We meet Romanian expat Mihaela Tudor, and learn about her photography work, including a recent project about pets!
Middle Eastern Eats
We all love dipping into a plate of beautiful hummus, but this ubiquitous dish just begins to scratch the surface of everything that Middle Eastern cuisine brings to the table. Here’s a guide to finding a feast near you!
20 Watery Wonders Exploring The Aquatic Of HK
Summer is upon us, so it’s the ideal time to take a look at some of best ways to get wet – or at least enjoy a seaside view – in Hong Kong. Here are 20 ideas to get you started!
5 Booze Free Bevvies
Just as plant-based is becoming more and more a “thing” among foodies, so to alcoholfree drinks are appealing to an ever-increasing number of consumers. But how do they taste? To find out, we gave the Sipfree range of wines, spirits and beers a go. Read on to see if we’re converted!
Let's Talk About Sleep
For many new mums and dads, it’s the “holy grail”: getting their new bub to sleep through the night and take long naps during the day! We chat with the founder of Kristin Graham Sleep Consulting about the struggles she faced, and how they prompted her to help those in the same boat.
5 Tips For The Perfect Bedroom
Advice from the team at Blanc Des Vosges on making your sleeping spot a stylish haven.