The Consumers’ Foundation yesterday said that more than half the fax paper and ATM receipts commonly used in Taiwan contain bisphenol A (BPA), which can cause cancer.
The consumer rights watchdog in November tested 28 types of thermal paper, which is a type of paper coated with chemicals that change color when exposed to heat and are commonly used in devices such as fax machines and ATMs and for cashier receipts and credit card signature slips.
The foundation purchased rolls of fax paper sold at supermarkets and retail chains across the country and took samples of receipts from convenience stores, ATMs, post offices and department stores nationwide to test for harmful chemicals.
The foundation found that 63 percent of the thermal paper tested contained between 10 and 50 parts per million of BPA. The chemical is toxic because it acts as an endocrine disruptor, which can influence the body’s production of hormones and has been shown to heighten the risk of obesity, breast cancer and prostate cancer, foundation chairperson Joann Su (蘇錦霞) said.
The chemical can be especially harmful to infants and young children. It finds its way into the human body when the thermal paper is held or rubbed between fingers, she said, adding that in recent years, some countries have set strict regulations governing the use of BPA.
The foundation said that to minimize the harmful effects of coming into contact with BPA, people should avoid taking receipts from ATMs or wash their hands thoroughly after touching thermal paper. It is also important not to give thermal paper products to children, while pregnant women should be especially careful to avoid such products.
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