Thermal receipt paper: BPA, recycling and what shops can do

Most bill printers use thermal paper. It prints without ink because the paper is coated with a chemical layer that darkens when heated. That convenience is also why thermal paper raises questions about health and recycling.

This guide sets out what we know, what we do not, and what a shop can sensibly do. We keep to figures we can source.

What thermal paper is

Thermal paper has a heat-sensitive coating. When the printer’s head heats a spot, the coating reacts and turns dark. There is no ink, no ribbon and no toner, which is why the printers are cheap to run and simple to use.

The coating contains a colour developer. For years that was often BPA (bisphenol A). Many suppliers moved to BPS (bisphenol S) or other developers after concerns about BPA.

What testing has found

The Ecology Center, a US non-profit, has tested receipts from many retailers. In its 2022 tests, about 80% of the receipts tested contained BPA or BPS. Its earlier 2017 results showed a higher figure for BPA alone. These are US results. We are not aware of comparable testing in Sri Lanka, and we do not claim one.

What this means for you depends on how you handle receipts. Skin contact with receipts is a known route of exposure, and cashiers handle them all day. Health agencies have studied this, and the picture is still developing, so we keep to the facts: these chemicals are commonly found on thermal receipts, and some products avoid them.

“BPA-free” is not the whole answer

Paper labelled “BPA-free” often uses a related chemical in its place. If this matters to you, ask your supplier:

• Which developer chemical does the paper use?
• Can you provide a safety or compliance document for it?

A supplier who cannot answer is giving you information too.

Recycling

Thermal paper usually should not go in the normal paper recycling stream, because the coating can contaminate it. Recycling rules differ by place and by facility, so ask your local recycler what they accept. We do not have verified Sri Lankan guidance to give you, and we will not guess.

A University of Technology Sydney study from 2023 traced the life journey of an average receipt, from raw materials to disposal, which shows how much of a receipt’s impact happens before it reaches your till.

What a shop can do

1. Ask your paper supplier what developer chemical they use, and keep their answer on file.
2. Print fewer bills. Ask whether each customer wants a printed bill before you print it, and shorten the bill.
3. Offer a digital receipt for customers who would rather not take paper. Fewer printed bills means fewer rolls to buy and less paper to throw away. See how digital receipts work for shops.
4. Handle rolls sensibly. Wash hands after handling receipts for long periods, and keep rolls away from food.
5. Ask about disposal with your local recycler, and do not assume the bin is the only option.

What we do not claim

Going digital does not make a shop “completely eco-friendly”. It means less paper waste and no coated thermal paper for the receipts you do not print. We have not measured carbon savings, and we will not publish figures until we have.

If you want to see how much paper a shop might avoid, our eco impact calculator uses clearly stated assumptions you can change. For a step-by-step approach, our going-paperless checklist covers what to decide and check before you change how you issue receipts.

Sources: Ecology Center (US) receipt testing, 2022. University of Technology Sydney, “The life journey of an average receipt”, 2023.