12/16/2025
HOLDING A RECEIPT FOR JUST 10 SECONDS
CAN EXPOSE YOU TO UNSAFE LEVELS OF A TOXIC CHEMICAL —
AND MOST OF US TOUCH THEM EVERY DAY.
A new study just confirmed what researchers have warned for years:
Thermal paper receipts are coated in bisphenol S (BPS) — a chemical used to replace BPA, but no safer.
And when you hold one for as little as 10 seconds, enough BPS is absorbed through the skin to exceed established safety limits.
No breaking.
No visible damage.
Just quiet absorption — molecule by molecule — into the bloodstream.
Here’s what the science says:
• BPS is an endocrine disruptor, linked to hormonal imbalance, fertility issues, and metabolic disorders.
• It absorbs through skin far more easily when hands are wet, warm, or have lotion on them.
• Cashiers, retail workers, and restaurant staff face the highest exposure — often handling hundreds of receipts per shift.
• “BPA-free” doesn’t mean safe. Most companies swapped BPA for BPS, its almost-identical cousin.
And the wildest part?
Most people don’t realize they’re touching a chemical that was never meant to be in the human body. 😔
This isn’t fear-based — it’s awareness.
Because awareness is what lets us choose differently.
Everyday toxins are usually invisible.
But invisible doesn’t mean harmless.
Reflection: How many tiny exposures do we move through without noticing?
How many moments do we touch something, breathe something, consume something…
simply because it’s normal?
So much of modern life asks us to move unconsciously —
but returning to our awareness is an act of self-protection, and self-devotion.
Presence is a kind of detoxing.
A way of saying: My body deserves to be lived in with care.
Call to Presence
✨ Next time you’re offered a receipt, pause.
✨ Say “email it, please” or “no receipt.”
✨ If you must touch one, do so quickly — or wash your hands after.
✨ And if you’re a cashier or service worker: gloves are not an overreaction. They’re protection.
Your awareness is power.
Your choices ripple. 🌊
