The most convenient thing that happened to society is the birth of fast food restaurants and automated teller machines (ATM). However, did you know that these machines can be dangerous for your health? It may sound peculiar but studies had proven that receiving receipts with your bare hands can be the cause of the transfer of BPA or Bisphenol A to your skin.

What is Bisphenol A (BPA)? According to Medical News Today, "Bisphenol A, often known as BPA is a chemical found in hard plastics and the coatings of food and drinks cans which can behave in a similar way to estrogen and other hormones in the human body.

BPA is used to make many products, including water bottles, baby bottles, dental fillings and sealants, dental devices, medical devices, eyeglass lenses, DVDs and CDs, household electronic and sports equipment.

BPA can also be found in epoxy resins which is used as coatings inside food and drinks cans." Exposure to BPA can cause illness such as problems in the reproductive system, behavioral problems among children, diabetes and cancer. Forbes released an article about BPA found in receipts and according to their article, "The chemical has been banned in chippy cups and bottles, and advocates have petitioned for its ban in adult products, too.

The problem is that it seems to be everywhere: In plastic bottles, the lining of tin cans, in dental fillings, and in cash register receipt paper." Frederick vom Saal, together with his team, studied the effects of BPA in the human body. "Our research found that large amounts of BPA can be transferred to your hands and then to the food you hold and eat as well as be absorbed through your skin," he said to Forbes.

He also said that BPA is found in the surface of store and fast food receipts, airline tickets, ATM receipts and other thermal paper. “The problem is, we as consumers have hand sanitizers, hand creams, soaps and sunscreens on our hands that drastically alter the absorption rate of the BPA found on these receipts," vom Saal said. That is why it is advised that we always wash our hands.

However, the Environmental Protection Agency or EPA did a possible alternative for thermal papers. Their conclusion was that "decision makers may wish to consider alternative printing systems," according to Forbes.

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