Stop Handing Customers Toxic Receipts: Make the Healthier Switch Today

Every business decision you make reflects your brand’s values—from the suppliers you choose to the paper you print on. But there’s one seemingly small choice that could be putting your customers, employees, and brand reputation at risk: your receipt paper.

It may sound surprising, but traditional thermal receipts—the ones handed out millions of times daily in retail stores, restaurants, cafés, and beyond—often contain toxic chemicals like BPA (Bisphenol A) and BPS (Bisphenol S). These phenol-based compounds are classified as endocrine disruptors and have been linked to serious health issues, including hormone imbalances, developmental problems, and even cancer.

What’s more concerning? These chemicals are skin-soluble—meaning within just 30 seconds of contact, they can enter the bloodstream through your skin.

As a longtime advocate for conscious consumerism and safe business practices, I believe we need to raise awareness about this silent risk and champion solutions that protect people and the planet. That’s why I’m proud to endorse Rolly Receipts’ EcoThermal Receipts—a phenol-free, plastic-free, and FSC-certified alternative that offers a smarter way forward for modern businesses.

The Problem with Thermal Receipts

Thermal paper is widely used because it allows for inkless printing. It’s quick, efficient, and compatible with most POS (Point-of-Sale) systems. But the convenience comes with an invisible cost.

1. Toxic Chemicals

The vast majority of thermal receipts on the market today contain BPA or BPS, chemicals used to create the heat-sensitive coating. BPA is a known carcinogen and endocrine disruptor. It’s been banned from baby bottles and other consumer goods in many countries, yet it remains commonplace in receipts.

While some manufacturers have removed BPA, many have replaced it with BPS, a chemical equally as harmful—sometimes even more persistent in the environment and human tissue. So even “BPA-Free” doesn’t mean “safe.”

2. Health Risks for Workers

Think about your cashiers, waitstaff, or baristas who handle receipts all day long. Prolonged and repeated exposure to phenol-based receipts increases their risk of chemical absorption, especially if they touch receipts while eating, sweating, or without gloves. This daily exposure puts their long-term health in jeopardy.

3. Environmental Harm

Receipts are not recyclable when they contain BPA or BPS. They contaminate recycling streams and, when discarded, leach harmful chemicals into soil and water. What looks like a small slip of paper actually has massive environmental consequences.

The Safer, Smarter Solution: EcoThermal Receipts

EcoThermal Receipts are a breakthrough innovation in safe, sustainable point-of-sale materials. Designed with health, the environment, and functionality in mind, they provide everything businesses need—without the hidden hazards.

Phenol-Free

EcoThermal Receipts use a Pergafast matrix, a non-toxic alternative that eliminates the need for BPA or BPS. It offers the same quality print and durability, minus the risks.

FSC-Certified

All paper used is FSC-certified, meaning it comes from responsibly managed forests. This ensures sustainable sourcing practices across the supply chain.

Plastic-Free and Coreless

Traditional receipt rolls use a plastic core, which becomes unnecessary landfill waste. EcoThermal Receipts are coreless, further minimizing your business’s environmental footprint.

Recyclable

Because they’re phenol-free, EcoThermal Receipts can be safely recycled in most recycling systems. (We do advise confirming with your local recycling center for acceptance guidelines.)

One Tree Planted for Every Case

Through our partnership with Trees for the Future, every case of EcoThermal Receipts used results in one tree planted, directly contributing to global reforestation and your business’s carbon offsetting efforts.

Why Should Your Business Make the Switch?

Choosing EcoThermal Receipts is more than just an operational change—it’s a branding decision, a safety measure, and a statement of values.

1. Build Customer Trust

Consumers are becoming increasingly health-conscious and environmentally aware. They want to support businesses that align with their values. By switching to phenol-free receipts, you show your commitment to their well-being—and earn their trust and loyalty in return.

2. Protect Your Staff

Your team is your greatest asset. Making sure their working environment is free from unnecessary toxic exposure is part of being a responsible employer. Providing EcoThermal Receipts reduces health risks for your front-line staff.

3. Enhance Brand Image

In a crowded market, standing out for the right reasons matters. Your eco-commitments can be featured on your website, packaging, signage, and even the receipt itself. Let every touchpoint with your customer reflect your commitment to doing better.

4. Qualify for Sustainability Credits

Using eco-certified materials may help you qualify for sustainability certifications or local business incentives. It also positions your company for positive media coverage and community partnerships.

Let’s Rethink the Little Things

Big changes often start with small actions. A receipt might seem insignificant—but when you consider the billions of receipts printed annually, their collective impact on health and the environment is staggering.

It’s time we stop accepting harmful materials as “standard” and start expecting more from the tools we use every day.

Your customers deserve better. Your staff deserves better. The planet deserves better.

Getting Started Is Easy

Making the switch to EcoThermal Receipts doesn’t require a complete overhaul of your POS system. The rolls are compatible with most standard printers, and the transition can happen with minimal downtime.

Businesses across sectors—from coffee shops and boutiques to grocery chains and bakeries—have already adopted these safer alternatives with outstanding results.

And remember: Every case you use plants a tree.

That’s a win for you, your customers, and the future.

Final Thoughts from Marcus Todd Brisco

I’ve spent years helping brands identify blind spots in their sustainability practices. And I can tell you—this one’s an easy fix.

If you’re a business owner who wants to:

• Show your customers you care about their health,

• Create a safer workplace for your staff,

• Reduce your plastic and toxic chemical output, and

• Strengthen your eco-branding efforts...
  

Then the solution is clear.

Stop handing out toxic receipts. Make the switch to EcoThermal Receipts today.

Let’s change the world, one safer slip of paper at a time.