Bisphenol A Found on Money

A recent report published by the non-profit, advocacy groups Washington Toxics Coalition and Safer Chemicals Healthy Families stated that 21 out of 22 dollar bills tested contained small concentrations of bisphenol A (BPA). In addition, receipts collected across the country were also tested and found BPA concentrations on 50% (11 out of 22) of them. According to the report, normal handling of the receipts resulted in transfer of BPA from the paper to skin. The new data on BPA are used by the authors to illustrate the need for TSCA revisions.

By itself, a report like this sounds alarming, but it becomes less worrisome when certain factors are considered. While there have been many scientific articles suggesting a possible association between BPA and adverse health effects, there are also many others that do not find any significant health consequences to the public, especially at low concentrations. In addition, regulatory agencies in the United States and Europe have not deemed BPA to be a health threat under conditions of intended use.

Another important consideration is that this report was published by the non-profit groups themselves and not in a scientific journal, which means that it did not undergo an independent peer-review process. In particular, there is information in the report which is puzzling. For example, the statement that one receipt contained 2.2% BPA by weight is difficult to believe given the molecular weight of BPA. The report also indicated that people are being exposed from handling the receipts and currency, but only very small amounts of BPA are presumably absorbed through the skin. The hypothetical absorbed concentration would then be converted to a biologically inactive metabolite and eliminated from the body. Therefore, no adverse health impacts would have occurred. Finally, the CDC has conducted biomonitoring surveys of the United States and found that consumer exposure (which would include all potential exposure routes including receipts and currency) to BPA is low.

While it is interesting to learn that small amounts of BPA can be found on thermal paper products and dollar bills, the new information should not change the current regulatory viewpoint that BPA is not a public health threat given the biological insignificance of the concentrations. However, the authors’ call for revisions to TSCA legislation, no matter how unrelated it may be to the substance of their article, is still a necessary step for modernizing chemical regulation given the increased need to understanding of exposure and risk as they relate to chemicals in consumer products.