Payperless Group

Where do receipts generally go after their single use? Yes, you guessed it, typically thrown onto the floor and blown into the street. When exposed to environmental factors like rain and sunshine, these receipts break down faster and these chemical by products like BPA and BPS flow into our water networks and into the ocean. This can add to increased levels of ocean acidification, and moreover speeding up the process of climate change.

I was shocked when I was walking into my local grocery store and noticed all the paper receipts carelessly cast into the street by people leaving the grocery store. This sparked my idea! and I realized that this could be far more detrimental than this looks to the eco-system and the environment. We often think of large plastics and other large forms of waste going into our water networks but how often do we think about chemical inks and microplastics used in the processing and manufacture of paper receipts?

Paper receipts, often coated with chemicals like BPA or BPS, can contribute to ocean acidification through pollution, while ocean acidification itself is primarily caused by increased atmospheric CO2 dissolving into seawater, impacting marine life. 

Paper Receipts and Pollution:

• Chemicals in Receipts:

  Many paper receipts, especially thermal ones, contain chemicals like Bisphenol A (BPA) or Bisphenol S (BPS). 

• Environmental Impact:

  These chemicals can leach from receipts into the environment, potentially entering waterways and impacting aquatic ecosystems. 

• Pollution Pathways:

  Disposal of receipts (landfills, incineration) can lead to chemical release, and even handling receipts can transfer these chemicals to hands and potentially into food. 

• Waste Generation:

  Paper receipts contribute to paper waste, requiring deforestation and energy for production, and their disposal creates landfill volume. 

Ocean Acidification:

• Absorption of CO2:

  The ocean absorbs a significant portion of atmospheric CO2, primarily from burning fossil fuels and other human activities. 

• Chemical Reactions:

  Dissolved CO2 reacts with seawater to form carbonic acid, which then releases hydrogen ions, increasing acidity and lowering pH. 

• Impact on Marine Life:

  The increased acidity reduces the availability of carbonate ions, essential for marine organisms like shellfish and corals to build their shells and skeletons. 

• Ecosystem Disruption:

  Ocean acidification can affect the entire marine food web, potentially impacting fisheries and other ocean-dependent industries. 

In summary: While paper receipts contribute to pollution and waste, they are not a primary driver of ocean acidification, however adding to the problem. Ocean acidification is a global issue caused by increased atmospheric CO2, with significant consequences for marine life and ecosystems. Reducing paper receipt use, switching to digital receipts platforms like Payperless, and addressing the root cause of CO2 emissions are all important steps to mitigate these environmental issues

Overall, people often ask the cost of a businesses products and services but rarely consider the environment cost and by-product from production and manufacturing process.

Payperless is the ultimate solution for this problem and addresses the issues of the environmental impact of paper receipts in today's society and how this contributes to increasing ocean acidification levels. Creating solutions to tomorrow's problem helps to protect our planet for future generations to come.

Thank you