Bisphenol A or BPA is one of the major concerning chemicals nowadays. It affects infants to adults and can be found everywhere in the human lifestyle and the environment as well. During the year February 2019 to January 2020, ESDO completed a study addressing this issue as a startup. We may heard about the harmful effects of BPA in toys, water bottles, food containers, etc. but recent scientific researchers are showing the alarming health risks due to regular use of cash receipts because handling the receipt transfers its existing BPA which has known to have hormone-disruptive properties to the skin from where it can migrate into the bloodstream.

To disclose the study findings, Environment and Social Development Organization – ESDO organized a report-launching event titled “BPA in Receipt: Toxin in Finger” on 5th August 2021 from 11 AM to 1 PM through virtual platform Zoom.

Former Secretary and Honorable Chairperson of ESDO, Syed Marghub Murshed Chaired the session. Md. Ashraf Uddin, Director General, Department of Environment, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh graced the event as the Chief Guest. Md. Enamul Haque, Additional Secretary of Ministry of Health was the Guest of Honor, and Ms. Keya Khan, Joint Secretary, of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh was present as the Special Guest.

According to a study, 0% of people out of 1350 people know about the harmful impact of BPA on cash receipts in Bangladesh. Laboratory tests showed that all of the collected cash receipts have indicated the presence of BPA in quantities ranging from 10 – 53 μg/cm2 which is much higher than the EU Permissible limit (0.02%).