Are receipts toxic? Thermal paper, bisphenols and how to dispose of them in Switzerland
Most receipts are printed on thermal paper, where the two most debated chemicals, bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS), have been banned in Switzerland since 16 December 2020 (ORRChem, Annex 1.10). The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) still found BPA in 10.8% of tested papers in 2021, down from 82.2% in 2014, and BPS in 19.1%.
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When people ask whether receipts are toxic, they usually mean the coating of thermal paper, on which most receipts are printed. The two most debated substances, bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS), have been banned from thermal paper in Switzerland since 16 December 2020, and according to the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) the share of samples containing BPA fell from 82.2% in 2014 to 10.8% in 2021. Which bin a receipt goes in is up to your municipality.
Updated October 2026. Sources: ORRChem (SR 814.81), Annex 1.10, version of 16 July 2026; FOPH evaluation of the ban, November 2023; Cantonal Laboratory of Zurich, 3 April 2024; Regulation (EU) 2016/2235; Blick, 23 August 2021; SRF Kassensturz Espresso, 10 September 2025 (viewed on 8 October 2026).
Are receipts toxic?
| Year | Samples tested | With BPA | With BPS | With Pergafast 201 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 129 | 82.2% | 3.1% | 7.8% |
| 2019 | 185 | 48.6% | 14.6% | 30.8% |
| 2021 | 194 | 10.8% | 19.1% | 60.3% |
Source: FOPH, November 2023; share of samples tested. The big retail chains switched to other substances; BPA and BPS were found more often in small shops, hotels and restaurants. In 2023 the Cantonal Laboratory of Zurich found BPA in none of its 27 samples and BPS in two, leftover stock in individual branches.
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What is in thermal paper?
| Substance | Status in Switzerland | Since | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bisphenol A (BPA) | Banned at 0.02% or more by mass | 16 December 2020 | ORRChem, Annex 1.10 |
| Bisphenol S (BPS) | Banned at 0.02% or more by mass | 16 December 2020 | ORRChem, Annex 1.10 |
| Pergafast 201 | Allowed, the most used (60.3% of samples in 2021) | No ban | FOPH, 2023 |
What does Swiss law say?
Annex 1.10 of the Chemical Risk Reduction Ordinance (ORRChem) prohibits using thermal paper that contains 0.02% or more by mass of BPA or BPS. The ban entered into force on 1 June 2020. Because of the pandemic, the Federal Council postponed it in an ordinance of 5 June 2020, so it has applied since 16 December 2020.
Since 2 January 2020 the EU has banned only BPA (Regulation (EU) 2016/2235), not BPS: that is why, according to the FOPH in 2023, most thermal paper in the EU contained BPS. If you go cross-border shopping in Konstanz, Annemasse or Como, the receipt paper falls under the EU rule.
Who is most exposed, and how can you reduce contact?
Describing the effect of the ban, the FOPH (2023) first names sales staff, who handle this paper all day at the checkout, then the population. We found no official advice for consumers, either from the FOPH or from a cantonal laboratory. What you can do is simple:
- Decline the receipt when you do not need it. Two of the big Swiss supermarkets print it only on request (SRF, 2022; Blick, 2023).
- Choose the digital version where there is one: see the guide to digital receipts in Switzerland.
- Keep paper only as proof for returns and warranty claims: see keeping receipts for warranty in Switzerland.
Can you recycle thermal paper receipts in Switzerland?
Not with paper, according to Swiss media. Your municipality has the last word, and we found no official national guidance. The Swiss daily Blick (23 August 2021) explained that the paper, its coating and the ink cannot be recycled.
Receipts printed on blue paper are disputed. One retailer says they can go in paper recycling, but Swiss paper collectors never tested that. The European de-inking association Ingede considers them not recyclable: a single receipt turns three kilos of white waste paper grey (SRF Kassensturz Espresso, 10 September 2025). Check your municipality’s waste calendar (Gemeinde in German, commune in French), as rules vary.
How can you avoid paper receipts?
In general, you may ask for a receipt when you pay (Art. 88 of the Swiss Code of Obligations), but you do not have to take one. If the receipt is wrong, see receipt errors and your rights. For everyday groceries a copy is enough: photograph the receipt before the print fades (see how to scan receipts), then throw the paper away. The copy also shows what you buy; for ideas on wasting less food, see the guide to reducing food waste at home.
How to keep receipts without paper in Rappn
Next time you shop, you decide: if you take the receipt, photograph it with Rappn and throw the paper away, except for warranty items; if you decline it, enter the purchase by hand. Rappn is a free Swiss app (iOS and Android) that compares the current promotions of seven Swiss retailers and turns receipts into a spending overview. It sorts your purchases into categories and shows your spending by month next to your own monthly average; you can export your receipts as PDF or CSV. The limit: it covers grocery spending only.
If you would rather take fewer photos, the free Rappn app imports the receipts of three big Swiss supermarkets’ loyalty programmes, up to 12 months back, and you add the others by photo; it then shows your spending by category and by month. You need a Rappn account and must be an adult; the programmes’ terms still apply and the operator can restrict the link (how linking works).
Updated: .
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do receipts in Switzerland still contain BPA?
Much less often than before: since 16 December 2020, thermal paper with 0.02% or more of BPA or BPS has been banned in Switzerland. The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) found BPA in 10.8% of thermal paper samples in 2021, down from 82.2% in 2014, and in 2023 the Cantonal Laboratory of Zurich found it in none of its 27 samples; two still contained BPS from old stock.
Can receipts go in paper recycling?
Usually not, according to Swiss media, but your municipality decides: we found no official national guidance. The daily Blick (2021) reported that thermal-paper receipts belong in household waste because their coating and ink cannot be recycled; check your municipality’s waste calendar.
Is it dangerous to touch receipts?
We found no official Swiss advice on touching receipts. According to the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH, 2023), Switzerland has banned BPA and BPS in thermal paper since 16 December 2020 because of their harmful effects on the hormonal system, reproduction and development, and the ban reduced the exposure of sales staff and the population. The FOPH considers the most common developer in 2021, Pergafast 201, less hazardous; to reduce contact, decline the receipt when you do not need it.
Can I refuse a paper receipt?
In general, yes: you may ask for a receipt when you pay (Art. 88 of the Swiss Code of Obligations), but you do not have to take one. According to SRF (2022) and Blick (2023), two of the big Swiss supermarkets print receipts only on request. Ask for one anyway for items you might need to return or claim under warranty.
Where do BPA-free receipts go?
Like other thermal-paper receipts: according to Swiss media, in household waste rather than paper recycling, but your municipality decides. BPA-free does not always mean bisphenol-free: BPA was often replaced by BPS (FOPH, 2023), which Switzerland has also banned since 16 December 2020.
If I refuse the receipt, how do I keep track of my shopping?
Enter the purchase by hand right away in the free Rappn app, which sorts your spending by category and by month; if you take the receipt after all, photograph it in the app and then throw the paper away. For items you might need to return or claim under warranty, ask for the receipt anyway: in general, a legible photo counts as proof (SRF Kassensturz Espresso, 2016), but keep the original as well.