OLYMPIA, Wash. — Washington State is eliminating harmful chemicals from thermal receipts.
According to the Washington State Department of Commerce, the department replaced thermal receipts containing harmful bisphenols BPA & BPC with a phenol-free alternative.
Bisphenols can cause negative health effects, particularly in children, according to the Department of Commerce.
The department says thermal receipts are printed on special paper made of multiple layers, which includes a chemical mixture that determines how well they resist heat, moisture, abrasion and light.
According to the Department of Commerce, an employee was on a Washington State ferry when they saw thermal receipts being used at ferry terminals.
According to the Department of Commerce, the State Efficiency and Environmental Performance (SEEP) Office worked with WSDOT, Ecology and the Department of Enterprise Services to find other ways to replace thermal receipt paper.
The Department of Enterprise Services then added it to a statewide purchasing contract which makes the bisphenol-free thermal receipt paper available to all state agencies.
“This is a great example of state agencies working together to implement Governor Inslee’s vision to eliminate a harmful product from our customers and our employees hands,” said Kevin Bartoy, WSF’s Senior Director of Quality, Health, Safety and Environment. It is the effort of one person raising their voice and being an environmental steward that has helped and guided WSF and other state agencies to eliminate the use of this product. “
“Switching to phenol-free thermal receipts is a small but significant step in reducing everyday exposure to toxic chemicals," said Mike Fong, Department of Commerce director. "Our partnership with agencies across the state demonstrates a unified commitment to protect both public health and the environment. By taking action now, Washington State Ferries and other agencies are not only ahead of the 2026 ban on bisphenol-containing receipts, but they are also setting a precedent for other states to follow."
