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BPA Alternatives in Thermal Paper Partnership

About This Project | Milestones | Participants | Meeting Materials

EPA has issued an action plan for bisphenol A (BPA) under its enhanced chemical safety program. The action plan (PDF) (22pp, 209K, About PDF) includes multi-stakeholder alternatives assessments that will be conducted by EPA's Design for the Environment (DfE) Program to help reduce environmental releases of and subsequent exposures to BPA. For more information on alternatives assessments go to www.epa.gov/dfe/alternative_assessments.html. The first assessment will focus on finding safer alternatives to BPA used as a developer for dyes in thermal paper, which is often used in cash register or sales receipts.

Products containing BPA are regulated by both EPA and the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA); only products regulated by EPA are covered in the action plan. Products regulated by EPA include thermal paper; the manufacture of polycarbonate plastics for non-food and non-medical applications (such as compact disks and safety glasses); epoxy resins; flame retardants; and foundry castings. Products regulated by FDA generally include those related to food and medical devices, such as polycarbonate used for baby bottles and epoxy resins used in can linings.

Some receipts made of thermal paper may now contain as much as 10 mg. of BPA, which could pose a risk for human exposure, as well as account for substantial environmental releases of BPA. The goal of this assessment is to facilitate movement towards safer alternatives used in thermal paper. To implement this goal, DfE is convening stakeholders to identify and develop information on alternatives to BPA in thermal paper, including thermal paper used for cash register receipts. DfE will evaluate the hazards associated with BPA and the viable, functional alternatives that act as developers for dyes in this application. Human health and environmental profiles for each chemical will be based on a review of literature in the public domain, structure-activity relationship modeling, and, in some cases, proprietary information shared by stakeholders. Information from the partnership will be made available to decision-makers and the public in a manner that protects proprietary information.

Who Is Likely To Participate and What Is Their Role?

Likely stakeholders include specialty paper, chemical, and thermal printer manufacturers, as well as distributors, processors, and end users of thermal paper, such as retailers. Academics and environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are also encouraged to participate. Appleton Papers Inc., a leading manufacturer of thermal paper, and Staples, a major retailer and business-to-business supplier of paper products, have already agreed to join the partnership.

How Do I Join the Partnership or Get More Information?

If you are interested in taking advantage of this opportunity to participate in the BPA Alternatives in Thermal Paper Partnership, or you would like more information, please contact Cal Baier-Anderson of DfE, at 202-564-1933 (baier-anderson.caroline@epa.gov).

Participants

Participants in Alternatives for BPA in Thermal Paper Partnership

Thermal Paper Manufacturers
Pam Barker, Appleton Papers, Inc.
Mike Friese, Appleton Papers, Inc.
Pete Popovics, Cenveo/Nashua
Jouko Mäkitalo, Jujo Thermal
Mari Koskinen, Jujo Thermal
Fred Paris, Kanzaki
Michael Horn, Koehler Paper
Dirk Keller, Koehler Paper
Bernd Gerecht, Mitsubishi
Takahisa Kato, Mitsubish
Theodore Rice, Mitsubishii
Gary Toussaint, Nashua Corporation
Trevor Kelley, Nashua
Todd Ostrowski, Tighe& Bond

Thermal Paper Converters
Doug Dahrsnin, LabelWorld
Dave Starr, Heartland Label Printers
Andrew Dennison, Heartland Label Printers
Dave Blum, Heartland Label Printers
Jim Check, Heartland Label Printers, Inc.
Mike Rapier, Liberty Paper Products, LLC
Jerry Butler, NCR
Bram van Staalduinen, NCR
Debora Jeske, NCR
Steve Nahm, NCR
Terie Syme, Prestige Label Co.
Stacey MacNeil, UPM Raflatac
Steven Schwartz, RiteMade Paper

Chemical Manufacturers (Developers and Color-formers)
Steve Aderman, AdChem Technologies
Al Wiedow, BASF
Omi Kapel, BASF
Frank Kearney, ESCO
Robin Heath, Nagase America Corporation
John Wrubel, Nisso America
Toshiyuki Iwama, Nisso America
Tadashi Kawakami, Nisso America

POS OEM Manufacturers
Ron Mateas, Epson
Sal Rizvi, Star Micronics America, Inc

Retailers
Drew Du Bois, Kroger
Jeff Brown, Safeway
Roger McFadden, Staples
Holly Wipf, Target
Zach Freeze, Wal-Mart
Jason Wadsworth, Wegmans
Joe Dickson, Whole Foods

Trade Associations
Steven Hentges, American Chemistry Council
Erik Lieberman, Food Marketing Institute
John Billings, Food Marketing Institute
David Wagger, ISRI
Sarah Walczewski, Retailer Industry Leaders Association

Trade Unions
Jackie Nowell, UFCW

NGOs
Mark Rossi, Clean Production Action
Michelle Harvey, EDF
Sonya Lunder, EWG
David Andrews, EWG
Sarah Janssen, NRDC
Darby Hoover, NRDC
Brian Penttila, Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center
Pam Eliason, Toxics Use Reduction Institute
Erica Schreder, WA Toxics Coalition

Government
John Bucher, NIEHS
Kris Thayer, NIEHS
Cherie Estill, NIOSH
Steve Schrader, NIOSH
Mike Babich, CPSC
Vanee Komolprasert, FDA
Gary Ginsberg, Connecticut DPH
Terry Goldberg, NEWMOA

International
Paolo Castello, Joint Research Centre of the European Commission
Kate McKerlie, Environment Canada

Green Chemistry Consultants
John Warner, Warner Babcock Institute
Sarah Newsky, Warner Babcock Institute
Manfred Krautter, EcoAid

BPA Partnership EPA Contacts
Clive Davies
Cal Baier-Anderson
Kelly Grant

Technical Consultant
Lauren Heine, Clean Production Action

BPA Alternatives in Thermal Paper Partnership

Who Is Likely To Participate and What Is Their Role?

How Do I Join the Partnership or Get More Information?

Participants

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