Environmental advantages of cash register paper

Cash register paper, also known as thermal paper, refers to a special paper that is printed with thermal elements at high temperatures. It is widely used in checkout printing in supermarkets, shopping malls, restaurants, hospitals and other places. Compared with traditional invoices with complex workmanship and high cost, cash register paper has the advantages of cheap price, simple operation and time-saving. However, with the continuous improvement of environmental protection awareness in recent years, people have higher and higher requirements for the safety and environmental protection standards of various items. So, does the cash register paper meet the environmental protection standards?

This article will introduce the environmental protection advantages of cash register paper from three aspects of production, use and recycling.

Manufacturing
First, let’s look at the manufacturing process of cash register paper. As a special paper, cash register paper needs to use some special chemical raw materials and processes in its production and processing, such as the use of heat-sensitive chemical coatings. If these raw materials are not handled properly, there will be a certain risk of environmental pollution. At present, mainstream companies that produce cash register paper have adopted a series of environmental protection measures to ensure that their products meet environmental protection standards. For example, a German company called ‘Mitsubishi Hitec Paper’ launched a thermal paper “Direct Thermal Imagic(R) DigiTal” in 2010. The company guarantees that the product does not contain heavy metals, mercury and other carcinogens, and Production can be carried out at a fully controlled level, thereby avoiding the emission of harmful substances. In addition, some companies that produce cash register paper also use environmentally friendly materials such as recycled pulp or cotton fiber to produce cash register paper to reduce their impact on the environment.

Use link
In the use stage, cash register paper has no obvious environmental pollution problems. However, some studies have shown that some cash register paper will contain BPA (bisphenol A) and BPS (bisphenyl ether S), these chemicals are endocrine disruptors, and long-term exposure may have an impact on health. Therefore, try to reduce contact when using it, and do not touch the printed handwriting with your fingers.

Recycling
There are still a number of technical, legal and economic obstacles to recycling cash register paper. Due to its small size and mass, and in order to reduce the risk of leakage, many institutions will force the destruction of cash register paper. If the cash register paper is not properly handled, it may be lost in the scene, causing waste and pollution of land and water resources.

Generally speaking, the environmental protection advantages of cash register paper mainly lie in the use of environmentally friendly technologies and materials in its manufacturing process, while the use and recycling aspects still need to be further explored and improved. As consumers, we can increase our support and awareness of environmentally friendly products, choose to print less or no barcodes when shopping, reduce contact with cash register paper, recycle as much as possible, and contribute to environmental protection.