Dirty Money

When you were young and learning about the way in which the world works,  I'm sure you can recall during one of your life lessons, your Mom or Dad told you money is dirty and to wash your hands after handling it whether it were a coin or paper.   Money can get dirty from being passed through multiple hands and transactions.  Last year, research showed 90% of paper money contains traces of cocaine -- not potent enough to be hazardous to your health.  However, recent research shows something else found on money could be unhealthy for you & will probably make you think twice about not washing your hands.  Check it out:

"A new study finds that most U.S. dollar bills are contaminated with an estrogen-like chemical that some are calling toxic.  The report, published by Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families and the Washington Toxics Coalition, found that Bisphenol A, or BPA, is rubbing off of receipts and onto paper money.  BPA is added to the paper utilized in many cash-register and ATM receipts.  Researchers reported finding BPA on 21 of 22 one-dollar bills they tested.  They also noted that BPA is easily transferred from paper to human hands.  In large doses, BPA is a hormone-disrupting chemical that Health Canada recently declared to be toxic.  Nevertheless, a specialist for the American Chemistry Council claims low levels of BPA are safe.  Kathryn St. John said, quote, "the trace levels of BPA claimed to be present in dollar bills are insignificant."

Information Courtesy of Paul Peterson, Metrosource.