PCI and Toxic Waste!?!

As many of you know, I frequently refer to electronic cardholder data as 'toxic waste,' or at least I suggest that your view these data as such. Well, now it appears I was more right than I ever imagined.

According to this article at StorefrontBacktalk.com, "huge amounts of the carcinogen BPA were found on 40 percent of the receipts collected from “supermarkets, automated teller machines, gas stations and chain stores."

So now I have to ask each of you another question: why are you retaining all those PAPER receipts!?! Don't forget, Visa says you don't need to keep the data no matter what your processor or anyone else says. So, why are you loading up all those file cabinets with, literally, toxic waste?

Time to either get PCI compliant or call in the EPA!