Legal action to stop ‘backscatter’ airport radiation scanning

Backscatter technology emits low-dose X-ray radiation to take images that help detect weapons and explosives hidden under clothing, ……, who is there to calibrate them and make sure they are only given the correct amount of radiation?”

Lawsuit Filed Over Airport Scanner Privacy, Health Concerns, Body-Scan Technology | TechNewsDaily, By Samantha Murphy, 06 August 2010 A public interest group has filed a lawsuit against the federal government demanding the suspension of the full-body scanners increasingly being used in airports nationwide.

The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) in Washington, D.C., which filed the lawsuit last month against the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Transportation Security Administration (TSA) division, is aiming to suspend both backscatter and active millimeter wave technology until concerns about their privacy protection, health effects, religious freedom ramifications and effectiveness are addressed.

Some believe the accuracy of these systems is also debatable, considering images cannot detect explosives hidden in body cavities.

“Since these technologies may not be effective in detecting all threats, it’s critical that we stop the use of them to ensure the health of passengers and protect their privacy,” ….
Backscatter technology, however, requires a passenger to stand in between two box panels as low-dose radiation is emitted to the body, mainly to the scalp, during its scan……..

“The number given is what the whole body receives on average. However, the whole body isn’t actually receiving the radiation exposure. The skin on the scalp receives 20 times the average dose that is typically quoted by TSA and throughout the industry. It’s still a low-dose, but it’s much more than what’s usually said.”

Radiation acts as a multiplier of natural cancer rates, Brenner said. There are 800,000 cases of basal cell carcinoma diagnosed in the United States each year, which is one of the most common cancers associated with X-ray exposure.

“The concern is that radiation promotes pre-existing damage,” he said. “Since the cancer rate is so high for basal cell carcinoma, this number could be multiplied further by radiation risks.” Most of the radiation from X-ray backscatter machines hits the top of the head – where 85 percent of this type of cancer forms.

“There is no good reason why [TSA] scans the head and neck, especially since you can’t hide explosives there,” Brenner said.

“The individual risks associated with X-ray backscatter scanners are probably extremely small, but if all 800 million airport annual users are screened via X-ray, then the risk rate is multiplied by a large number – and that implies a potential public health and societal risk,” he added.

Lawsuit Filed Over Airport Scanner Privacy, Health Concerns | Body-Scan Technology | TechNewsDaily

August 7, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Legal, USA | antinuclear, cancer, radiation, radioactive

3 Comments »

[…] By design, a big part of The Fear comes from the notion that there is an evil super-network of bad guys out there just waiting to strike America at home again. We “know” they are bad guys (says so in our report!). That’s why we absolutely must look in your underwear with expensive backscatter X-ray machines. […]

Pingback by Death Has Gotten in the Way Part 2: Asking the Questions | September 22, 2010 | Reply
The end justifies the mean.
Ensuring the safety of Americans from sleeper agents planted by our enemies justifies the violation of individual civil rights.

This was the exact rationalization when the government violated Japanese American civil rights during WWII, and it is the same damnable mindset in operation today that government bureaucrats are using to strip search and/or grope US citizen’s genitals. Unwanted touching of genitals is a sex offense in every state of this county, but the government thinks it is ok to violate our civil rights to protect us?

We have officially apologizes for violating Japanese American civil rights in the 40’s, but then the very same people who apologized turn around and do the same damnable act again.

The government is quickly becoming the enemy of the people.

Comment by Feste Ainoriba | November 13, 2010 | Reply
It is not a problem of enemies waiting or not security level to drop down or not but of the technology that has been used. Backscatter technology is mostly used for security screening of vehicles and trucks and even with minimal detection capability. It was already used back few year ago in London airport system and the among the operators, those continuosly exposed to possible marginal over irradiation, it was questioned to be the cause of 7 abortions and dismissed immediately. Whatever x-ray machine that irradiates by all mean it’s dangerous even a low dose radiation as the manufacturer claims. I would rather enquire about the evaluation that lead to the adoption of this technology. Was a “political” reason? Was a budgetary reason? Technologically wise the millimetric wave machines are much more secure and performing. The only one capable to detect even a piece of paper hidden under cloths. Even for those not really aware about the different technologies an x-ray irradiates while millimetric waves only read the frequencies naturally emitted by our bodies. How comes that millimetric waves have been considered as the top end technoligy to be used by military in Iraq, Afghanistan and even from Israel at their border checkpoints and not within the airport system? But we know that sometime decisions are taken for unquestionable reasons that have nothing to do with common sense, performance and even safety.

Comment by Chris Jacobsen | August 25, 2011 | Reply