EPIC v. DHS Lawsuit -- FOIA'd Documents Raise New Questions About Body Scanner Radiation Risks

EPIC v. DHS Lawsuit -- FOIA'd Documents Raise New Questions About Body Scanner Radiation Risks

epic.org

In a FOIA lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security, EPIC has just obtained documents concerning the radiation risks of TSA's airport body scanner program. The documents include agency emails, radiation studies, memoranda of agreement concerning radiation testing programs, and results of some radiation tests. One document set reveals that even after TSA employees identified cancer clusters possibly linked to radiation exposure, the agency failed to issue employees dosimeters - safety devices that could assess the level of radiation exposure. Another document indicates that the DHS m

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I wouldn't want to wish cancer on anyone. However...

How do you like that. I guess standing next to giant X-Ray machines all day long isn't so good for your health after all.

At this rate those machines might get nixed just because operators can't be close to them or risk cancer.

Ain't Karma a Bitch.

In any case over at Slashdot.org there are a few good links to pointing out the cancer cluster and some more news about this whole story. Even a paper from Johns Hopkins that questions how safe it is to be next to a scanner let alone be inside of one.

Makes me wonder now. Will people that have gone through the scanner be able to sue?

Looks like the can of worms is open. I wonder how they are going to get them back in.



epic.org
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Hahaha. Does it cause ill effects to normal people being scanned.

I hate to be so skeptical, but, this won't change a thing. They will find SOME way of undermining these reports. Claiming them to be "isolated cases", or "pre existing conditions". The TSA is not going to give up any power or control without a long, drawn out fight. Hopefuly this will become an internal battle. Employees speaking out against the use of these machines may have an effect on policy the public has had no luck changing.

Originally posted by mb2591
Hahaha. Does it cause ill effects to normal people being scanned.

edit on 27-6-2011 by mb2591 because: (no reason given)

well if you check out the pdf here.
epic.org...

hopkins recommends no more than 100 mrem per year.
However if you look at the diagram. There's some nasty radiation shooting over the top of the freaking machine and probably falling all over the place.

If I was an airport I'd be checking for radiation. And I'm sure at those rates most airports are probably now contaminated with some radiation. I bet the cleanup bill for that is going to be ugly.

Also, the National Institute of Standards and Technology says that the Dept. of Homeland Security 'mischaracterized' their work by telling USA Today that NIST affirmed the safety of the scanners when in fact NIST does not do product safety testing and never tested a scanner for safety."

epic.org...
epic.org...

pack of lies.

I expect the TSA to stall until they can come up with some other point-of-control technology. This won't be the end of anything. EPIC would do well to remember that this is not and never was about security; it's about training the public to be docile and accepting of total control in the hands of "authority"....

reply to post by Ex_CT2


I think you're right. However I think that as more airports get wind of this lawsuit. Other lawsuits will pop up.
Can you imagine court orders appearing and forcing TSA to not use the machines until the health risk can be assessed?

Might be interesting.

reply to post by grey580




TSA 'ignored warnings' on cancer cluster

www.tgdaily.com...

Originally posted by grey580
reply to post by Ex_CT2

 

I think you're right. However I think that as more airports get wind of this lawsuit. Other lawsuits will pop up.
Can you imagine court orders appearing and forcing TSA to not use the machines until the health risk can be assessed?

Might be interesting.

Could happen. I'm just worried that TPTB are so invested in this that it'll turn into a war of attrition. Look what they did to Texas: Humiliated 'em and made 'em stand down--worse--they made 'em look like a bunch of sissies.

It's gotta stop; no doubt about that. It's just that these half-steps just make them get more creative....

reply to post by Ex_CT2


Nah this is a big deal. If an enterprising lawyer gets involved.
There could be a huge class action.

Imagine everyone that flies and has been scanned find out that this thing is not certified by anyone to be safe.
Imagine all the airports that could file litigation.
All the employees that work close to the machines can sue if they get cancer.

I can get ugly fast.