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TSA Removes X-Ray Body Scanners From Major Airports, But Some Will Remain
For all those who are against having to go through X-ray body scanners at airport security, you'll be happy to know some are now being removed. During the past few weeks, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has been quietly switching them out for safer radiation machines.While the main goal of the change is to speed up the lines at security checkpoints in major airports, the transition will also lead to less passengers being exposed to radiation.
So far these X-ray machines, called backscatters, have been replaced at Boston Logan International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Chicago O'Hare, Orlando and John F. Kennedy in New York.
One concern people have with the backscatters is the fact that the radiation has been linked to cancer at higher levels. Moreover, the machines produce images of passengers' naked bodies. The new millimeter-wave scanners help these problems by instead emitting low-energy radio waves similar to those in cellphones, as well as producing generic cartoon images instead of the person's actual body.
Before you get too excited, know the backscatters are not being phased out altogether. They are still being used at certain airports, including some major ones. Additionally, in late September the TSA awarded three companies potential contracts for the next generation of body scanners. One of the systems, made by American Science & Engineering, uses backscatter X-ray technology.
"They're not all being replaced," TSA spokesman David Castelveter told ProPublica. "It's being done strategically. We are replacing some of the older equipment and taking them to smaller airports. That will be done over a period of time."
The upside to this is research has found the radiation emitted from the body scanners is trivial and nothing to worry it. That being said, many scientists are also arguing that if there is a safer alternative that allows passengers more privacy, the TSA should use it.
"Why would we want to put ourselves in this uncertain situation where potentially we're going to have some cancer cases?" David Brenner, director of Columbia University's Center for Radiological Research, told ProPublica last year. "It makes me think, really, why don't we use millimeter waves when we don't have so much uncertainty?"
Nothing is simple, however. Research has shown the millimeter-wave scanners have a much higher false-alarm rate, 23% to 54% compared to 5% with backscatters. The TSA hopes using both machines in different airports will lead to competition, creating better technologies at a lower cost.
[Image via Carolina K. Smith, M.D. / Shutterstock.com]
[Via Chris Elliott]
"They're not all being replaced," TSA spokesman David Castelveter told ProPublica. "It's being done strategically. We are replacing some of the older equipment and taking them to smaller airports. That will be done over a period of time."
The upside to this is research has found the radiation emitted from the body scanners is trivial and nothing to worry it. That being said, many scientists are also arguing that if there is a safer alternative that allows passengers more privacy, the TSA should use it.
"Why would we want to put ourselves in this uncertain situation where potentially we're going to have some cancer cases?" David Brenner, director of Columbia University's Center for Radiological Research, told ProPublica last year. "It makes me think, really, why don't we use millimeter waves when we don't have so much uncertainty?"
Nothing is simple, however. Research has shown the millimeter-wave scanners have a much higher false-alarm rate, 23% to 54% compared to 5% with backscatters. The TSA hopes using both machines in different airports will lead to competition, creating better technologies at a lower cost.
[Image via Carolina K. Smith, M.D. / Shutterstock.com]
[Via Chris Elliott]
Filed under: North America, United States, Airports, News, Travel Health, Travel Security
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Fred Mayes Oct 19th 2012 3:39PM
There's always a catch--here it's the false positive rate. That's the same reason it has taken so long to develop a test for ovarian cancer. If 23% of the people going through the new machine need to get patted down...
Al Schrader Oct 19th 2012 5:37PM
My girl friend went through that. When she came out, she thought she was Marylin Monroe. No, it's ok, I like her better this way.
Anna Oct 19th 2012 4:15PM
"The upside to this is research has found the radiation emitted from the body scanners is trivial and nothing to worry it" I guess my question is, if you travel every week, it is really trivial? Maybe trivial to the non-business traveler who only travels a few times a year.
Barbal Oct 19th 2012 6:16PM
I totally agree! My usband is a frequent traveler & this is a concern of mine..Nice they figured this out after spending millions on these stupid machines..
dela5150 Oct 19th 2012 6:06PM
Coool! I want a new radiation machine at my airport! I want to be treated like a criminal everytime I fly somewhere! FYI - The constitution and bill of rights have no jurisdiction within airports; hence, you literally have no rights whatsoever once you're in an airport. Doesn't that make you feel safe?
josanpu Oct 19th 2012 6:46PM
Note: Every harmful technology first goes through a period where no one sees any danger. Cumulative effects, sensitive individuals, or those who are predisposed or have other underlying issues, may eventually be affected, if even in a small way. I always "opt-out" and submit to the patdown & swab for explosives. Yes, it's a hassle, and an invasion, but I feel better about it.
MBtraveler Oct 19th 2012 6:50PM
Since the 'body-scanners' were introduced, I arrive early and choose the 'pat-down'. I travel often and found the scanners to be invasive and, most of all, potentially harmful.
fisher1949 Oct 19th 2012 7:45PM
This is worse than the puffer scandal of 2005. In eleven years taxpayers have wasted $80 billion dollars on TSA only to get worse results than before.
The scanner program should be halted immediately and TSA forced to correct the rampant problems in the current scanner program. The x-ray units pose a potential health risk and research has shown that the x-ray scanners could prove harmful to women with BRCA gene and cause a significantly heightened risk of developing cancer.
It is unbelievable that Congress would allow this outrageous waste of taxpayer funds given the current budget crisis. Millions of dollars desperately needed elsewhere are being wasted on TSA and its gadgets without improving security or the pitiful quality of TSA workers.
TSA won’t finish installing the current series of scanners for another year but are now planning to replace yet undelivered scanners Despite their lie here, they are replacing all of the 244 backscatter x-ray units at a cost of $45 million many of which are less than two years old.
The current scanners have not been independently tested and lawsuits are still pending on questions regarding their safety. TSA has not taken comment on the deployment of the current scanners despite being ordered by a court to do so before the end of 2012.
The court recently granted an extension to March 31, 2013 so that issue will not be resolved until late in 2013. No additional scanners should be bought or installed until that process is complete.
The public has no confidence in the agency and its employees have become the object of derision and ridicule worldwide. TSA has become its own worst enemy by ignoring the reality and mindlessly repeating the same propaganda and excuses.
Federalizing airport security has only produced rampant waste and crime by TSA which is far worse than anything seen in the airlines funded private screeners prior to 9/11.
Does anyone really feel safer having people who will rub stranger’s genitals in public for $15 an hour in charge of security?
In 2008 no one would have believed that people would allow a stranger to view a naked image of their child or permit the equivalent of a mall cop to rub their child’s privates in the middle of an airport. There were no hijackings between 2002 and 2009 without these punitive measures and they aren’t necessary now.
TSA is beyond salvage and must be replaced. There is far too much public animosity and history of abuses, failures and crimes to ever make this agency reputable.
jem Oct 19th 2012 9:15PM
they should do like disneyland and as you exit the ride you can buy a copy of the picture they took of you
exoticdoc2 Oct 19th 2012 10:22PM
That's only a start. Get rid of ALL of them...then get rid of the TSA.
Edward Oct 20th 2012 8:35AM
It is well known that skin cancer is caused by cumulative radiation exposure including to sunlight. Anyone who has experienced skin cancer is at higher risk - NO additional exposure to x-rays is good regardless of level and can only be bad. Over 2 million people a year are diagnosed with skin cancer. Frequent travelers who have had skin cancer should never be deliberately exposed to to more radiation. Ask all the federal Department of Energy employees who now have emerging cancers when they were told all was safe 30 years ago. It is cumulative exposure not measurements of single exposures that count.
larrycdt Oct 20th 2012 8:51AM
If you are concerned about the radiation from a backscatter scanner because you fly a lot, then stop flying, because every New York to LA flight is like having a chest x-ray and is about 50 times more radiation than the scan you passed through to get on the flight.
@ Edward: Skin cancers are caused by cumulative exposure to UV light, not x-rays . Every day, the people in Denver are getting the equivalent of one backscatter screening more in radiation than people living in New York city, because they are a mile high (above sea level) and are exposed to that much more cosmic radiation from space 24/7/365 and they don't have an epidemic of cancers in Denver compared to New York.
Felix Oct 20th 2012 11:10AM
I believe the Air Port issue is not about scanners or not scanners the issue is about some people that work in the Air Port. When you travel abroad the situation in the Air Port is much different than in the United States.
Most of those European and Asian countries the employees probably are better trained or they make more money, they are focus in their jobs and I have the feeling that some employees in our Air Port some times are a little angry or they are over worked.
Ideassoul
Artie Oct 20th 2012 11:08AM
So no wonder I saw pretty girls being choosen to get their body scaned. You figur out the rest.....
Katydid Oct 20th 2012 4:39PM
I always opt-out, but really saddened by all the other passengers going through the machine without any hesitation.
Cindy Oct 20th 2012 2:17PM
Children should not be exposed to these machines. First of all, they shouldn't be exposed to radiation. Second of all, pedophiles might see children naked. TSA is not immune to pedophiles being in their rank..