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[OM] Electron Bombardment of the U.S. Mails

Subject: [OM] Electron Bombardment of the U.S. Mails
From: "John A. Lind" <jlind@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2001 19:23:07 +0000
Kodak just released the following announcement:
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/aboutKodak/sanitize.shtml
It is quoted below:

US Mail to be sterilized: Implications for Kodak and the photo industry

On Saturday, Oct. 27, the United States Postal Service (USPS) announced a contract with the Titan Corporation of San Diego for the purchase of eight electron beam sterilization systems for use in sanitizing the US Mail. USPS also has an option for 12 additional systems.

According to Postmaster General Jack Potter, one of the first areas to receive the equipment will be the greater Washington Metropolitan Area, when delivery begins next month. However, USPS also contracted to use an existing Titan facility, beginning immediately.

Kodak is working with the USPS and various trade associations to better understand the full extent of the situation as it may apply to unexposed and unprocessed film, since film can be damaged by ionizing radiation.

Kodak will issue further statements as new information becomes available.
Eastman Kodak Company

Irradiating the U.S. mails in this manner is a horrendously over-expensive knee-jerk reaction fraught with all manner of unintended consequences which go beyond unprocessed photographic film. It extends into electronics, batteries and some medicines (which are basically chemicals) to mention only a few items. In short, anything that can be ionized will be, and if it is altered or damaged by high ionization levels (chemically, electronically or otherwise), it will be. Misguided is an understatement.

I'm calling my congressman's local office tomorrow. Wringing one's hands through an email list won't solve the problem. Contacting government officials (congressmen and senators) and asking: (1) What studies have been done to identify anything and everything that will be affected by this manner of irradiation? (2) When will clearly understood and appropriate warnings be issued to the general public, along with the timetable of when it will be implemented?

Then express concern over the cost-benefit of irradiating the U.S. mails in this manner, especially without any studies to identify all the unintended consequences that will occur as a result. If you don't know who your Congressman is, or the phone number or mail address, you can easily find it here:
http://www.house.gov/writerep/

-- John


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