URGENT: Destructive Scanning by US Postal Service

Kino · Jul 25, 2006

Please read the following carefully if you intend to ship any photochemical or electronic media via US the Postal Service.

http://www.i3a.org/pdf/i3a_titan_testing_report.pdf

I cannot imagine this technology is being used in every place, but you can bet it is being used for ANY mail that is going to Washington, DC.

medform-norm · Jul 25, 2006

Do people have an alternative company to use instead of the US postal service?

Helen B · Jul 25, 2006

Isn't this old news? Wasn't this the gear that the USPS spend a bundle on in a 2001 anthrax-driven panic then never used?

There's no date on that report, is there?

Dave Parker · Jul 25, 2006

Helen B said:
Isn't this old news? Wasn't this the gear that the USPS spend a bundle on in a 2001 anthrax-driven panic then never used?

There's no date on that report, is there?

Yes Helen,

It is old news about machines and technology that the USPS have, but have never used...somehow it got drug up again, I would suspect due to the 5th anniversary of 9/11 just around the corner.

Dave

tim atherton · Jul 25, 2006

Helen B said:
Isn't this old news? Wasn't this the gear that the USPS spend a bundle on in a 2001 anthrax-driven panic then never used?

There's no date on that report, is there?

Yes, I wish they had dated it. They were using some of these (or similar) in Washington. I remember on a Museums List a conservator at the Smithsonian posted some 35mm slides that were literally fried. And the Copyright Office also got a number of packages of images which looked like they had been microwaved...

donbga · Jul 25, 2006

medform-norm said:
Do people have an alternative company to use instead of the US postal service?

Not if you want to put postage stamps on your shipment.

FedEx, UPS are two to consider.

naturephoto1 · Jul 25, 2006

medform-norm said:
Do people have an alternative company to use instead of the US postal service?

For shipping of most of my larger photos, etc. I use DHL, FEDEX. or UPS. If we find that the USPS decides to use this kind of equipment, I will use their services less and the other 3 companies even more.

Rich

Kino · Jul 25, 2006

Helen B said:
Isn't this old news? Wasn't this the gear that the USPS spend a bundle on in a 2001 anthrax-driven panic then never used?

There's no date on that report, is there?

No, the machines are being used in Ohio to irradiate mail going to Washington. Sorry if you don't believe it.

Kino · Jul 25, 2006

Dave Parker said:
Yes Helen,

It is old news about machines and technology that the USPS have, but have never used...somehow it got drug up again, I would suspect due to the 5th anniversary of 9/11 just around the corner.

Dave

I have no idea where you get your information, but it is wrong. It might be old news, but they are being used and we get fried packages at our home office regularly.

Kino · Jul 25, 2006

Sorry for the alarm, I won't make that mistake again.

kb244 · Jul 25, 2006

Yea read this report a lil bit ago, I actually posted it on my site I think couple days ago , tho I think was old even then.

Dave Parker · Jul 25, 2006

Kino said:
I have no idea where you get your information, but it is wrong. It might be old news, but they are being used and we get fried packages at our home office regularly.

Kino,

I asked at the local post office today and had lunch with our postmaster and mentioned it and he was not aware of this particular technology being used although he did acknowledge they do own the technology, I can only go based on the information given to me by the company that is carrying the mail...

Dave

kb244 · Jul 25, 2006

I just wonder if if you send something thru and its not insurred if you can hold USPS accountible for comepensation and what not, I just think for USPS to use technology that they know can destory equipment or media is a blantant disregard to their consumers.

Dave Parker · Jul 25, 2006

kb244 said:
I just wonder if if you send something thru and its not insurred if you can hold USPS accountible for comepensation and what not, I just think for USPS to use technology that they know can destory equipment or media is a blantant disregard to their consumers.

Well based on the fact that they know it can destroy media, I don't believe they are and the postmaster was saying he did not believe they were, he was telling me, they are required by mandate to inform the public if they are using technology that can cause damage to certain types of mail. So I am just passing the information on, that was given to me by him, not trying to stir anything up..

Dave

kjsphoto · Jul 25, 2006

I dotn this the post office cares. Looks like now I will only buy film from places that use FedEx or UPS.

c6h6o3 · Jul 25, 2006

kb244 said:
I just think for USPS to use technology that they know can destory equipment or media is a blantant disregard to their consumers.

Ya think?

"Digital Cameras - Severe yellowing of flash lens viewfinder lens and camera lens. Camera failed to power up after test."

"Exposed and PROCESSED Negatives - Film showed minor color shift as well as a density shift"

What in the world can they be scanning these with to do this? Any device which would do this is a weapon, not a "sanitizer". I hope they fry their balls off when they use it.

DBP · Jul 25, 2006

This is not being used on most mail to and from DC. Note that it discolors plain paper. I would notice if most of my mail was burnt. It is being used for selected government facilities. To quote the EPA:

Currently only mail to the White House, Congressional offices, and federal government offices in the 202-205 Zip Code exchanges is being irradiated. Irradiation is taking place at facilities in Ohio and New Jersey.

So if you want to send a note to Congress, email may be best.

Dave Parker · Jul 25, 2006

DBP said:
This is not being used on most mail to and from DC. Note that it discolors plain paper. I would notice if most of my mail was burnt. It is being used for selected government facilities. To quote the EPA:

So if you want to send a note to Congress, email may be best.

Boy oh Boy! If I were to send a note to congress, I can guarantee you, I would end up in jail! The bunch of bafoons!

Dave

Helen B · Jul 25, 2006

Here's my stab at some of the story:

After the anthrax scares in 2001, the USPS purchased eight e-beam machines from SureBeam, a subsidiary of Titan, for about $40 million. As an interim measure they contracted out the irradiation of mail addressed to govenment offices in Washington DC to IBA in New Jersey and Titan in Ohio. All mail from postal facilities where anthrax had been discovered may also have passed through the irradiation equipment as a one-off exercise.

From the March 6, 2002 USPS Emergency Preparedness Plan:
"Intervention, in the form of e-beam irradiation, will continue for all mail being delivered to government offices within the 202 to 205 ZIP Codes. In addition, construction will begin on at least one, and potentially two facilities to house the eight e-beam accelerators purchased as one of the initial response actions. Once construction of these facilities is complete and the e-beam equipment is installed it will be available for continued intervention activities as well as decontamination of mail, should future bioterrorism attacks occur against the Postal Service."

The USPS were still contracting out the irradiation of the mail addressed to Washington DC government offices in October 2003 (by then only the IBA facility in Bridgeport NJ), and the USPS was hoping to have their own facility in DC. The eight USPS machines were still not in use. (Source: USPS press release October 2003). The IBA contract was extended to May 2005, with options until May 2006. (Source; IBA)

That's as much as I've found so far from reliable sources - ie government and supplier websites. Other than using e-beam equipment in the event of an identified occurrence of mail contamination, everything suggests that the only irradiated mail is that destined for government offices in ZIP codes 202 to 205. Does anyone have further information from reliable sources?

Best,
Helen

PS I hope that you will forgive me for calling the government and manufacturers 'reliable sources'.

DBP · Jul 25, 2006

That matches both my understanding and my experience from being in one of the nearby zip codes. Yet again, people are in a panic over nothing when there are plenty of real things to worry about.

JBrunner · Jul 26, 2006

I have constructed a tinfoil helmet to protect myself from these devices.

benjiboy · Jul 26, 2006

JBrunner said:
I have constructed a tinfoil helmet to protect myself from these devices.

Don't forget lead lined boxer shorts.

URGENT: Destructive Scanning by US Postal Service

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