WARNING: Don't post any film in the US!

[gavin_.1]

Just saw this on the BBC's web site:<br><br>http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/americas/newsid_1614000/1614835.stm<br><br>Basically the US are going to 'bombard'the mail with radiation. Eek!

[bill_nagel]

Use FED EX.

[tim_atherton2]

Probably won't help:

 

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From a Pro Photo list"

 

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"The USPS is going to start treating all mail with a radiation device

which,

in addition to killing anthrax spores, pretty much is guaranteed to

kill

film, also. In the paraphrased words of the Postmaster General as

spoken on

TV, any effect these devices will have on photographic film is one of

the

sacrifices we all have to make in the name of security.

 

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Fedex and UPS are X-Raying random packages, per news accounts.

Probably

once the USPS is fully on-line with its devices, the alternative

shippers

will follow, simply because they would be negligent if they did not

also

irradiate all packages."

[neil_poulsen1]

Great! So, you can't carry it with you, and you can't send it in the

mail. Wunnerful.

 

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There's still the option of traveling by boat, train, bus, or car.

Are there other options?

[jim_chinn1]

A system will have to be devised to allow certain films through the

mail. X-rays are frequently shipped overnight, as well as a variety

of magnetic media. Electron beam irradiation has a degrading effect

on digital media such as hard drives, photo-discs, CDs etc. The only

option I can think of off hand is that UPS and FED-EX will probably

set up a system to have your parcel designated for hand inspection

for an additonal charge, thus bypassing the need for x-ray or

irradiation.

[jim_chow]

Or they could require that one show several forms of identification

(this doesn't eliminate the possibility of fake i.d.'s) or

fingerprints. :-) Then at least the parcel could be traced to a

source.

[tedharris]

After following this thread from the beginning I took the

opportunity of chatting woith our local postmaster this afternoon.

While hat he said may not apply universally I tend to think it will

be pretty much the rule. Bottom line, what we have read so far is

more urban mythology. The US Postal Service is NOT

subjecting 99% of the mail to any additional screening or

inspection of any sort ... thre MAY be some exceptions in a few

urban aras (on a temporary basis) where there have beent

threats). For most of us the following applies:

 

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1) Clerks are instructed to look closely at packages without

return addresses when they do not know the senders.

 

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2) Clerks are instructed to look closely at packages that are large

and heavy and for which the postage has been paid with lots of

stamps instead of being affixed by them at the counter.

 

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3) Clerks are instructed ot look closely at packages wehre the

return address is different from the city in which they are located.

 

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All of the above sorts of packages MAY be more closely

inspected but not necessarily.

 

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As a general rule the mail will continue to go on without any

additional inspections or examinations.

 

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Tht is the conversation as best I remember it.

 

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He also mentioned that if you see any posts on a newsgroup

mentioning specifics of screenings and inspections to let your

local post office know so they cna do their best to get the rumors

squashed.

 

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Ted

 

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Ted

[ron_mcelroy]

If UPS and FEDEX start iradiating all packages then this will eliminate ordering film from B&H and other volumn discount sellers.

[michael_feldman1]

How do you think B&H and your local retailer get the film from the

distributor or manufacturer? Usually by UPS ground shipments. If UPS

ground shipment is not a safe means of transporting film, then there

is no way to get film to the retailer or the consumer.

[philip_glass]

Since film is shipped to big wholesalers like B&H straight from the

factory there is no reason to expect that these shipments will ever

be subjected to ionizing radiation. Major package shippers like UPS

and Fedex are not worried about shipments whose origins and contents

they know - for example the Kodak factory or the B&H warehouse.

The shipping companies concern is with packages and letters dropped

off by individuals who are essentially unknown. Companies like Fedex

and UPS can use their barcode and radio frequency identification

technologies to segregate sensitive shipments and bypass any ionizing

treatment where the origin and contents is assured. I expect that

shippers like B&H will have to undergo a certification by the USPS or

Fedex to be able to ship without being subject to radiation, provided

that they demonstrate that their shipping areas are secure and

possibly that their employees are subject to a background check. I

cannot believe that shipping companies would be so stupid as to

voluntarily destroy a portion of the shipping business that probably

directly and indirectly represents tens of billions of dollars to the

economy. However, my guess is that it will no longer be possible for

individuals to ship unexposd film through the mail. In my opinion,

the decision to irradiate mail is damnably bad policy. The question

of biosafety should be looked on a systemwide basis and not through

piecemeal policies. Postal irradiation would offer only a token

amount of protection while wreaking unintended havoc on sectors of

the economy.