Skin cancer risk ?
Another hidden costs of terrorism.
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Jasper Kelly Thursday 1 July 2010 |
I hear that the debate on the pros and cons of airport scanners could soon be overtaken by new health fears.
This is because researchers in New York have expressed concerns about skin cancer if children are exposed to these machines. It seems that the radiation levels, whilst relatively low over the whole body, may have a damaging effect on the fast multiplying skin cells of children. Worryingly, the effects of such damage may not appear for many years but may cause melanoma type cancers in later life.
There is some dispute over the way radiation levels are categorised. The industry view is that the radiation levels are very low but the line being taken by the research team is that whilst they agree in general, the specific risks to the skin are being underestimated.
The trouble with these arguments is that neither side actually knows the truth and the answers will not come out until the damage, if there is any, has already been done.
This is, perhaps, just another of the hidden costs of terrorism.
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Martin Colins, London 1 July 2010, 12:32PM | |
| There are other technological alternatives to Millimeter wave scanners. The 'puffer' for example uses air, not harmful radiation. I hope on this evidence that airports will not use these potentially cancer inducing scanners, or if they do make minors exempt from the scans. | |
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Gerard, Edinburgh 1 July 2010, 04:49PM | |
| It seems to me that these airport scanning devices are well under-developed, they should refine the technology for a few years and only use them when they are sure that there are NO potential health risks. | |
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Brenda Lane, Stevenage 2 July 2010, 04:12PM | |
| I can understand the urgency to advance security measures, but there is no way I will let my children go through one of these scanners, it is down right irresponsible for the aviation industry to use technology with harmful levels of radiation that could cause skin cancer. | |
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Harry Jones, Kingston 6 July 2010, 05:01PM | |
| This is just more scaremongering, the scientist say the airport scanners MAY have a damaging effect, a bit like the mobile phone stories but we all still use them. | |
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