Was deleting older mail from another list, and found this, thought I'd post
it here:
New Postal Service Equipment May Destroy Film
Responding to the threat of additional anthrax attacks, the United States
Postal Service has announced that it is installing irradiation equipment to
sterilize mail. This security measure, which is reasonable in light of the
current situation, has prompted questions from several members regarding the
possibility of film being damaged or destroyed in the mail.
The Postal Service has cited security concerns and is refusing to give
specific details about the equipment. However, the Postal Service has said
that the irradiation equipment will be similar to that used for food
sterilization. Such food sterilization equipment either uses gamma rays or
electrons, generated by the radioactive isotope Cobalt-60 and electricity
respectively, to destroy bacteria. According to a NASA study obtained by
PPA, these types of so-called "soft radiation," are also very efficient in
transferring energy to photographic film. (NASA Contractor Report 188427,
Sept. 1995)
While the potential for film damage and fogging will likely depend on the
settings and types of equipment used, Professional Photographers of America
is urging caution on the part of all members who use the United States
Postal Service to ship film.
Received on Sun Nov 11 23:27:22 2001
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