EU Bans Airport X-Ray Scanners
X-ray body scanners used by the Transportation Security Administration at U.S. airports have been banned in Europe because of cancer fears, officials said.
The European Union banned the machines, also known as backscatters, at European airports as a result of reports linking them to cancer, the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday.
Investigative news organization Pro Publica reported earlier this month research showing radiation emitted by the machines could lead to a small number of cancer cases.
Pro Publica said the TSA "glossed over" those findings in assessing the safety of the machines.
The TSA maintains the machines operate "well within applicable national safety standards."
A Nov. 8 TSA blog post said the agency would embark on an independent safety study of the backscatter technology.
The TSA also employs another type of scanner using millimeter waves that do not pose a potential health threat.
The 500 machines at U.S. airports are equally split between the backscatter and millimeter wave technologies, Pro Publica said.
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