Airport & Transportation Security

Integrity in Transportation of Imaging Products (ITIP)

The committee for Integrity in Transportation of Imaging Products (ITIP) was formed to address concerns over damage to imaging materials when inspected during travel or shipment. I3A has been active in this area since it began studying the effects of airport x-ray inspection on photographic film in the 1970s. Today I3A continues to help protect imaging products and consumers’ memories as they are subjected to an increasing array of potentially damaging screening technologies.

ITIP’s goals are to:

Advise authorities specifying and implementing new airport security inspection equipment and postal sanitization equipment on the effect of this equipment on imaging materials and how to protect imaging materials from damage;
Work with airport security to assure appropriate signage is in place and hand inspections of imaging products are allowed as required in federal regulations;
Advise I3A members and their customers on what to expect and how to handle their imaging products in both the U.S. mail and airport security inspections;
Work with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) or United States Postal Service (USPS) if either of those government agencies reviews or revises their regulations, to ensure the revised regulations meet the needs of our imaging customers;
Monitor other transportation systems (e.g., shipping, trucking, customs, etc.) for implementation of security screening technologies that may harm imaging products.

ITIP Imaging Materials Travel Guidelines

Film and Cameras

The International Imaging Industry Association (I3A) in cooperation with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has re-issued the warning to airline passengers carrying film: hand-carry your unprocessed film — do not put it in checked baggage.

The TSA has upgraded its ability to detect explosive devices that a terrorist may place aboard a commercial aircraft. While the imaging industry is in agreement with increased security measures that protect air travelers, the crew and aircraft, we also seek to protect consumers’ precious photo memories.

The I3A and TSA guidelines urge travelers to:

Never pack unprocessed film in checked luggage;
Store all film and single-use cameras in clear plastic or mesh bags that fit in carry-on bags;
Remove film and single-use cameras from carry-on bags and request hand inspection of these items whenever carry-on luggage is subjected to high-intensity x-ray security scanning (hand inspection requests are permitted under Transportation Security Administration regulations);
When x-ray scanners are used for carry-on baggage, request a hand inspection for film and single-use cameras ISO 1000 speed and higher;
Request a hand inspection for ISO 800 speed and lower film and single-use cameras when they have been subjected to five or more scans on normal x-ray scanning equipment;
ALWAYS request hand inspection of moving picture film, medical imaging film and black-and-white film. No precautions are necessary for unloaded film cameras, digital cameras or digital image storage media, either in carry-on or checked baggage.

Download Joint I3A-TSA Press Release

I3A and TSA jointly developed signage informing passengers of the possible damage to unprocessed film in checked and carry-on baggage, and of their right to hand inspections.
Checked Baggage Warning (PDF)
Carry on Baggage Advisory (PDF)

Mail Sanitization of Imaging Materials

ITIP tests demonstrated that the electron beam mail sanitizing devices in use by United States Postal Service on selected mail in select facilities would harm imaging materials, particularly unprocessed photographic products and electronic imaging components, rendering them unusable. CDs and floppy disks will work after irradiation, although there will be physical degradation. Photographic and inkjet prints were not substantially affected, based upon short-term evaluation.

ITIP therefore recommends avoiding mailing imaging materials to postal service areas where irradiation is likely to be performed; the USPS can assist with identifying these locations.

ITIP Testing Programs

In order to determine the effects of security screening technology on unprocessed imaging products, the ITIP Committee established a Testing Subcommittee. The Testing Subcommittee advises authorities such as the TSA, U.S. Customs Service and U.S. Postal Service on specifying and implementing new security inspection equipment, the effect of this equipment on imaging materials and how to protect imaging materials from damage.

EDS Device Testing

Testing of Explosives Detection Systems (EDS) devices used on passengers’ checked baggage reconfirmed what I3A had known: the machines cause damaging streaks and unacceptable fogging of all speeds of film. Higher speeds of film show more damage. The machines only affect unprocessed film – the rolls of film not yet sent or taken in for developing – and these machines are used only on checked baggage.

Testing Subcommittee participants included Agfa, Eastman Kodak, Ferrania, Fuji, Ilford, Konica and Polaroid. Each manufacturer was invited to contribute to the test design and to provide films for testing. Arrangements were made to conduct tests using the CTX-5000SP located at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Technical Center (now known the TSA Training Center) in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Download EDS Report

Rapiscan X-ray Devices

Rapiscan devices are the machines used to x-ray your carry on baggage. The purpose of the I3A test was to determine the maximum x-ray exposure high-speed photographic film products can tolerate before functional damage occurs. This information was requested by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in an effort to determine the optimum dosage to minimize damage to film products yet maintain the ability to recognize the contents and provide an adequate level of security.

Based on the testing completed at the TSA Training Center in Atlantic City, I3A recommends a limit of five passes through the carry-on baggage security checkpoint systems for all color negative and reversal film, including single-use cameras, up to and including ISO 800 speed film. While in some cases it may take a greater number of passes to cause damage to film, we believe that a five-pass limit allows an appropriate margin for safety. If lower-speed film, ISO 100 through 800, is being carried on extended trips, and it is necessary to submit the film through security screeners more than five times, travelers should request hand inspection of their film. I3A further recommends that all film with an ISO rating greater than 800, black and white films, motion picture films, and films used for medical imaging ALWAYS be hand inspected. FAA regulations support the request by passengers for hand inspection of film.

Download I3A Film X-ray Test Report

Electronic Storage Media Test

At the request of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the ITIP Testing Subcommittee studied the effects of checked and carry-on baggage screening devices on electronic storage media. ITIP performed tests on various electronic storage media formats (Secure Digital, Compact Flash, Memory Sticks, etc.) using the Smith Heimann 7555i X-Ray scanner (used at security checkpoint stations), the Rapiscan 520 X-Ray Scanner (used at security checkpoint stations), the InVision CTX 5500 Explosives Detection System (EDS) (used to scan checked baggage), the Sentrie walk-through metal detector and the Garrett handheld metal detector.

No apparent adverse effects on any of the media or to the digital camera were found. Contents of cards remained intact throughout all the passes with all of the equipment. Image quality remained uncompromised. Cards were undamaged, and files could be written to and read from each one.

ITIP concluded that there does not appear to be a risk to digital media or digital cameras with respect to erasure of files, loss of image data, or physical damage when subjected to the security equipment tested.

Download Electronic Storage Media Test
Download Joint Press Release from I3A, TSA and SanDisk
Download I3A Film X-ray Test Report

Titan Electron (E) Beam Test Report

In response to reports of tampering with the U.S. Mail, the United States Postal Service began sanitizing selected mail in select facilities using an electron beam (e-beam) device developed by Titan Industries. Initial reports indicated that the radiation levels associated with the e-beam sanitizing devices would harm imaging materials. In particular, unprocessed photographic products and electronic imaging components were identified as particularly suspect to damage.

In order to verify the e-beam effects on imaging materials, ITIP chose to simulate the effects of a typical USPS sanitization cycle on imaging products and to test the brittleness of film after irradiation, to evaluate the possibility of film breakage during processing.

From the results of the tests described above, the team reached the following conclusions:

The postal sanitization system renders all unprocessed photographic materials unusable.
All memory devices that do not include electronics (CDs and floppy disks) worked after the test, although there was physical degradation.
All products tested that contained electronic components were unusable after being irradiated.
Photographic and inkjet prints were not substantially affected, based upon short-term evaluation.

Download Titan Electron (E) Beam Test Report

Portable DVD Players

Acting on the request of the New York television station WNBC-TV, ITIP tested portable DVD players using carry-on and checked baggage scanning devices. WNBC-TV had received reports of portable players being damaged by airline inspection systems. The testing was performed at the TSA Atlantic City Security Center.

ITIP tested portable DVD players using carry-on and checked baggage scanning devices, and concluded that there is no danger to players or DVDs in either carry-on or checked baggage. However, because there has since been anecdotal evidence that user-recorded DVDs could be erased or damaged during scanning if recordings had not been finalized, ITIP recommends saving even incomplete work before a trip.

ITIP tested in three security scanners (Rapiscan 520, Smith Heimann 7555i, and CTX-5500), with one player dedicated to one scanner. One player was not scanned and was used as a reference, while the other three were scanned a total of 20 times each. The CTX was set to maximum “slice” scanning, and is much more powerful than the carry-on luggage scanners. The player used with the CTX scanner was also subjected to 30 passes with a hand-held metal detector. A DVD movie (all four were the same title) was in each player during the testing.

There were no failures at all. The players operated properly, and the picture quality of the three scanned players matched the reference. However, there has since been anecdotal evidence that user-recorded DVDs could be erased during scanning, if recordings had not been finalized.

Download Portable DVD Player Report

Rapiscan Eagle and SAIC Mobile VACIS Study

The purpose of this evaluation was to determine the maximum exposure to radiation imaging products shipped as cargo or scanned in vehicles can tolerate before functional damage occurs. The two devices used for this purpose were the Mobile VACIS (Vehicle And Container Inspection System), manufactured by Science Applications International Corporation, and the Eagle, manufactured by Rapiscan. A variety of materials –film of different types and speeds, both color and black-and-white, negative and reversal, still and motion picture; graphic arts materials; photographic papers; medical x-ray film – was tested.

The Mobile VACIS unit consists of a truck-mounted, non-intrusive gamma ray imaging system that produces radiographic images used in the evaluation of the contents of trucks, containers, cargo and passenger vehicles to determine the possible presence of many types of contraband. The gamma ray imaging system is integrated onto an International Navistar chassis.

The Rapiscan Eagle is a mobile high-energy x-ray system for inspecting vehicles and cargo containers. In less than 30 seconds, a densely loaded 20-foot container can be scanned at full penetration and resolution. High-quality x-ray images are immediately available to an inspector on the Rapiscan Eagle or can be wirelessly transmitted to a remote facility.

The test results indicated that the VACIS poses no threat to imaging products up to and including twenty passes, while tolerance to the Rapiscan Eagle is less: damage is likely to occur after two passes.

Download VACIS Rapiscan Eagle Test Report.

Get Involved

All I3A members are welcome to join this group. Contact I3A to join this group.