2013-01-14 11:11:28
Following the attempted attack on December 25, 2009, on a flight between Amsterdam and Detroit, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC) wanted to equip itself with body scanners in order to improve the security of air transport. These devices make it possible to obtain “whole body” images of people for “safety” purposes, without exposure to ionizing radiation. Their claimed advantages are reliability and less intrusiveness than searches by palpation.
The DGAC then contacted the Agency for the first time in January 2010 to urgently assess the potential health risks of the millimeter wave gantry. Provision 100.
This referral gave rise to a report and a note dated February 15, 2010, as well as a report from the Institute of Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) on X-ray scanners.
Since these publications, European regulations relating to the use of this equipment in airports were adopted on November 10 and 11, 2011, and the performance of this equipment, particularly in automatic mode (ie without image production requiring analysis by an operator), have been improved. These developments, in particular, have encouraged the DGAC to deploy security scanners in the near future at “inspection – screening” stations at airports.
In this new context, ANSES was again contacted on March 6, 2012 by the DGAC to assess the health risks linked to the use of the “millimeter” wave body scanner. Ego.
Agency findings
From the point of view of regulations on the exposure of people to electromagnetic fields, the values measured for the “millimeter” wave body scanner Ego (0.76 mW/m² maximum at the passenger seat and 0.05 mW/m² at the operator level according to the HPA) are much lower than the regulatory requirements, as defined in Decree No. 2002 -775 (relating to the limit values for public exposure to electromagnetic fields emitted by equipment used in telecommunications networks or by radio installations).
In the current state of knowledge on the health effects of “millimeter” waves, and on the basis of technical information collected for the gantry Ego, this type of scanner would not present a risk to human health. Nevertheless, numerous data on the technical aspects of the gantry Egoon the exposure scenarios and on the biological effects of this frequency range not being available, the Agency has issued a series of recommendations which all relate to millimeter wave body scanners.
Recommendations
Regarding the proper functioning of “millimeter” wave security gatesANSES recommends establishing regular monitoring of the power density emitted by the detection devices put into service.
Regarding to improve exposure characterization of people to “millimeter” waves emitted by security gates, ANSES recommends requiring manufacturers to make available to the authorities a technical file grouping together the precise characteristics of the devices (maximum power supplied to the transmitting antennas, gain and factor antenna, temporal and frequency aspects of scanning, etc.) and showing that the actual exposure of the people scanned does not exceed the maximum theoretical exposure (regulatory value expressed in terms of surface power density or electric field).
Regarding to improve the metrology of “millimeter” waves emitted by security gatesANSES recommends defining a suitable measurement protocol (well-described measurement system, results also expressed in electric field, reduced background noise, non-directive antenna, extent of radiation, real conditions of use, etc.).
is about reduce people’s exposure to radiation emitted by the gantry EgoANSES recommends, due to the specificities of the gantry Ego :
- to mark the scanner’s emission zone (by marking on the ground for example);
- that the operator is located outside the exposure zone during the scan (manual activation of the scan from the operator’s station, for example);
- to move the operator’s station away from the exposure area;
- that exposure to “millimeter” waves only takes place at the time of the scan, when the person is in place (and not continuously);
- to prevent any person other than the person being scanned from being in the emission zone at the time of the scan (operator at his post, queue behind a line located 1 m from the arch for example).
Regarding the device testing procedure organized by STAC, ANSES recommends:
- to submit test protocols for the opinion of an Ethics Committee;
- to obtain the suitability opinion of the occupational physician for each employee prior to carrying out the tests;
- to submit the conditions for carrying out the tests to the agreement of the CHSCT and the representative body.
Regardingimprove knowledge of the potential biological and health effects of “millimeter” wavesANSES recommends promoting research:
- on the biological effects of electromagnetic fields (in particular on the long-term effects of chronic exposures, the joint effects of multiple and/or chronic exposures and on different types of cellular stress);
- on the biological effects of “millimeter” waves, particularly on the cornea and epithelial tissues and cutaneous nerve endings, which are the tissues directly exposed to this type of waves;
- on the potential health effects of electromagnetic fields, particularly on the long-term effects;
- on the potential health effects of “millimeter” waves, particularly on populations exposed professionally.
is about informing the public and users of the detection portalANSES proposes to extend the signage intended for wearers of implanted medical devices to all safety gates emitting electromagnetic fields.
In addition, ANSES also recommends to continue the collection of information relating to the implementation of alternative detection techniquesin particular those called “passive” and to study their performance and their potential for implementation with regard to so-called “millimetric” techniques.
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