Children and new scanners Dublin Airport. Are you concerned?

sickntyred

Dublin Airport have replaced their traditional walk through metal detectors with new security scanners called mmWave scanners (branded QPS).  These scanners use a form of electromagnetic radiation to detect hidden objects.  The level of radiation is supposed to be safe, and much less than the backscatter scanners that were used in recent years in other countries (the so-called "naked" scanners).

Even so, I would still be reluctant to allow my young child to pass through this scanner because of the radiation.  I emailed Dublin airport to ask if there is an alternative option if a passenger doesn't want to go through the scanner and they said no, all passengers including young children, must go through the scanners.

My question to parents who use Dublin airport is; would you be happy to let your children use this mmWave scanner?

I probably should point out, I understand the need to screen passengers but I don't see why passengers, and children in particular, should be exposed to radiation if it's not necessary.  In addition, it seems that these scanners have been introduced without any consultation with the travelling public. There is absolutely no information about them on Dublin airport's website or in the Irish media in general.  I think it's a significant change and I would have thought some level of discussion or simply reassurance about the safety of these scanners would be normal.

blackbox

No worries - better than being bombed.

You said yourself they are supposed to be safe. Do you worry about radiation from mobile phones?

Shedite27

Sounds like this should be in the Conspiracy Theory forum

easygoing39

How many times a year will your child go through one of these scanners??? How many hours a week is your child using or near a mobile phone?? I'd be more worried about the mobile phone.

ps Tesco's are doing a deal on tinfoil this weekend.

Former Former Former

These scanners have been in use around the world for years.

But it's really, really important to note, they use radiation only in the technical sense of the word - they're basically radio waves. This is called non-ionizing radiation and is of no concern for your health.

In contrast, something like an X-ray machine or nuclear waste is ionizing radiation and, in high enough doses, can cause health problems like cancer. That's why you need the lead apron and such when you get an X-ray.

So no, there is absolutely no reason to be concerned.

spurious

There is quite a lot of radiation experienced in an aeroplane flight.

sickntyred

Thanks all for the comments. I actually thought of stating in my original post that I'm not a conspiracy theorist but then thought, nah that's not necessary, I'm sure people are mature enough to answer a simple question…

All I asked was a valid question, is anyone concerned? New tech which emits radiation is introduced, no information given and we're all expected to use it. If you're happy to use it, please let me know. If not, please let me know too.

L1011

They'll be exposed to more radiation on the flight. Entirely safe.

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122206411#Comment_122206411

New tech which emits radiation is introduced, 

yeah look, the conspiracy comments aren't helpful but this is neither new tech nor a radiation emitter, so there's nothing to worry about

Apothic_Red

Why the worry about kids ? Would you not worry for yourself too if they were truly harmful ?

whomitconcerns

Op have a read here below. As others have pointed out, probably more dangerous using a mobile phone all the time or being actually in the plane. So yep it falls under conspiracy theory…

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millimeter_wave_scanner

ted1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058354026/children-and-new-scanners-dublin-airport-are-you-concerned

what type of medical or science qualification have you ?

Yeah Right

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122206411#Comment_122206411

All I asked was a valid question, is anyone concerned?

Nope. You are, for some reason, though. Why?

New tech which emits radiation is introduced,

Not new, and doesn't use radiation (not like you're claiming anyway)

no information given

Plenty of information out there, if you're bothered enough to look.

If you're happy to use it, please let me know.

Very happy to use it as it usually precedes me getting the fcuk outta this country for a couple of weeks.

ednwireland

you do know you are exposed to cosmic radiation when flying don't you, especially long haul.

https://www.epa.ie/environment-and-you/radiation/radiation-exposure-and-your-health/air-travel-and-cosmic-radiation/

Marcusm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122206411#Comment_122206411

did you do any research? Did you consider doing so? The mmWave scanners will expose your children to less radiation than a typical flight. Do you allow them out during the day? Do you understand that radiation is that which gives us all life? That which causes plants to grow?

Tefral

I think some of the comments here are a little harsh. There is clearly some very clever posters here that know about background radiation. I can tell you, that quite alot of people dont know about these things so i'd say just keep that in mind when reverting with what looked like a genuine question.

To answer the OP, I think whilst you have a genuine concern, as the other posters said, its considerably lower than other types of radation your child will be normally exposed to, and considering they aren't running in and out of the machine multiple times a day, its considered to be on a low end of exposure and risk.

Stark

Yeah the conspiracy theorist comments are a bit much. I was a little worried myself at first as I thought they were the same as the backscatter x-ray machines which do use ionizing radiation (albeit at lower intensities to what you're exposed to on the flight itself). It's only after reading this thread that I learned they're non-ionizing radiation. Ask questions, learn stuff.

yagan

I hear they give you covid, which doesn't exist, and that they will turn kids trans. Plus Trump is literally mother Teresa, and Joan of Arc too.

Should I insert a sarcasm sticker or am I too obvious?

sickntyred

Stark, if I may, I'm gonna steal your quote, "ask questions, learn stuff". It's brilliant. Should really become the Boards motto.

It seems that everyone who posted here has no concerns about the new scanners so my original question has been answered.

Thanks all.

sickntyred

Deleted - as previous post was correctly updated.

cnocbui

These things are perfectly safe - every bit as non-lethal as Tasers. Just ignore the 1,005 deaths by 2018 reported by those ludites at Reuters, they clearly have an agenda.

Just look at all the studies into the safety of Terrahertz scanners - not a single one has shown them to be anything but perfectly safe. Ok, zero is a rather low study count, but it just shows how safe they are as there would have been lot's of studies if they were thought to be dangerous.

Ignore the left-wing witterings from those ludites at Los Alamos National laboratory. Unzipping your DNA - as if! - no one should believe that made up nonsense, they obviously used too much to invent a story.

As for the health and safety of air crew; an additional 200 times a year walking through these in addition to what they already get from cosmic rays while flying isn't going to give them skin cancers, even if the exposure in the skin layers is 20 times higher than calculated, we all know that radiation dangers are not cumulative. That stuff from Harvard medical school suggesting higher cancer rates for pilots and crew just from cosmic rays is more made up leftist propaganda.

These scanners are so safe I think I'll buy shares in the company that makes them and buy myself a nice yacht to travel around on.

RoboRat

I'm not concerned. You're exposed to radiation daily, in fact the body naturally generates short life radiation.

This is a very mild and safe form. People understandably get spooked when they see radiation but there are far more things that are worth worrying about. Radiation is everywhere, irelands favourite veg the humble potato is technically radioactive 😀

Oscar_Madison

@OP - never be afraid to ask a question regardless of some of the absolute ignorant comments in this thread - I’m bloody sick of the typical condescending boards poster idiot at this stage - if Dublin Airport don’t have a safety notice or advisory notice up on their website about this machine then they should have - we’re not fcking cattle so we shouldn’t be herded through anything unless we are informed what it is

tom1ie

I think it’s a fair question that has been asked and I there’s really no need for the conspiracy theory crap answers.

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122206411#Comment_122206411

Maybe because the post was so ridiculous that only a flat earther type could post it. Even a cursory check online (if you avoid the nut jobs) will show that they are extremely safe even for the most frequent of flyers.

Your TV probably emits more radiation over the course of an hours watching.

If you look online at the utter compete nutters who have queried these scanners - guess what - they are anti EVERYTHING and complete nut jobs. "Civil Liberty" "Anti-vaccination" types.

FishOnABike

Everytime I go into one of my local shops in Winter I'm subjected to invisible beams of terrahertz radiation. There's no advance notice or warning signs anywhere! Somebody should do something about these infra-red heaters!

Even people around me are constantly emitting up to 1KW of infra red radiation each. I'm being bombarded with radiation from all sides.

Deep Thought

I love these threads that are obviously caused by OP reading something somewhere by someone who has no idea about anything.

cnocbui

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122209278#Comment_122209278

Flat Earthers?

The evidence that terahertz radiation damages biological systems is
mixed. “Some studies reported significant genetic damage while others,
although similar, showed none,” say Boian Alexandrov at the Center for
Nonlinear Studies at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico and a
few buddies. Now these guys think they know why.

Alexandrov and
co have created a model to investigate how THz fields interact with
double-stranded DNA and what they’ve found is remarkable. They say that
although the forces generated are tiny, resonant effects allow THz waves
to unzip double-stranded DNA, creating bubbles in the double strand
that could significantly interfere with processes such as gene
expression and DNA replication. That’s a jaw dropping conclusion.

https://www.technologyreview.com/2009/10/30/208491/how-terahertz-waves-tear-apart-dna/

It's likely that airport scanners are low enough dose and exposure time this might not be a problem for passengers, but aircraft crews who might be exposed maybe 200 times every year of their careers already have higher than normal cancer rates just from cosmic ray exposure, so they might not want more exposure to a non ionizing radiation that can in some circumstances mess with DNA.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122209329#Comment_122209329

Which shop would that be?

StormForce13

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122209329#Comment_122209329

And don't get me started on the fluoride! Did you know that those new scanners in Dublin Airport are powered by fluorosilicic acid? I know this for a fact because a taxi driver told me so.

Dial Hard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122207954#Comment_122207954

I think it was the disingenuous framing of it around the "Won't someone think of the children???!!!" argument that got people's eyebrows raised. That one is straight out of the scaremongering/alarmist/conspiracy theorist playbook.

If someone is concerned about risks to their children's health then there are countless other things out there to worry about long before anyone should even consider a scanner their child is likely to pass through literally less than a handful of times a year. Likewise, if anyone has genuine misgivings about the use of these, why limit them only to children???

antodeco

Jesus this thread escalated quickly!

@OP, valid query, not valid concern. You'll probably get more radiation using a hairdryer too so I wouldn't worry about it, unless as others have said, you would be flying regularly.