Irradiation eyed as answer to anthrax

[jehh]

http://www.msnbc.com/news/646463.asp

Hmm, what do you guys think?

"IN THE MIDST of the growing anthrax scare, the government is exploring the possibility that irradiation or other state-of-the-art sterilizing technology might be used to cleanse the mail of pathogens."

Jason

 

[rudder]

now it will cost 68 cents to mail a letter.

 

[mastertech01]

No matter what happens the costs will be passed on to the consumer. The price of freedom and safe passage moves up another notch.

What happens to static sensitive items being shipped in the mail system with radiation treatment?

 

[rahvin]

<<What happens to static sensitive items being shipped in the mail system with radiation treatment?>>

They are talking about first class letters here, not packages or other stuff.

<<Hmm, what do you guys think>>

Might be a touch overreactive, I would prefer to see all that radio-sterilization gear installed at the meat packing plants and dairies.

 

[glen]

<< radio-sterilization gear installed at the meat packing plants and dairies. >>


Yep. I don't know why we don't do it aready. It sure would save lives.

 

[vegetation]

Well, it would take years before any such system could be implemented on a wide scale basis. The equipment isn't cheap and would require major overhaul to distribution centers. As USPS receives zero government funding, they would have to pay for it out of their own pockets and that makes for some tough decisions. USPS would be forced to raise rates at even higher than current projections, then somehow have to convince the public that the higher rates are needed even once the whole anthrax scare dies down (remember, we are talking years later here and all domestic rate hikes require approval)