You get more ionizing radiation from sitting in the lane at 30,000 feet than you get from the xray scanners.
The scanners are limited by law to less than 25 micro-REMS, and you get at least 200 micro-REMS per hour from cosmic rays hitting the plane at over 20,000 feet. Depending on the flight, it can be as high as 600 micro-REMS per hour, so the scanners can dose you with as much radiation as you’d get in maybe 20 minutes of flight.
I hate the scanners too, but radiation dose is not going to work to get them shut down.
Better to find the links fom Chertoff to the money to the scanner contractors.
"There has not been sufficient review of the intermediate and long-term effects of radiation exposure associated with airport scanners. There is good reason to believe that these scanners will increase the risk of cancer to children and other vulnerable populations."
http://www.zdnet.com.au/body-scanners-have-mutagenic-effects-339307191.htm?omnRef=NULL
Frankly I believe anything that a guy like Michael Chertoff profits from after he leaves government is something that I will try very hard to stay away from. Today the local radio station was buzzing with rumors about profiteers.
I'm also very cautious about other X-ray devices no matter what the technicians say. I have a friend who works for a hospital and he is cautious too.
I appreciate your info on the scanner radiation, as many of us laymen do not understand the differences in radiation sources, and wavelenghts, etc. Can you disclose your area of expertise/ professional background at all?
Regards