Airport explosive detection machines not up to regulation

A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report reveals that airports around the United States have failed to meet federal requirements for explosives detection systems and government regulators have done little to enforce them.

The report found that some airport screening systems were still operating under outdated requirements that were established in 1998, while others were only up to 2005 standards. Starting in 2010, the federal government began mandating that bomb detection systems be capable of detecting even smaller amounts of explosive materials.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) only began enforcing the 2005 detection requirements in 2009, and the GAO report stated that the agency’s plans to enforce the 2010 requirements would take years to complete.

In defense of its actions, TSA stated, “The standard currently in use by the majority of explosive detection system (EDS) units in U.S. airports provides the most stringent level of checked-baggage security in the world.”

According to the GAO the delay in the enforcement process stems largely from safety concerns. Testing explosive detectors requires the use of live explosives.

To help the agency upgrade its systems, President Obama has set aside $273 million in its budget request for fiscal year 2012.