Sterilize the Mail?

Factual Questions
21

Checking every piece of mail as it gets handed in would pretty much bring out about the end of the U.S. Postal Service. And it would bring about the end of direct mail (aka junk mail).
So we switch to all electronic communication and then wait for some hackers to intercept all communications.

Then we all will have to rely on Johnny Mnemonic.

22
      • I can’t see much wrong with getting rid of public mail boxes (the blue ones on the street, that anybody can drop a letter into). You could still mail whatever you wanted from your home or business, it would just need to have the proper return address on it, which the carrier would check visually as they picked it up from your mailbox. It’s true it wouldn’t end all mail crime, but it would make much of it more difficult. At the moment, it doesn’t seem so much to ask to eliminate the easy means this was (-and still is being) accomplished.
        ~
        It’s true a lot of bulk mail is usually just dropped off onto the loading ramps at the post office, but that’s mostly junk mail anyway. If it’s so darned important that you get it, then let the mailers pay extra to send it. They’ll complain and the USPS will complain, but I doubt that’s going to matter much up against the political and publicity power of congressional and newsroom staffers lying in the ICU ward. - MC
23

I did some checking around today. We’ve had botulism spores (which are far less hardy than anthrax) survive 15 minutes in the autoclave, though 30 minutes kills everything.

Ironing your mail ain’t going to do diddly-crap.

24

Hot off the presses from the BBC:
US extends anti-anthrax operation

Unfortunately, that’s about all the detail they give.

25

The postal service is starting to buy equipment, see the third from last paragraph.

http://usps.com/news/2001/press/pr01_1022pmg.htm

26

Well, hm. I’ve been reading about this all morning on a radiation e-mail list. I work in nuclear safety and this has been a hot topic this week.

I can’t list names of people from the list and what they have said and because many of them don’t cite all their sources, it makes it a bit more difficult. But someone mentioned that they think electron beam or x-ray would be used on larger packages and UV-C for envelopes. Others have expressed concern about the risk/benefit analysis this would pose. Also - the size and number of these facilities is a bit daunting. My guess is that irradiating the mail will be cost-prohibitive.

Tibs.

27

Precisely. A mild bleach solution is exactly what the special environmental cleanup crews are presently using to destroy the anthrax spores in contaminated offices, and officials who actually know what the hell they’re talking about regarding this issue–as opposed to the overwhelming majority of respondents in this nutty thread–say bleach is quite effective.

Those in the know (CDC, etc.) assert that those who proclaim anthrax virtually indestructible are being alarmists. Bleach will do the job. If you’re so inclined, you should be able to sterilize your mail by misting it with a bleach solution spray from a bottle.

28

Here is snopes comments about ironing mail to kill anthrax. FTR, I think ironing your mail is really a silly thing to do.