Printer Cartridges Now Banned From Planes After Terrorist Scare

Canada is banning office printer cartridges from airplanes in the wake of the Yemen scare 10 days ago.

Transport Canada says cartridges weighing more than 454 grams will be banned from carry-on bags, checked baggage and cargo holds of planes leaving Canada.

Smaller cartridges, such as those used in home printers, are allowed.

The department also says all cargo and mail from or transiting through Yemen or Somalia is banned from entering Canada.

These measures follow incidents late last month in which explosives were discovered in cartridges shipped from Yemen and intercepted in the United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates.

They also mirror new requirements announced by the United States.

Last May, the government said it would spend $95.7 million over five years to tighten air-cargo screening.

The following month, in his report on the Air India tragedy, former Supreme Court justice John Major recommended far tighter screening at airports.

Transport Minister Chuck Strahl said the new measures are a precaution.

“While there was, and is, no current information that these incidents were targeting Canada, we will continue to monitor the international security environment closely and take further action as appropriate to protect air travellers,” he said in a news release.

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