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TAlENT ·KEYHOLE TOP SECRE'F SDWG-M-46 

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GROUP J 

25 November 1968 

MEMORANDUM FOR: COMIREX Sanitization and Decontrol 

Working Group 

Special SDWG Meeting on: Latent Imagery and Security Problems 

Associated with the Disposal of 

Reconnaissance Film 

1. Acting on the direction of the Chairman, COMIREX, 

the SDWG met on 2 October to discuss various security problems 

associated with the disposal of reconnaissance film following the 

silver recovery process. Referring back to Colonel Gastonls 

briefing of the previous week, SDWG identified the immediate 

problem as the possibility that polyester film subjected to 

stripping through the caustic separation process presently favored 

by the Air Force might retain a latent image. Controlle d burning 

leaves no residue to worry about and there is no problem if 

stripped film were destroyed by shredding. Stripped film is 

emphasized because imagery has been reconstructed fro.TIl 

shredded film which had not been stripped of emulsion. 

2. Concentrating on the stripping process, SDWG next 

elected to confine itself to the problem within the United States 

and the handling of DPs. At overseas Recce Tech units stripped 

film xnay be burne d without running afoul of air pollution authorities. 

Furthermore, even though laboratory tests were to establish that 

stripped film could not contain a latent iTIlage, the chances are 

that the baling and return to the U. S. of the polyester base, and 

arrangeTIlent to re sell to such potential consuxners as paint 

companie s, would not be profitable. The reason for limiting 

consideration to the DP was based on the fact that ONs are normally 

stored as part of the permanent reconnais sance library record. 

Limiting consideration to the DP also removes the problem of the 

titling. Titling on the ON is embossed but this obviously does not 

apply to the DPs. 

3. The SDWG did establish an order of tasks: 

The fir st task is for I . I and 

I to continue for one month with certain '----------------" 

a. 

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TOP SECRET SDWG-M-46 

tests designed to determine whether there is a latent 

image in film which has been subjected to the normal 

stripping process. 

b. If the tests show the latent image to 

exist, SDWG will be provided with a report as to 

how additional processing might eliminate this hazard. 

Some courses of action discussed were: 

(1) destruction of the molecular 

image in the base through application of UV. 

(2) use of a double strip process--

running the fil:rn twice through the caustic 

solution. 

(3) in order to insure removal of 

the subbing, which some feel stripping cannot 

guarantee, subject the film to a flammable 

solvent proces s - -this is quite dangerous to 

personnel. 

c. If at the end of a month no latent images 

have appeared, SDWG will expect a negative report with 

precise information as to how far research has been 

pursued and what other experiments need to be conducted. 

~ I has talked in terms of two rnan years, to be 

exhaustive :!-./ 

4. In reply to a sugge stion from the Chairman that, if 

a latent image were to appear, and it would be hard to insure 

against such appearances, the community should resort to controlled 

burning, the consensus of the experts was that this represented a 

disproportionate cost and should not be considered. The Mark Systems 

Incorporated proce ss and UV treatment is also expensive - - about ten 

times that of just stripping chemically. It would be more economical 

to subject the stripped fih--n to a very fine shredding proces sand 

dispose of it as garbage. 

5. At the urging of Major Owens, the Chairman agreed 

that as soon as examples of latent imagery are available SDWG will 

try and work with the Office of Security to evaluate the security 

2 

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TOP SECRET SDWG-M-46 

risks of the latent imagery. The Chairman noted, however, that 

it will be difficult to make specific recommendations on a problem 

which promises to be so nebulous. At this point it is doubtful that 

those so far providing technical back up to the SDWG, or other 

scientific elements who have been studying this problem, Mr. McCarney 

in the Bureau of Standards was .mentioned, would ever admit that 

examples of latent imagery that might be produced could be considered typical. 

6. lalso noted that if at the end of a 

month no latent imagery has appeared the same corps of experts will 

still be unwilling to "agree this is proof that the present stripping 

effectively removes all latent imagery and insures security. Out 

of respect for these uncertainties the Chairman requested that 

during the next month an effort be made to find out from the GSA 

whether there is a real market for the stripped polyester film. 

This question actually can be divided into two parts: 

a. Is it economically feasible for strip 

processing facilities to store and turn over rolls of 

strip polyester base to GSA for successful marketing; 

or 

b. Should there be a security pro~lem, can 

GSA market finely shredded stripped film? LOwing to the 

fact that the polyester film is rapidly replacing tri-acetate, 

the handling ~nd marketing of the l atter was not explored 

in any depth..:.../ 

Chairman 

SDWG 

Copies 2, 3 State TCO 

4 DIA TCO (Mr. Hughes) 

5,6,7,8 DIA TCO 

9, 10 OACSI TeO 

11, 12 ONI TCO 

13, 14 AFNIN TCO 

15, 16 NSA TCO 

17,18,19 NRO TCO 3 

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17 DeceITlber 1968 

MEMORANDUM FOR: Sanitization and Decontrol Working Group 

SUBJECT: Latent Imagery and Security ProbleITls 

Associated with the Disposal of 

Reconnaissance FilITl (SDWG-M-46) 

1. In response to the 2 October 1968 request of the 

SDWG. the Exploratory Laboratory of NPIC has provided the 

attached analysis, pertinent to latent imagery and security 

problems as sociated with the disposal of reconnais sance filITl. 

It is requested that ITlembers study I I report in 

anticipation of an early meeting on this subject. The Chairman, 

SDWG notes. that the two questions posed in paragraph 6 of 

SDWG-M-46 are now reduced to one, namely, is there a market 

for finely shredded stripped film? 

2. With reference to the meeting of 3 December and 

for your information: 

a. ladvises that Commander Myles 

has submitted a draft reply to "Clarification of COMIREXD- 2. 7/5 -for the Britishll which looks good and CIA plans 

to transmit to London. 

b. IICanadian Problems with Sanitization of 

Mapping Materials II does not appear to be a problem 

requiring further urgent action. 

c. The IIRequest to Downgrade BLACK SHIELD 

in Target Folders II has been forwarded to the Board, and 

a reply as to whether this will have been approved by 

telephone or might require consideration at a USIB 

meeting should be available on 20 December. 

d. The question of "Release of Sanitized T-KH 

Data for Foreign Governments II is still in the hands of the 

DIA and CIA members. 

S~CRJ;;;T 

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e. On 11 December the Chairman submitted a 

draft of minutes on 11New Problems with Controlled 

Dis semination 11 to the CIA membe r for comment. 

I I has requested I I help in 

identifying the precise problems associated with the NIS. 

It is understood that I Imay have a recommendation which the CIA and DIA members may wish to discuss 

before returning to SDWG. The Chairman, SDWG would 

prefer to concentrate at this point on the NIS problem, as 

he expressed himself at the meeting,l Ifeel~ 

that the broad question of avoiding pos sible abuses by 

regulation instead of discipline may be time consuming, 

if not also redundant to work done in 1964 and 1965. 

£. With regard tol Iproblem on 

the 11world fact book", it is the Chairman1s understanding 

that DIA has submitted a very helpful suggestion which may 

solve this problem without need for further discussion. 

3. The undersigned expects to be in the office over the 

holiday period and will be prepared to call a working group meeting 

upon the request of any member--giving consideration, of course, 

to holiday plans and the Hong Kong r'"'f=lu=.'------________ --'----____ -----, 

Attachment 

State SDWG Member w/o attach 

DIA SDWG Member w/attach 

OACSI SDWG Member w/attach 

ONI SDWG Member w/attach 

AFNIN SDWG Member w/attach 

NSA SDWG Member w/attach 

CIA SDWG Member w /attach 

I 

I CIA wi attach 

. rPIC w / attach 

SAFSS SDWG Consultant w/o attach 

Chairman, SDWG w/attach 

2 

vnalrman 

SDWG 

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