Buzz
Aly, a reader returning from a trip, wonders, 'What does the TSA do with all those items they confiscate? They took my shampoo, and I’d love to get it back, but I’m also curious about what happens to everything else.'
The Transportation Security Administration collects a wide range of items, which it labels as 'Voluntary Abandoned Property,' from handguns and knives to shampoo bottles that exceed the allowable size. So where do these items end up? Contrary to what you might think, TSA screeners don’t simply pocket the items for themselves and take them home. The TSA has a strict policy against theft, and any employee caught taking abandoned property is fired.
Instead, confiscated items are typically either sold, donated, or thrown away.
By law, the TSA is not allowed to profit from the items surrendered to them, but other government agencies do not face the same restrictions. Items that could be resold are handed over to state authorities, who sell what they can through government surplus centers and online platforms such as eBay or GovDeals. This process generates a decent amount of revenue. For instance, Pennsylvania reported earning about $800,000 from selling confiscated property online between 2004 and 2012.
Other items are donated to local charities, schools, and government organizations, who may use them—scissors could be sent to underfunded schools, or mace might be given to police departments—or even sell them.
As for Aly’s shampoo and most other banned liquids or chemicals, they are simply discarded. These used to be donated or sold, but the TSA stopped that practice when they recognized the potential risks. What looks like shampoo could be something else entirely, or a water bottle might not actually contain water. It’s safer to dispose of these items rather than take any chances.
This raises another question: If a liquid larger than 3.4 ounces isn’t allowed on a plane due to security concerns, why is it safe to throw it away in an airport trashcan? According to the TSA, the issue isn’t with individual containers of liquid, but with the potential for someone to use liquids and other materials to create an explosive device on the plane. Without all the necessary components, the liquid in the trash is considered far less of a threat.
Weapons and certain other items follow a different protocol. For example, if someone attempts to board a plane with a handgun, local law enforcement is contacted to investigate, and the weapon may be seized while the individual is arrested or cited.
