The Fresh Loaf

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Food grade lye on airplanes?

tananaBrian's picture
tananaBrian

Food grade lye on airplanes?

Up here in Alaska, finding food-grade lye is difficult.  I live near the largest city (Anchorage), yet still haven't found a source for it.  I'm planning on flying down to Vancouver over the holidays however and found several places to buy it down there ...which means I'd either have to ship it back (hazmat) or bring it back on the airline.  Alaska Airlines told me it was OK as long as it was in my luggage, in original packaging, and was appropriately labeled.  But they also told me that ACIDS were NOT allowed ...don't they know that a caustic is just as bad but at the alkaline end of the scale?  It's powdered rather than liquid, so maybe that makes a difference to them.  What I'm wondering is, how likely is it that the TSA folks will get their undies in a twist if they find this stuff in my luggage?  I have no idea if it's on the list of substances that bad guys could use to do nefarious things or not ... Does anybody here know?  Has anyone here transported food-grade lye in their luggage before?  Comments?

Brian

PS: I'll be using the stuff for dipping pretzels and bagels, and if they force me to buy several pounds, then I may experiment with making homemade soap as well.

 

proth5's picture
proth5

making any reference to the "security theater" that the TSA seems determined to carry out (oops, I just did...), our friends at the FAA (www.faa.gov) consider drain cleaners (like - lye maybe?) to be hazardous materials that should not be transported on airplanes at all.  You can try the TSA website also (www.tsa.gov).  You might contact either directly. The websites have contact numbers.

The FAA also reminds us that hazardous materials need to be declared and have some pretty hefty fines for not doing it.

The TSA is notoriously coy about their procedures as being too specific will tip off terrorists as to what to expect.

So you can "try" to fly with it undeclared but if it is found (and some powders read like liquids in the scanners used for carry on baggage - learned that the hard way), you could be in for a very hard time.  Or you can declare it and risk that the person you declare it to is enough of a zealot to confiscate it.

I fly pretty much twice a week and refuse to check baggage, so it would never occur to me to do anything but ship a quantity of food grade lye.  Surely of the places that would sell it to you, there is one that will ship the stuff in the proprer manner.  It will be easier all around.

Good luck!

 

tananaBrian's picture
tananaBrian

I looked into it and it appears that buying it locally (Portland, Oregon) and then shipping it myself is the cheapest deal for shipping it to Alaska.  Our trip has us flying to San Diego after Portland/Vancouver, then up to Edmonton, Alberta, then back to Alaska.  I think that especially because of the international portion of the travel that I should just plan on shipping it home rather than carrying it in luggage even though Alaska Airlines does know it's the same as drain cleaner and they said it was OK (because it's powdered, not liquid).  I'd rather take the safe route.  Hence this post I guess!

 

Brian

 

proth5's picture
proth5

I'm pretty careful about what I carry in my luggage, but I have seen many, many unhappy scenes at the airport with substances that travellers thought were innocent.  The airlines are not the final arbiter of what you can bring on board (and sometimes provide less than accurate information).  The TSA and the FAA are.  They have been empowered to change their minds at any time and especially by flying over the December holiday travel period unexpected things could occur. (Yes, I live in airports and on airplanes...)

May your flights be smooth and all of them on time!

highmtnpam's picture
highmtnpam

my computer in one of my two suitcases and check my luggage.  TSA always searches my luggage..but no harm no foul.  Try attaching a recipe to your lye.  I seriously doubt that they would do anything but confiscate it if you put it i in your checked luggage.  But, still, I'd send it to myself...

Pam

Bama's picture
Bama

for my soap making and with caution and common sense it can be used safely. It is almost impossible to get here in Alabama because it is used in the cooking of Meth. So I have to get it from behind the counter at the Ace hardware store. Have you tried asking for it? I don't know about food grade lye but it's possible that it has been secured from the meth makers also. I've been making soap for several years with no accidents, but I do secure the area very carefully. I don't wear a mask or gloves but you may want to do that. Good luck finding a source for lye.