Servisair, who handle luggage, apologised but said it had no alternative but to return bags and cases as passengers left the terminal.

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In terms of accessories, the boxy bags and portfolio cases looked clean and minimal.

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In most cases it takes these bags two years to break down, allowing even small fragments to be consumed by micro-organisms who are able to access the carbon and hydrogen.

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Bomb-sniffing dogs and police equipped with radiation-detecting devices will patrol the Long Island Marathon, and the 20, 000 or so finish-line spectators will be limited to carrying small bags such as purses and camera cases, said Inspector Kenneth Lack, a spokesman for the Nassau County Police.

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In other cases, grain spoils due to the lack of simple things such as high quality weather-resistant bags.

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