A CABIN ATTENDANT ON AN ACR B737 DISCOVERED THAT A PAX HAD BROUGHT 3 CANS OF ACETONE-BASED PAINT ONTO THE ACFT IN HIS LUGGAGE. THE CABIN ATTENDANT SECURED THE CANS IN PLASTIC BAGS TO PREVENT MORE FUMES FROM ESCAPING. THE PAX SAID THAT A RESERVATIONS AGENT APPROVED THE CARRIAGE OF THE PAINT.

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FLT ATTENDANT NOTIFIED US OF A PAX WHO HAD BROUGHT ABOARD 3 PINT CANS OF ACETONE-BASED PAINT; ONE OF WHICH LEAKED TO SOME EXTENT INSIDE HIS CARRY-ON BAG. FLT ATTENDANT MENTIONED A 'NAIL POLISH REMOVER' ODOR; AND THE PAX SAID; 'OH! THAT MUST BE MY BAG.' INSPECTION OF HIS BAG INDICATED A SMALL AMOUNT OF PAINT HAD SEEPED FROM THE CAN TO THE INSIDE OF THE BAG. FLT ATTENDANT SECURED ALL 3 CANS IN PROTECTIVE PLASTIC BAGS. THE ODOR WENT AWAY AND THERE WERE NO RPTS OF ANY PAX EITHER NOTICING THE ODOR OR EXPERIENCING ADVERSE PHYSICAL EFFECTS. COMPANY PROC MANUAL FOR A PAINT OR FLAMMABLE LIQUID SPILL CALLS FOR NOTIFICATION OF: ATC; FIRE/RESCUE RESOURCES; HAZMAT RESPONSE TEAMS; STATION PERSONNEL. SINCE THE SIT WAS QUICKLY DISCOVERED; AND COMPLETELY AND THOROUGHLY MET BY THE FLT ATTENDANT; THE FO AND I CONCLUDED THAT TO ACTIVATE SUCH RESOURCES WAS NOT JUSTIFIED IN THE CASE OF SUCH A MINOR EVENT. WHAT WE BELIEVE IS NEEDED; HOWEVER; IS A CLOSE EXAMINATION OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES LEADING UP TO THE PROB: HOW COULD SUCH MATERIAL BE ALLOWED ON BOARD? THE PAX FIRST STATED THAT A GATE AGENT SAID IT WAS OK TO CARRY THE PAINT ABOARD THE PLANE. HE LATER CHANGED HIS STATEMENT; SAYING THAT A RESERVATIONS AGENT SAID IT WAS OK TO BRING IT ABOARD. THE SAFETY IMPLICATIONS OF SUCH FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS ARE ENORMOUS! NOT ONLY IN TERMS OF SPILLAGE RESULTING IN PAX ILLNESS; BUT ALSO IN TERMS OF ITS USE BY SOMEONE TO THREATEN THE FLT OR CAUSE AN INFERNO IF THEY DESIRED. THIS PARTICULAR PAX CLRED SECURITY SCREENING WITHOUT BEING NOTICED! I FEEL THIS SIT SERVED AS A WARNING TO US ALL TO AT LEAST RE-EXAMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PAX SCREENING; NOT TO MENTION THE ADVICE AIRLINE PERSONNEL GIVE TO PAX REGARDING HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 364574: I DECIDED TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE PAX WAS CONTINUING ON BEYOND SEA; (HE WAS NOT); AND WE GOT HIS NAME AND SEAT NUMBER FOR FUTURE USE IF WE NEEDED IT. THE FLT WAS OTHERWISE UNINTERRUPTED AND INCIDENT FREE. ON OUR NEXT LEG (CAPT AND I) WE WERE LOOKING THROUGH OUR OPS MANUAL FOR DIRECTION IN HANDLING THE SIT AND DETERMINED THAT NO MATTER HOW MINIMAL OF HAZARD OUR SIT APPEARED TO BE; WE MAY HAVE NEGLECTED TO TAKE THE MOST SERIOUS PRECAUTIONS NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE SAFETY OF OUR FLT. WE FOUND THAT THE DIRECTION IN OUR HAZMAT SECTION OF OPS MANUAL WERE EXTENSIVE AND WERE NOT ALL FOLLOWED DUE TO THE PROB BEING MINOR AND EASILY CONTAINED. I FEEL FOR ONE THAT THERE IS NOT ENOUGH EDUCATION TO THE PUBLIC ON HAZMAT AND AIR TRAVEL; AND MY CONCERNS ARE HOW DID THIS MATERIAL GET ONTO THE ACFT. IF THE PAX IS TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT EITHER A CSR OR RESERVATIONS AGENT SAYING IT'S OKAY TO CARRY ON BOARD; THIS MATERIAL; THEN MORE THAN PUBLIC EDUCATION IS REQUIRED.