14 January 2008
We received a petition asking:
"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to acknowledge the many peer reviewed studies that show adverse health effects from exposure to microwave radiation from mobile phone handsets, base stations (masts) and wireless technology (WiFi, WIMAX, Tetra, DECT phones, etc.) through mechanisms independent of heating, and at levels much lower than currently considered safe by the government, and that there is no research or evidence which has proved their short or long term safety. We further call on the government to put safeguards in place, that acknowledge this evidence, to ensure that no person will be harmed due to exposure to this radiation, and to remove all mobile phone base stations (masts) that are within 500 metres of schools, homes and hospitals until these safeguards are in place."
Details of petition:
"In the 1990s Dr George Carlo, while heading the US mobile phone industry’s health research program, came across startling and unexpected evidence that DNA was damaged by cell phone radiation even after all heating effects had been ruled out. The cell phone industry had always assumed the technology was safe, as had most of the scientific community, and considered this research as just the official proof of what they already knew. They had by this time invested billions of dollars/pounds in the technology. The reaction to the new evidence was not one of responsible public concern but a panic driven attempt to cover up the research, cut off the funding and smear Dr Carlo’s reputation. 10 years later we are starting to see what Dr Carlo and many other leading scientists predicted would happen: An increase in brain tumours amongst phone users, and cancer and general ill health clusters found around phone masts. The mobile phone industry had kept up the pressure on the government not to acknowledge what they term as ’science scare stories’ because of the economic effect it will have on the industry, in a move that smacks of the tactics used by the tobacco, asbestos and lead ‘is safe in petrol’ lobbies of the last century. When you look at peer-reviewed Epidemiological studies on the WHO EMF database, 80% of published studies have found some evidence of ill health connected with mobile phone technology. However according to Dr. Henry Lai (in the Toronto Star) 81% of studies financed by the mobile phone industry fail to find any such evidence. Despite their desperation to find one however, no study exists that proves the technology is safe. It is vitally important that that government acknowledge the reality that science with out commercial interests is pointing to, even if it is economically inconvenient. At the end of the day the human cost will be much greater than any economic cost if this is not addressed. For more information please see www.mastsanity.org, www.tetrawatch.net, www.emfacts.com, www.schnews.co.uk/archive/news561.htm, Book: "Cell Phones: Invisible Hazards in the Wireless Age" by George Carlo and Martin Schram."
Read the Government’s response
These matters have been the subject of numerous studies published by the Health Protection Agency (HPA). The role of the HPA is to provide an integrated approach to protecting UK public health through the provision of support and advice to the NHS, local authorities, emergency services, other Arm’s Length Bodies, the Department of Health and the Devolved Administrations. The Agency was established as a special health authority in 2003.
The scientific evidence which forms the basis of the HPA advice on exposure guidelines is contained in the Review of the Scientific Evidence for Limiting Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields (0-300 GHz). The review was carried out at the request of the Department of Health and it examined the issues of uncertainty within the field as well as considering aspects of precaution. In developing the review, the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) took advice from individual UK and international scientific experts, as well as from published comprehensive reviews by expert groups. The Board sought advice from an ad hoc expert group on the effects of weak electric fields on the human body and gave careful consideration to the views expressed in response to a consultation document on its proposed guidelines issued in May 2003. It also considered the concerns raised at a public open meeting on power lines in December 2002. This review is available from the HPA website .
Petitioners may also wish to view the guidelines Advice on Limiting Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields (0-300 GHz) .
The published evidence for health effects of radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields in general is reviewed in Health Effects from Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields: Report of an independent Advisory group on Non-ionising Radiation. The report found that, as a whole, the research published since the report of the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones does not give cause for concern. The weight of evidence now available does not suggest that there are adverse health effects from exposures to RF fields below guideline levels. However, the report continues to explain that the published research on RF exposures and health has limitations and that mobile phones have only been in widespread use for a relatively short time. As the possibility therefore remains open that there could be health effects from exposure to RF fields below guideline levels, the report highlights the need for continued research.
The HPA’s WiFi summary, available online, states that the HPA has to date found no consistent evidence that WiFi and other wireless local area networks (WLANs) adversely affect the health of the general population. The signals are very low power, typically 0.1 watt (100 milliwatts) in both the computer and the router, and the results so far show exposure well within the internationally accepted guidelines of the International Commission for Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). Based on current knowledge and experience, RF exposures from WiFi are likely to be lower than those from mobile phones. Also, the frequencies used in WiFi are broadly the same as those from traditional RF applications.
The HPA has also published a factsheet on WLANs which may be of interest to petitioners.
Mobile Phones and Health 2004 contains formal advice from the HPA following a review of the evidence about the health effects of exposure to mobile phone frequencies as well as WiFi. The NRPB in this report supported the ongoing audit of base stations, seeing this as providing reassurance to the public that exposure guidelines are not being exceeded. The Board also recommended that monitoring of potential exposures from 3G base stations should be concomitant with the rollout of the network. Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) base stations, used for commercial applications and by the emergency services, were to be audited in the same way as GSM base stations. Petitioners can view this on the website. The HPA has also published Definition, Epidemiology and Management of Electrical Sensitivity.
More recently the Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research (MTHR) programme has published the results of 23 separate studies in its Report 2007, available at: www.mthr.org.uk. None of the research supported by this programme and so far published demonstrates that biological or adverse health effects are produced by radiofrequency exposure from mobile phones. Studies under the MTHR programme on electrical hypersensitivity have "offered no convincing support for the hypothesis that the unpleasant symptoms experienced by sufferers result from exposure to signals from mobile phones or base stations."
The MTHR report also reaffirms that exposures from mobile phone base stations are very much lower than the guidelines which are set to prevent adverse health effects. The Stewart Report recommended in 2000 that the ICNIRP guidelines be adopted "as a precautionary measure". In its clarification statement the Stewart Group added:
Since there are no scientific grounds for setting guidelines below the levels set by the International Commission for Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) for the public, the Expert (Stewart) Group avoided setting exposure limits for school buildings and grounds below these limits. For the same reason it did not wish to recommend that there should be a particular minimum distance between the base station and the school. (www.iegmp.org.uk).
In the UK, the independence of the research is assured by the programme management committee that included some of the original Stewart committee and additional specialists to provide a broad range of expertise. Decisions on which work to support and the management of the individual research studies were made by the programme management committee independently of any of the many funding organisations whether they be Government or industry.
The range of publications and the quality of the research described above provide reassurance that the current advice is appropriate. Nevertheless, it is readily acknowledged that scientific uncertainties are present and the research, particularly into the long-term use of mobile phone handsets, should continue. As technology develops, there is a continuing need to remain vigilant and alert to potential health effects. The HPA continues to monitor the scientific data and this enables them periodically to review their guidance.