W.E.E.P. News
Wireless Electrical and Electromagnetic Pollution News
6 June 2011
What does this mean for Canadians?
June 5, 2011. The World Health Organization classifies radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as possibly carcinogenic. What does this mean for Canadians?
After a week-long meeting in Lyon, France, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)—an arm of the World Health Organization (WHO)—classified radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (otherwise known as radiofrequency radiation or RFR) as a class 2B carcinogen, meaning that it is "possibly carcinogenic to humans". Lead and DDT are two examples in the same category, and both are banned for public use in Canada.
What does this mean for Canadians?
It means that Health Canada is obliged to go back to the drawing board and revise its guideline for radiofrequency radiation. The current Health Canada guideline is one of the least protective in the world—along with the United States and Great Britain.
It means that medical officers of health need to notify doctors of the potential carcinogenicity of devices that emit radiofrequency radiation: cell phones as well as the neighbourhood cell phone antennas; cordless phones; wireless baby monitors; smart meters for electricity, water and natural gas consumption; WiFi routers in homes, schools, offices and public places including coffee shops, buses, trains, airports, airplanes, hospitals, hotels as well as city-wide WiFi. Broadcast antennas and radar used by airports, marine and military installations also emit radiofrequency radiation.
to read more visit:
http://www.magdahavas.com/2011/06/05/whos-new-classification-of-rfr-what-does-this-mean-for-canada/
Dr Magda Havas
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At this stage, Health Canada is not conceding any increased danger.
"Health Canada's advice to Canadians remains the same. As long as exposures respect the limits set in Health Canada's radio-frequency (RF) exposure guidelines, the department has no scientific reason to consider exposure to low-level radio-frequency fields, such as those from cellphones or Wi-Fi, dangerous to the public," it says.
What should Health Canada should be saying?
Siemiatycki says he'd like to hear a change in tone and see action on the file.
"I'm not sure what they would have said (before the classification), but I guess today they would have to say they're really doing it, that they're really looking into it. They should either stimulate additional research or they should look at preventive strategies that might not be disruptive to people or to society, or to give warnings, I'm not sure. But they would need to look at this possibly in a more serious way than they did" before IARC's announcement this week.
http://www.canada.com/health/What+know+about+cellphones+cancer/4876701/story.html#ixzz1OPwxYHh4
Iris
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
May 2011.
A Month in Review. A lot has happened during the month of May in the EMR arena.
1. Scientists with strong Industry ties no longer tolerated as "experts" on International Panel.
2. IARC classifies Radio Frequency Radiation is a Class 2B Carcinogen "possibly carcinogenic to humans".
3. The Parliamentary Assembly Council of Europe (PACE) released a document entitled: The potential dangers of electromagnetic fields and their effect on the environment. Resolution 1815 (2011)
4. Research at Queen's University in Kingston documents that cell phone use may lead to low sperm quality and a decrease in male fertility.
5. Cell phone radiation causes piping (swarming) in bees.
6. Scientists who speak out about the harmful effects of electromagnetic radiation are harassed.
To read more visit: http://www.magdahavas.com/2011/06/05/may-2011-a-month-in-review/
-magda havas
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Basque Parliament calls on the Government to fund research on diseases of central sensitization
http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2011/05/30/paisvasco/1306775412.html
Bill proposition EB
Monday 30/05/2011
The Health Committee of the Vitoria House today approved unanimously urge the Basque Government to include in the strategy of chronic patient care to those affected by the disease called central sensitization.
Parliament also asked the Basque Government to include in the 2012 budget allocation for research and treatment of diseases such as Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and Electro-Hyper Sensitivity.
The political groups represented on the committee have transacted an amendment to a motion claiming EB law to give visibility to these diseases.
The parliamentary EB, Mikel Arana, recalled that Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are diseases that are already included in the international classification of diseases of the World Health Organization.
The initiative passed, the Parliament also urges the Basque Government to coordinate with other regions, with the state and with other European Union countries for Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and Electrohipersensibilidad be included in such international classification to they are classified as occupational diseases.
Also requests the Executive Basque diagnoses of the latter two diseases are taken into account in assessments related work disability, disability, or aid dependency.
Parliament also asked the regional government to launch an information campaign aimed at the general public about these diseases and other public awareness for the Basque health system.
Arana stated that the first objective is to make visible these diseases and that doctors are prepared to care for these patients "forgotten" to date.
He added that it expected to increase the incidence of these complaints concerned and are associated with new technologies and the burden of toxic food consumed today as preservatives, colorings, additives or denaturants.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cancer and Shortwave Radio
This may be of interest. The high powered Caribbean Shortwave Radio transmitter mentioned in the article below is defunct. It was mainly used by the BBC World Service for N & S America. (I am a SW Radio fan.)
Built in 1976, there is a 10-20 year lag time before any EMF effects show up.
Like the Vatican Radio neighbourhood in Vatican City/Rome, cancer rates are unusually high...
Avrom
Did Antigua relay station increase cancer mortality?
June 1st, 2011 - 15:19 UTC by Andy Sennitt.
http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/did-antigua-relay-station-increase-cancer-mortality
The Antigua news portal caribarena.com raises the question of whether the high power shortwave station that used to operate on the island was responsible for am increase in the cancer mortality rate. The website says that "In 1975, the Caribbean Relay Station was constructed in Antigua. The station's purpose was to broadcast international radio content, like the BBC World Service, to most of the western hemisphere. The station was a monster when compared to cell phone towers, with six radio towers operating at 250 kW.
"The station had the ability to broadcast shortwave AM radio far beyond the Caribbean region, well into South and North America. This station was, by far, the largest operating transmission station in the entire Caribbean. According to PAHO (Pan American Health Organization) the cancer mortality rate in Antigua between 1992-2002 peaked at 176 cases for every 100,000 people. This is higher than anywhere in Latin America, according to the same study."
"In our initial publication, we noted that the health effects of EMFs have a 10-20 year delay. The Caribbean Relay Company began operating in 1976, exactly 20 years before the PAHO study was conducted. Is there a link between the current high rates of cancer and the Caribbean Relay Company? The answer is that it is very possible."
Susan
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
President Obama:
Don't Waste Billions of Taxpayer Dollars on Your Risky WIRELESS Broadband Initiative
and Wireless Smart Meter Stimulus Grants.
The EMR Policy Institute
Web site www.weepinitiative.org e-mail contactweep@weepinitiative.org
To sign up for WEEP News: newssignup@weepinitiative.org (provide name and e-mail address)
W.E.E.P. – The Canadian initiative to stop Wireless Electrical and Electromagnetic Pollution
