Wireless Electrical and Electromagnetic Pollution News
8 April 2010
Ontario doctors say beds only for those over 18
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/tanning-salon-ban-for-teens-doctors-urge/article1524719/
Zosia Bielski
From Tuesday's Globe and Mail Published on Tuesday, Apr. 06, 2010 10:08AM EDT Last updated on Tuesday, Apr. 06, 2010 10:11AM EDT
Just as teens ready themselves for the strapless gowns of prom season – and swimsuits soon after that – with time at the tanning salon, Ontario's doctors are agitating for a ban on the use of tanning beds for those under the age of 18.
The Ontario Medical Association is trying to battle the notion – fuelled largely by the tanning industry – that tanning beds are safer than the sun. Last month, the association adopted a policy that calls for restrictions on children and teens using tanning equipment.
"Tanning beds are not safe. The exact same ultraviolet rays that cause damage and lead to skin
She said young prom-goers especially want that "healthy-looking glow," while others want a basecoat, or "a little bit of a start to a tan because they think it will protect their skin better in the sun. …
"Even tanned skin is damaged skin. They may think it looks healthy, but it's not healthy – it's dangerous," Dr. Strasberg said.
Last July, the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer declared tanning beds "carcinogenic to humans" and reclassified tanning equipment to the highest cancer risk category.
The indoor tanning industry is also under scrutiny in the United States, where 30 million people visit an indoor tanning facility annually, according to the Indoor Tanning Association. (No equivalent data are available in Canada, according to the OMA.)
As part of the health
An advisory panel for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is pushing for a ban, and has also recommended that parents of teens and children hoping to use the beds sign a consent form warning of the dangers.
Although the WHO agency suggests there is only "a small to moderate risk of skin cancer independently due to the use of tanning beds or lamps," the FDA stressed that the risk appears greater when tanning bed use begins in childhood.
People who use tanning beds were 2.5 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma and 1.5 times more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma – two forms of skin cancer – according to a 2002 study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
The Canadian Cancer Society and Canadian Dermatology Association are both in favour of restricting tanning bed use to those 18 and older.
In 2008, a private members' bill in Ontario asked for similar restrictions, as did a federal private members' bill. Both failed to be passed into law. New Brunswick had some legislation aimed at protecting those under 18, but that has since been repealed.
The OMA is pushing for provincial legislation similar to the recent cellphone ban, Dr. Strasberg said.
"We made those recommendations for the government, the government enacted the legislation and now the legislation's being enforced."
Steven Gilroy, executive director of the Kelowna, B.C.-based Joint Canadian Tanning Association, said children and teens aren't a "big market" in Canada.
"It's about less than 10 per cent," said Mr. Gilroy, adding that the biggest market is thirtysomethings.
But he allowed: "We're busy with under 18s at prom season. … That's usually the time they come in. Either that or they're going on vacation."
Mr. Gilroy said he supports parental consent for children aged 16 and younger and also recommends remote control of the beds by salon operators, so tanners can't simply add more time themselves, unsupervised.
Ultimately, Mr. Gilroy advises "moderation," and for fair-haired types, abstaining altogether: "They don't tan outside so they shouldn't tan inside either. …
"We don't see it as an age thing. We see it as a skin-type scenario."
Asked whether salon operators consider skin type with their clients, Mr. Gilroy said: "It depends which one you go to."
David
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S.A.F.E. at Loudonville
http://loudonvilleny.shutterfly.com/
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AT&T agrees to pay village for water tower damage
http://www.thetelegraph.com/news/new-38532--.html
BETHALTO - AT&T has agreed to reimburse the village $30,000 for damages caused by welding on the village water tower, in violation of a lease between the two.
The incident surfaced recently when the village, while inspecting the tower, discovered that brackets on cell-phone antennae had been welded, causing paint damage. AT&T Mobility has agreed to pay to have the problem corrected.
"This originally came to our attention two to three months ago when AT&T opened discussions with the village in regards to upgrading their antennae on the towers," Village Attorney Ken Balsters said. "It came to our attention that welding had been done on the new tower by the airport on (Illinois) Route 111."
Mayor Steve Bryant said the inspection revealed that areas of paint on the tower's interior had bubbled and blistered, causing rust to form and panels on the roof to become corroded. Bryant said the repairs will include repainting, as well as the application of an epoxy to prevent further pitting and other damage.
Balsters said AT&T Mobility cooperated with the village and took responsibility for the needed repairs.
"We made it clear that we were not looking at authorizing the upgrades without (resolving) this issue of damage," he said.
AT&T and the village are acquiring estimates for the repairs, and the village also looked into repainting the structure. Balsters said AT&T has agreed to pay the village $30,000 for the necessary repairs now rather than have the village complete work on the tower and have to be reimbursed later. He also said when presented with the option of removing the tower's antennae during the work or acquire an additional service charge, AT&T opted to absorb the additional costs rather than take the responsibility to remove the antennae.
On Monday night, the Bethalto Village Board approved a release authorizing AT&T to pay the village the $30,000. The board also approved an amended version of the lease now including documentation of the welding.
The amended document states: "Though tenant's communication facility was installed by welding methods prior to the date of this amendment, the antennas to be installed on the tower space shall not be attached with any corrosive brackets and in no event shall any welding to the tower be permitted."
The lease in question dates to 1999, when the village entered into an agreement with AT&T granting the company the right to lease a portion of property consisting of 250 square feet, as well as the space on the water tower for antenna installation. Besides prohibiting welding to be done to the tower, the lease agreement also makes AT&T responsible for all necessary repairs and upkeep.
fred_pollard@thetelegraph.com
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Precautionary approach
From Henrik Eiriksson:
This article, by a Maltese doctor, is well worth the read:
http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=104171
Iris
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Schuylkill cell tower lines, dish damaged by 6 gunshots
PINE GROVE TOWNSHIP
Schuylkill County
Frank Warner
April 2, 2010
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/police/all-1tower.7224147apr02,0,6815824.story
Cell phone tower lines, dish damaged by six gunshots
At least six gunshots were fired at a Verizon Wireless cell phone tower in Pine Grove Township over the last five months, causing about $7,000 in damage, police said.
The shots, probably from a rifle, damaged five transmission lines and one microwave dish between Nov. 1 and March 25, state police at Schuylkill Haven said. The tower is behind a home at 576 Swopes Valley Road.
Police asked that anyone with information call 570-593-2000.
David
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