W.E.E.P. News
The Canadian initiative to stop Wireless Electrical and Electromagnetic Pollution
25 February 2014'Don't build schools or homes near pylons', warn experts
John
Powerline discharges activate toxic pollutants
UK Powerwatch's Alasdair Philips believes that the BJC paper accidentally provides good evidence, for the first time, for possible real childhood cancer resulting from powerline corona charging radionuclides from atmospheric atomic bomb testing making them far more bio-active by being retained in the lung and entering the bloodstream.
Click here for the full news story
http://www.powerwatch.org.uk/news/20140224-bjc2.asp
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When BC Hydro installed nine smart meters beside our home in June of 2012, I became very ill. The radiation from these meters affects my balance, my speech, and has even deformed my nails.
We have taken steps to prevent the radiation from entering our home, but if our analogue meter is replaced with a smart meter it would increase electromagnetic fields in our home, which would make me very ill.
BC Hydro is charging us an extra $35 a month to read our analogue meter, but it is read only every other month. Sometimes our usage is only estimated and no reading is done at all.
They claim this monthly fee is for meter reader wages, truck expenses, gas, etc. They still come to read the nine smart meters, but will not read my meter at that time, even though they are standing right in front of it. They have moved the reading of my meter to alternating months to attempt to justify this outrageous fee.
How can our government justify engaging in such unethical practices? When did we lose our right to live free from harm in our own homes? One issue at a time, we are being led silently into oppression.
Christine Wikstrom,
Langley
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Disconnected!
StopSmartMeters.org Director Josh Hart Disconnected by Utility for Refusing to Pay Opt-Out Extortion Fees
This afternoon at 2pm, Plumas Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative (PSREC) trespassed on our property and disconnected the power to our home though we have paid every penny of our electricity usage on time and in full. The fees- and the disconnect- are in violation of state public utility code and the Americans with Disabilities Act, and we intend to fight this abuse to the full extent of the law.
This is the first disconnect by PSREC for failure to pay "opt out" fees. No one in PG&E/ SCE/ SDG&E areas of California have been disconnected solely for refusal to pay these fees, and thousands have been ignoring toothless disconnect warnings and deducting the fees from their bill every month.
As an electric "co-operative" PSREC is not under the jurisdiction of the CPUC and apparently also feels that it is above the law. Its chickens will come home to roost. Utility personnel- challenged about their actions- replied that they were "just following orders."
Now we have pressing matters such as how to keep our food from perishing and keep our home warm in freezing temperatures tonight.
Why are utilities going to such lengths to silence critics of their smart meter policies? The answer is profits and defending a stubborn dogma that says wireless is safe.
We are determined and will not give in to utility abuse or threats.
Isis
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Major US Utility: "No Rational Basis" for Smart Meters
At last - an electrical utility company uses common sense and tells the truth.
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Quebec Smart Meters - NEW EVIDENCE OF HARM
Note - this is a Google translation so wording may not be accurate.
Note - this is a Google translation so wording may not be accurate.
"I live in Laval since last June when smart meters were installed in July. Since I live here , I have developed various health problems, tinnitus , muscle spasms ( myoclonus ) , electric shocks in legs, irregular heartbeat , insomnia, red eyes. I seem also affected by where there is Wi-Fi routers "
Diane L.
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" Hydro- Québec meters were installed in late January and early February 2012 in my neighborhood. I sent a notice of non-consent, which clearly indicates that I wanted to keep my electromechanical meters . So far so good. Despite the pressure that my tenant has received at that time and I had to reassure them that I was doing it , Hydro respected my choice without frais.Je told myself then that I would be protected from electromagnetic waves and that I would have nothing to fear. Please note that in my house , there is no technology microwave .
To April , I started having pain ( like an electric shock ) in the teeth, I did not too focused attention. Then followed headaches , numbness in my face and insomnia (rather than fall asleep around midnight it is mostly to 2am as I do and I further wake up at least once during my short nights of sleep) . Then , pain in the ears of the pressure in the eye. Later in the month of May, I lost my appetite . I am now repeating sinusitis, then I have palpitations, to the point that I feel that the heart will take me out of the chest.
Since the beginning of June , I happen to have an electric current that goes through my legs. To top it all , the almost constant tiredness and recently I saw memory problems appear. These symptoms are often present and appeared gradually, headache , it is constant. And please note that I 've never had a headache steadily as is currently the case. Apart from migraines due to premenstrual syndrome and menopause are missing since 2000 , I 've never been a person who had a headache .
(...) The fact is that even if I did not meter "smart" in my house , on the wall of the neighboring house which is about 3 meters from my house there are four (4 ) of these meters that emit 33,000 mW/m2 2 meters of these counters . This result is in my living room , there is a reading of 19,000 mW/m2 at my head, where the constant head aches since this is where I sat most often before knowing where my problem was .
(...) Because of the position of these counters on the house next door , I am confined to live most of the time in my basement because concrete more effectively cut the microwave. After half an hour sitting in my living room, the headache begins. Recently, I did a one-week trip to Cuba. I did not feel any of these symptoms to the point where I wondered if I had changed country the day of my retirement coming. If nothing happens about it. This is a solution I envisage . "
Christiane D
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" This letter is to inform you of my desire to remove three counters / transmitters were installed in my house the ? Last fall . Since ? Installing these devices j ? Have seen a significant change in the quality of my sleep . My room is located directly above the equipment and as no other changes to my environment n ? Occurred since I connect my sleep problems directly to the waves emitted by the new equipment . ? J experiences since then : insomnia, frequent waking , agitation, drastic dry mouth at night , digestive problems with nausea , loss of appetite? . I also feel throbbing headaches and vision problems , blurred vision , trouble concentrating , confusion and heart palpitations. All these ailments affect my mood , I? Feel more and more ? Impatience, and affect my work day ? Also done in my house. To find a more peaceful sleep I now sleep on the floor in my living room which , you will agree , is far ? Be the ideal or normal when ? Owns one of our home ? . So I ask you to come and collect free three ( 3) facilities that are in my basement as soon as possible so that I could get the full enjoyment of all parts of my house. "
Joanne D
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" My problems started with dizziness , I've Been for a month to be stunned by the slightest movement, I could not move , m ? Extend or bend me without having the impression? D ? Being in a carousel rotating at a breakneck speed . Then it was strong headache, j ? Had the sides of the swollen head , my glasses amounts m ? Sank in the head and remained depressed when I withdrew . I could also feel my head behind a large bulge that I don? Had not usually . Then my tongue ? S is set to m ? Numb . Shortly after I started having heart palpitations when I was in the living room and around my room. I also felt overnight burns intense knees.
I've Always had a great sleep , never problems ? Insomnia all my life, but then I started to make the ? Insomnia ! My sleep was cut , sometimes at 2:00 h, d ? Sometimes at 4:00 am, I completely electrified n ? Was more able to sleep again ! I m ? Awoke with blurred vision , eye contour that tingling and buzzing ears. As if it whistled . My husband , in perfect health and aged 45 , s ? Also awakened at odd times with the same symptoms , but , he saw his double psoriasis , spots like a leopard began to appear on his chest and more headaches and heart palpitations.
J ? Had every morning in the habit of filling my crossword puzzle , but then I don? Was even able to get a word . I am also looking for my words when I spoke and lacked consistency, I don? Arrived more to do my job , I? Was tired all the time . I no longer participated in family conversations as before, I repliais on myself. One morning I woke up with half numb face. J ? Got very very scared.
Meanwhile, my 10 year old daughter in perfect health ? S is set to have the heart that s ? Packs , but with very strong palpitations at night when ? She went to her room to lie down , it looked like that ? It had an errand ! She was also the insomnia ? Accompanied by head pain on a daily basis ! I had to give him Tylenol every day ( a 10 year old !) . I l ? 've Brought consult his pediatrician who made her exams and that ? Electrocardiogram that n ? Revealed no problems. In the morning she went to ? School as a zombie and she was an excellent student saw his academic performance plummet .
C ? Was at this time that I started to talk about our symptoms and m ? Has recommended ? Inspect our environment, our lifestyle. Nothing ? Had changed except ... EXCEPT that I ? Have discovered that ? Smart meters had been installed in the interior of the house where we lived ? . J ? Had read that the owner had done something to fix the heating system of the dual-energy months ago no more. This counter that had recently been installed was located above our room on the second floor, the ? Inside the house ( within 3 meters) diagonally with my daughter's room and contacted a router located in a pole in front of the house . J ? Then did research to see if ? There was d ? Others who had the same symptoms as us. J ? 've Discovered many ! The cause of their health problems : one or more smart meters !
We had to leave this place become unbearable where we were staying for more than 7 years. Today ? Today we moved into a house WITHOUT smart meter . We still have an old meter wheels. More ? Insomnia, heart palpitations more , more headaches, our problems have mostly disappeared , except the ? EHS . I can not be in the presence of WiFi, it gives me great pain, I get aching with headaches and heart palpitations. When I spend more than fifteen minutes in ? Computer, I feel shock in the hand with which j ? Uses the mouse. If I go to public places where there is WiFi I feel it immediately. C ? Very unpleasant and suffering leg joints block me , language m ? Numb and I feel strong pressures that pull at the base of the neck. The proximity of cell phones m ? Also greatly upsets , it seems that the heart wants me out of the chest and it causes me discomfort very large . My daughter who is now 12 has the same symptoms but lighter? his young age , the damaged cells regenerate again.
I can hardly go out in public places since WIFI is almost everywhere ( bus , universities, cafes , medical clinics, dental clinics , etc. . ) And everyone is glued to their cell phones. I can not take any more contracts on the outside of the house for my work? . Today ? Hui I can not go in large companies for the development of training . I'm barely in ? Groceries or I'm only able to stay that ? Maximum 20 minutes, otherwise it will take me the rest of the day to recover. I am isolated , almost reclusive . I find this very unfortunate situation. I never like it , even my worst enemy. "
Valerie B.
Diane L.
--------------
" Hydro- Québec meters were installed in late January and early February 2012 in my neighborhood. I sent a notice of non-consent, which clearly indicates that I wanted to keep my electromechanical meters . So far so good. Despite the pressure that my tenant has received at that time and I had to reassure them that I was doing it , Hydro respected my choice without frais.Je told myself then that I would be protected from electromagnetic waves and that I would have nothing to fear. Please note that in my house , there is no technology microwave .
To April , I started having pain ( like an electric shock ) in the teeth, I did not too focused attention. Then followed headaches , numbness in my face and insomnia (rather than fall asleep around midnight it is mostly to 2am as I do and I further wake up at least once during my short nights of sleep) . Then , pain in the ears of the pressure in the eye. Later in the month of May, I lost my appetite . I am now repeating sinusitis, then I have palpitations, to the point that I feel that the heart will take me out of the chest.
Since the beginning of June , I happen to have an electric current that goes through my legs. To top it all , the almost constant tiredness and recently I saw memory problems appear. These symptoms are often present and appeared gradually, headache , it is constant. And please note that I 've never had a headache steadily as is currently the case. Apart from migraines due to premenstrual syndrome and menopause are missing since 2000 , I 've never been a person who had a headache .
(...) The fact is that even if I did not meter "smart" in my house , on the wall of the neighboring house which is about 3 meters from my house there are four (4 ) of these meters that emit 33,000 mW/m2 2 meters of these counters . This result is in my living room , there is a reading of 19,000 mW/m2 at my head, where the constant head aches since this is where I sat most often before knowing where my problem was .
(...) Because of the position of these counters on the house next door , I am confined to live most of the time in my basement because concrete more effectively cut the microwave. After half an hour sitting in my living room, the headache begins. Recently, I did a one-week trip to Cuba. I did not feel any of these symptoms to the point where I wondered if I had changed country the day of my retirement coming. If nothing happens about it. This is a solution I envisage . "
Christiane D
-----------
" This letter is to inform you of my desire to remove three counters / transmitters were installed in my house the ? Last fall . Since ? Installing these devices j ? Have seen a significant change in the quality of my sleep . My room is located directly above the equipment and as no other changes to my environment n ? Occurred since I connect my sleep problems directly to the waves emitted by the new equipment . ? J experiences since then : insomnia, frequent waking , agitation, drastic dry mouth at night , digestive problems with nausea , loss of appetite? . I also feel throbbing headaches and vision problems , blurred vision , trouble concentrating , confusion and heart palpitations. All these ailments affect my mood , I? Feel more and more ? Impatience, and affect my work day ? Also done in my house. To find a more peaceful sleep I now sleep on the floor in my living room which , you will agree , is far ? Be the ideal or normal when ? Owns one of our home ? . So I ask you to come and collect free three ( 3) facilities that are in my basement as soon as possible so that I could get the full enjoyment of all parts of my house. "
Joanne D
-------------
" My problems started with dizziness , I've Been for a month to be stunned by the slightest movement, I could not move , m ? Extend or bend me without having the impression? D ? Being in a carousel rotating at a breakneck speed . Then it was strong headache, j ? Had the sides of the swollen head , my glasses amounts m ? Sank in the head and remained depressed when I withdrew . I could also feel my head behind a large bulge that I don? Had not usually . Then my tongue ? S is set to m ? Numb . Shortly after I started having heart palpitations when I was in the living room and around my room. I also felt overnight burns intense knees.
I've Always had a great sleep , never problems ? Insomnia all my life, but then I started to make the ? Insomnia ! My sleep was cut , sometimes at 2:00 h, d ? Sometimes at 4:00 am, I completely electrified n ? Was more able to sleep again ! I m ? Awoke with blurred vision , eye contour that tingling and buzzing ears. As if it whistled . My husband , in perfect health and aged 45 , s ? Also awakened at odd times with the same symptoms , but , he saw his double psoriasis , spots like a leopard began to appear on his chest and more headaches and heart palpitations.
J ? Had every morning in the habit of filling my crossword puzzle , but then I don? Was even able to get a word . I am also looking for my words when I spoke and lacked consistency, I don? Arrived more to do my job , I? Was tired all the time . I no longer participated in family conversations as before, I repliais on myself. One morning I woke up with half numb face. J ? Got very very scared.
Meanwhile, my 10 year old daughter in perfect health ? S is set to have the heart that s ? Packs , but with very strong palpitations at night when ? She went to her room to lie down , it looked like that ? It had an errand ! She was also the insomnia ? Accompanied by head pain on a daily basis ! I had to give him Tylenol every day ( a 10 year old !) . I l ? 've Brought consult his pediatrician who made her exams and that ? Electrocardiogram that n ? Revealed no problems. In the morning she went to ? School as a zombie and she was an excellent student saw his academic performance plummet .
C ? Was at this time that I started to talk about our symptoms and m ? Has recommended ? Inspect our environment, our lifestyle. Nothing ? Had changed except ... EXCEPT that I ? Have discovered that ? Smart meters had been installed in the interior of the house where we lived ? . J ? Had read that the owner had done something to fix the heating system of the dual-energy months ago no more. This counter that had recently been installed was located above our room on the second floor, the ? Inside the house ( within 3 meters) diagonally with my daughter's room and contacted a router located in a pole in front of the house . J ? Then did research to see if ? There was d ? Others who had the same symptoms as us. J ? 've Discovered many ! The cause of their health problems : one or more smart meters !
We had to leave this place become unbearable where we were staying for more than 7 years. Today ? Today we moved into a house WITHOUT smart meter . We still have an old meter wheels. More ? Insomnia, heart palpitations more , more headaches, our problems have mostly disappeared , except the ? EHS . I can not be in the presence of WiFi, it gives me great pain, I get aching with headaches and heart palpitations. When I spend more than fifteen minutes in ? Computer, I feel shock in the hand with which j ? Uses the mouse. If I go to public places where there is WiFi I feel it immediately. C ? Very unpleasant and suffering leg joints block me , language m ? Numb and I feel strong pressures that pull at the base of the neck. The proximity of cell phones m ? Also greatly upsets , it seems that the heart wants me out of the chest and it causes me discomfort very large . My daughter who is now 12 has the same symptoms but lighter? his young age , the damaged cells regenerate again.
I can hardly go out in public places since WIFI is almost everywhere ( bus , universities, cafes , medical clinics, dental clinics , etc. . ) And everyone is glued to their cell phones. I can not take any more contracts on the outside of the house for my work? . Today ? Hui I can not go in large companies for the development of training . I'm barely in ? Groceries or I'm only able to stay that ? Maximum 20 minutes, otherwise it will take me the rest of the day to recover. I am isolated , almost reclusive . I find this very unfortunate situation. I never like it , even my worst enemy. "
Valerie B.
READ MORE , PLEASE GO TO http://www.cqlpe.ca/Bulletins/Numero38.htm
Jean
Jean
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When a utility installs smart meters, it assumes they will make it easier to spot energy theft.
What a utility may not realize, however, is that smart meters also make it easier for clever hackers to steal power.
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Charges have been dismissed against one of two Naperville women who stood in the way of crews attempting to install wireless, electronic smart meters on their homes in January 2013
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Worcester City Council Massachusetts - Smart Meter Concerns
About Smart Meters Special #2
http://www.wccatv.com/video/about-smart-meters/asmSpecial2
On 1/13/14 National Grid presented its request for variances for the towers for the Smart Meter/Smart Energy Solutions program to the Worcester Zoning Board of Appeals. 25 informed residents testified for one to three minutes, including four Worcester City Councilors, two ex-ZBA officials, one WPI graduate electrical engineer with 24 patents, at least one Ph.D., a Clark University professor, many Worcester residents, concerned Massachusetts residents, and state consumer advocates. 30 minutes of National Grid and 90 minutes of citizen's commentaries.
On 1/13/14 National Grid presented its request for variances for the towers for the Smart Meter/Smart Energy Solutions program to the Worcester Zoning Board of Appeals. 25 informed residents testified for one to three minutes, including four Worcester City Councilors, two ex-ZBA officials, one WPI graduate electrical engineer with 24 patents, at least one Ph.D., a Clark University professor, many Worcester residents, concerned Massachusetts residents, and state consumer advocates. 30 minutes of National Grid and 90 minutes of citizen's commentaries.
About Smart Meters Special #3
http://www.wccatv.com/video/about-smart-meters/ABOUTSMARTMETERSSPECIAL3
1/21/14 Worcester City Council Massachusetts and Worcester residents presented 'smart' meter and infrastructure concerns to the Worcester City Council at the 1/21/14 meeting. Consumer activists informed the City Council, Mayor and Manager that radiofrequencies have been classified as a Class 2B possible human carcinogen by the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer, including those emitted by smart meters, while the DPU and utilities continue to refer to outdated health data. A Worcester resident already disabled by Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity spoke, and presented data about the health challenge, which has been overlooked by smart metering plans. Residents requested an investigation into the outreach budget expenditures, action on outstanding Council orders concerning adverse health impacts, the formation of a citizen's advisory committee, and training for area health care providers in the recognition and treatment of microwave illness. Privacy and security issues were also discussed.
http://www.wccatv.com/video/about-smart-meters/ABOUTSMARTMETERSSPECIAL3
1/21/14 Worcester City Council Massachusetts and Worcester residents presented 'smart' meter and infrastructure concerns to the Worcester City Council at the 1/21/14 meeting. Consumer activists informed the City Council, Mayor and Manager that radiofrequencies have been classified as a Class 2B possible human carcinogen by the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer, including those emitted by smart meters, while the DPU and utilities continue to refer to outdated health data. A Worcester resident already disabled by Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity spoke, and presented data about the health challenge, which has been overlooked by smart metering plans. Residents requested an investigation into the outreach budget expenditures, action on outstanding Council orders concerning adverse health impacts, the formation of a citizen's advisory committee, and training for area health care providers in the recognition and treatment of microwave illness. Privacy and security issues were also discussed.
Patricia
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Ontario Smart Meters - If it's broken, estimate
The real problem with smart metering is that it serves no useful purpose. For years Hydro has always kept records of its daily load variations on paper chart recorders, magnetic tapes, and now with modern digital systems. There is no sensible reason to keep track of exactly how much energy each individual family uses.
Hydro One has chosen to ignore the old adage: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it", but when it's someone else's money they're playing with, they tend to get careless.
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Britain risks "anarchy and chaos" if it fails to defend its smart systems from cyber attacks.
"We are extremely vulnerable if we don't protect the communications and networks to an appropriate level. I'm talking about the level of protection the government and army use for their own systems."
He fears that, once hacked, power systems can be easily manipulated, even to the point where the UK's energy network could collapse.
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Canadian Government willing to further harm entire population for $5.3 Billion Dollars
The new spectrum will result in better, stronger cellular signals that work in places such as elevators, basements and parking garages. It also will carry more data, at lower cost to the carriers, which Moore said should result in lower costs to consumers.
Robert
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Racing with the Sun
A soon to be released video is "Racing with the Sun, Protecting the planet from solar storms ahead" http://www.realityzone.com/racing.html
In just the past few decades, power grids have grown in size There are hundreds of thousands of miles of new wires acting like a global antenna to capture electromagnetic pulses from the sun and direct them into the grid. The bigger the antenna, the more energy captured. That means that, even if future eruptions are no larger than past ones, the damage could be greater than before.
Hans
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Negligence in the Tennessee School System
They have failed to look at the adverse health effects of Wi Fi radiation
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Hearing Loss in Mice after RF Exposure
Neurosci Lett. 2014 Feb 15. pii: S0304-3940(14)00108-6. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2014.02.013. [Epub ahead of print]
Immunohistochemical Localization of Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor and Glial Cell Line-derived Neurotrophic Factor in the Superior Olivary Complex of Mice after Radiofrequency Exposure.
Abstract
Raising health concerns about the biological effects from radiofrequency exposure, even with conflicting results, has prompted calls for formulation of a guideline of the biological safety level. Given the close proximity between a mobile phone and the ear, it has been suggested that the central auditory system may be detrimentally influenced by radiofrequency exposure. In the auditory system, neurotrophins are important in the regulation of neuron survival, especially mammalian cochlear neurons. Neurotrophic factors like brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) present in the auditory system are responsible for the maintenance of auditory neurons. BDNF and GDNF may protect against acoustic trauma and prevent from hearing defect. The present study applied radiofrequency at a specific absorption rate (SAR) of 1.6W/kg (E1.6) or 0W/kg group to determine the distribution of BDNF and GDNF in the nuclei of superior olivary complex (SOC). In the E1.6 group, significant decrements of BDNF immunoreactivity (IR) were noted in the lateralsuperior olive, medial superior olive, superior paraolivary nucleus and medial nucleus of the trapezoid body. GDNF IR was also significantly decreased (p<0.001) in all SOC nuclei of the E1.6 group. The decrease in the IR of these neurotrophic factors in the SOC of the E1.6 group suggests a detrimental effect of RF exposure in the auditory nuclei.
Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.
KEYWORDS:
BDNF, GDNF, Radiofrequency, Superior olivary complex (SOC), nuclei
- PMID:
- 24548626
- [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Olle
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3 Killed, 2 Hurt In W. Va. Cell Phone Tower Collapse
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (AP) — A 300-foot cell phone tower collapsed Saturday and minutes later a smaller tower fell, killing two contractors and a firefighter, authorities said.
Sharon
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The spies among us: Cell phone tracking is big business
"The corporations are collecting much more information on us than NSA ever could,"
Robert
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Sleep inside a Faraday Cage
This enclosure helps block out harmful frequencies such as radio waves, cell phone transmissions, and Wi-Fi while we sleep. With all the electro-smog bombarding us our entire lives, we figure that sleeping in a radio-free zone for 8 hours a night means that 1/3 of our lives will be spent in our natural state of vibratory harmony.
Marika
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Mobile phone infrastructure regulation in Europe: Scientific challenges and human rights protection
Claudia Roda, Susan Perry. Mobile phone infrastructure regulation in Europe: Scientific challenges and human rights protection.Environmental Science & Policy, Volume 37, March 2014, Pages 204-214.
Highlights
• We analyze wireless technology challenges for health and environmental regulation.
• We point to insufficient scientific knowledge about health effects of EMFs.
• We theorize the regulator's dilemma: risk assessment or the precautionary principle?
• We expand on human rights scholarship privileging the precautionary principle.
Abstract
As the progress of mobile phone technology accelerates throughout Europe, the regulatory framework necessary for its safe and extended use has been slow to develop. This article analyses the relationship between scientific knowledge and regulation concerning the heath effects of increasing emissions of electromagnetic fields (EMF). From a conservationist perspective, no other example of industrial impact on the natural environment has achieved such extended penetration so quickly. From a theoretical standpoint, stakeholders are faced with a difficult choice between comprehensive risk assessment versus immediate application of the precautionary principle. By exploring the interaction between citizens, governments, and international bodies, we first analyze the challenges faced by regulators in the presence of uncertain scientific knowledge and standards of measurement. We then highlight the inadequacy of current risk assessment parameters. Lastly, within the context
of State and European regulation of EMF exposure, we expand scholarship on the human rights framework to protect vulnerable populations from environmental pollution. We conclude that, because scientific knowledge is incomplete, a precautionary approach is better suited to State obligations under international human rights law.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S146290111300186X
The paper is worth reading as it raises some fundamental issues about human rights, especially the need to protect children from this environmental exposure.
Following are excerpts that capture the authors' main arguments. I inserted a few comments below in brackets [ ].
Excerpts
Claudia Roda, Susan Perry. Mobile phone infrastructure regulation in Europe: Scientific challenges and human rights protection.Environmental Science & Policy, Volume 37, March 2014, Pages 204-214.
Highlights
• We analyze wireless technology challenges for health and environmental regulation.
• We point to insufficient scientific knowledge about health effects of EMFs.
• We theorize the regulator's dilemma: risk assessment or the precautionary principle?
• We expand on human rights scholarship privileging the precautionary principle.
Abstract
As the progress of mobile phone technology accelerates throughout Europe, the regulatory framework necessary for its safe and extended use has been slow to develop. This article analyses the relationship between scientific knowledge and regulation concerning the heath effects of increasing emissions of electromagnetic fields (EMF). From a conservationist perspective, no other example of industrial impact on the natural environment has achieved such extended penetration so quickly. From a theoretical standpoint, stakeholders are faced with a difficult choice between comprehensive risk assessment versus immediate application of the precautionary principle. By exploring the interaction between citizens, governments, and international bodies, we first analyze the challenges faced by regulators in the presence of uncertain scientific knowledge and standards of measurement. We then highlight the inadequacy of current risk assessment parameters. Lastly, within the context
of State and European regulation of EMF exposure, we expand scholarship on the human rights framework to protect vulnerable populations from environmental pollution. We conclude that, because scientific knowledge is incomplete, a precautionary approach is better suited to State obligations under international human rights law.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S146290111300186X
The paper is worth reading as it raises some fundamental issues about human rights, especially the need to protect children from this environmental exposure.
Following are excerpts that capture the authors' main arguments. I inserted a few comments below in brackets [ ].
Excerpts
"Economist Christian Gollier presents what he calls a ''reasonable interpretation'' of the precautionary principle (Gollier et al., 2001). When the
basic scientific data of the decision problem are uncertain, Gollier suggests that the ''learn then act'' principle should be applied only when a careful costs-benefits analysis establishes that current and future preventative actions are close substitutes for one another. In all other circumstances, there is a clear benefit in acting to prevent long-term risk."
"In the case of EMF exposure from BTS (base transceiver stations), preventative action would require application of the ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) principle to curb BTS emissions, an action that resembles reduction in exposure to tobacco smoke: the earlier reduction to exposure occurs, the fewer potential health problems. Thus, current and future preventative actions are not close substitutes; Gollier's normative paradigm would suggest application of the precautionary principle in these circumstances. This approach is reinforced by scholar-
ship on the Dutch government's vigilant response to EMF generated by electric pylons (de Jong et al., 2012). Environmental history points to the importance of acting sooner, rather than later to protect vulnerable populations and ecosystems from air and water pollution.4 Hence, from a
theoretical point of view, the regulator's dilemma may well be resolved."
" ... three questions underlie the debate about the safe use of mobile phones and BTS: Do EMFs generated by mobile phone technology affect human health? If so, what are the appropriate safety standards? And finally, who is responsible for BTS installation, implementation and monitoring?"
"While numerous scientific studies report that exposure to EMF has an impact on human tissues and cell development (reviews are provided in: Bioinitiative Report, 2012; Genuis, 2008; IARC, 2013; Kostoff and Lau, 2013; Levitt and Lai, 2010), experts do not agree on how much exposure may lead to health risks for adults or children and some research results seem to contradict previous results (e.g. Consales et al., 2012; Feychting and Forssen, 2006; Gaestel, 2010; Merhi, 2012; Sommer et al., 2009). One trend is clear, however – the number of recently published, peer-reviewed scientific studies that link EMF exposure to health risks is expanding rapidly and appearing in extremely well-respected journals; see, for example, Foliart et al. (2006), Green et al. (1999), and Lowenthal et al. (2007) for ELF effects; Aldad et al. (2012), Aslan et al. (2013), Christ et al. (2010), Gutschi et al. (2011), Hardell et al. (2005, 2013), and Panagopoulos and Margaritis (2010) for RF effects caused by the use of wireless devices; and Abdel-Rassoul et al. (2007), Khurana et al. (2010), Levitt and Lai (2010), Otitoloju et al. (2010), and Shahbazi-Gahrouei et al. (2013) for RF effects caused by exposure to BTS stations.
Effects have been reported on the reproductive system (Agarwal et al., 2009; La Vignera et al., 2012; Otitoloju et al., 2010; Panagopoulos and Margaritis, 2010), on foetal and neonatal development (Aldad et al., 2012; Divan et al., 2008; Li et al., 2012), on increased risk of childhood leukaemia, adult brain tumours and acoustic neuromas (Hardell et al., 2005, 2013; Kheifets et al., 2010; Levis et al., 2011), on breast cancer
(Chen et al., 2013; Erren, 2001), and on neurodegenerative diseases (Hug et al., 2006); EMF exposure has also been linked to sleep disturbance (Abelin et al., 2005; Shahbazi-Gahrouei et al., 2013) headaches, memory changes, and depressive symptoms (Abdel-Rassoul et al., 2007; Hagstro¨m et al., 2013); numerous effects on plants and animals have also been reported (Cucurachi et al., 2013). Although more studies report
effects on human health due to mobile phone use rather than proximity to BTS radiation, scientists indicate that 'the two kinds of radiation are very similar and effects produced by mobile phones at certain distances, can be extrapolated to represent effects from base station antennas, of the same type of radiation, at about 100 times longer distances' (Panagopoulos, 2011, p. 12)."
[The authors cite more research as evidence of risk to humans from long-term exposure to BTS radiation.]
[Scientists in the problem minimization camp would accuse this paper of not providing a balanced, comprehensive assessment of the scientific literature. They talk about the weight of the evidence and take comfort in the fact that about half of the studies find bioeffects or harmful health effects and half do not. They believe it is irrelevant that industry-funded studies are much less likely to find harmful effects than other studies. They would also take umbrage at the paper's critical assessment of the international standard setting body, ICNIRP.]
"Thus, as the number of BTS increases, more people are living in close proximity to a mobile phone tower than ever before.6 The only way to reduce the biological impact of exposure to electromagnetic fields is either to reduce the number of BTS or their transmission power. This means that either fewer customers will be served at the same time, which could be a problem in densely populated European cities, or that these same customers will be served, but with a lower data transmission rate.7 A lower data rate may imply, for example, that access to Web sites and emails is available, but video download is not. Consequently, the application of the ALARA principle regarding health risks needs to be weighed against the benefits of accessibility required by the Digital Agenda for Europe (see Footnote 1)... When the health risk cannot be determined with sufficient certainty, the precautionary principle should be applied as recommended by Council of Europe Resolution 1815 (Council of Europe, 2011)."
"There is a good deal of controversy over the reliability of the ICNIRP guidelines (as well as other, less referenced, guidelines), which are questioned on several grounds:
(1) A possible conflict of interest exists between the ICNIRP and the telecoms industry and has been raised in the report to the Council of Europe (Huss, 2011) that eventually led to the adoption of Resolution 1815.9
"Regulatory bodies that are tasked with appropriate protective actions for EMF exposure are in a difficult situation: research aimed at assessing its potential danger has so far produced mixed results (especially for long-term exposure), and controversies are not limited to the magnitude of values that would limit health hazards, but also extend to the definition of what should actually be measured. The difficulty in establishing measurement standards, as well as the scarcity of long-term impact studies of EMF on the living environment, may explain why the WHO has only recently recognized the danger related to radiofrequency fields and maintains a classification of 'possibly' carcinogenic to humans (IARC-WHO, 2011). And yet, issues remain, such as which policy framework should be applied when evidence of risk is inconclusive, and whether the burden of proof should be on demonstrating risk or on demonstrating the safety of the technology (the latter being regularly applied to medical products)."
"As mobile-phone technology has progressed from first to fourth generation, requiring ever more powerful antennae, the Council of Europe responded in 2011 with Resolution 1815 (Council of Europe, 2011), a set of non-binding norms defining an emissions limit of .6 V/m for wireless devices, along with recommendations to reduce 'threshold values for relay antennae in accordance with the ALARA principle and install systems for comprehensive and continuous monitoring of all antennae' (Council of Europe, 2011, Section 8.4.3). Resolution 1815 also articulates strategies for better protection of children. But, these guidelines do not have the power of law. The Council must thus rely on its 47 members to regulate electromagnetic emission levels at the national or municipal level."
"Government responses have often been contradictory, since public officials are guided by the conflicting needs of protecting citizens' health, responding to the commercial logic of the telecom companies (frequently major employers within their jurisdictions), and meeting the obligations of information accessibility under the Digital Agenda for Europe."
Conclusions
Joel M. Moskowitz, Ph.D.
Director, Center for Family and Community Health
School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley
Center: http://cfch.berkeley.edu
Electromagnetic Radiation Safety
Website: http://www.saferemr.com
[Scientists in the problem minimization camp would accuse this paper of not providing a balanced, comprehensive assessment of the scientific literature. They talk about the weight of the evidence and take comfort in the fact that about half of the studies find bioeffects or harmful health effects and half do not. They believe it is irrelevant that industry-funded studies are much less likely to find harmful effects than other studies. They would also take umbrage at the paper's critical assessment of the international standard setting body, ICNIRP.]
"Thus, as the number of BTS increases, more people are living in close proximity to a mobile phone tower than ever before.6 The only way to reduce the biological impact of exposure to electromagnetic fields is either to reduce the number of BTS or their transmission power. This means that either fewer customers will be served at the same time, which could be a problem in densely populated European cities, or that these same customers will be served, but with a lower data transmission rate.7 A lower data rate may imply, for example, that access to Web sites and emails is available, but video download is not. Consequently, the application of the ALARA principle regarding health risks needs to be weighed against the benefits of accessibility required by the Digital Agenda for Europe (see Footnote 1)... When the health risk cannot be determined with sufficient certainty, the precautionary principle should be applied as recommended by Council of Europe Resolution 1815 (Council of Europe, 2011)."
"There is a good deal of controversy over the reliability of the ICNIRP guidelines (as well as other, less referenced, guidelines), which are questioned on several grounds:
(1) A possible conflict of interest exists between the ICNIRP and the telecoms industry and has been raised in the report to the Council of Europe (Huss, 2011) that eventually led to the adoption of Resolution 1815.9
- (2) It has been argued that ICNIRP's reference levels do not actually ensure that corresponding basic restrictions are met. In particular, Georgiou explains that using the electric field strength reference level for expressing EMF radiation exposure limits, as several countries do and the Council of Europe recommends (Council of Europe, 2011), may misrepresent the SAR basic restrictions10 (Georgiou, 2010).
- (3) The measures used to define basic restrictions are contested. Some scientists argue that both SAR and power density measures have several limitations, including the fact that 'the existing standardized phantom is not optimal for SAR measurements of large base station antennas' (Hansson et al., 2011, p. 664), that current SAR recommendations do not take into account 'the smaller size and greater physiological vulnerability and increased absorption to the heads of children and females' (Han et al., 2010, p. 301), and that SAR needs to be integrated with other measures in order to be a useful tool for the evaluation of health risks associated with EMF exposure (Belyaev, 2010 and Fragopoulou et al., 2010).
- (4) Most contentious, the ICNIRP guidelines do not offer protection against non-thermal effects of EMFs, particularly with respect to prolonged exposure (Belyaev, 2010, Bioinitiative Report, 2007, Bioinitiative Report, 2012 and Blackman, 2009). In fact, current restrictions are based only on short-term thermal health effects, because the ICNIRP committee concluded that 'Whilst it is in principle impossible to disprove the possible existence of non-thermal interactions, the plausibility of various non-thermal mechanisms that have been proposed is very low' (ICNIRP, 2009, p. 260).
"Regulatory bodies that are tasked with appropriate protective actions for EMF exposure are in a difficult situation: research aimed at assessing its potential danger has so far produced mixed results (especially for long-term exposure), and controversies are not limited to the magnitude of values that would limit health hazards, but also extend to the definition of what should actually be measured. The difficulty in establishing measurement standards, as well as the scarcity of long-term impact studies of EMF on the living environment, may explain why the WHO has only recently recognized the danger related to radiofrequency fields and maintains a classification of 'possibly' carcinogenic to humans (IARC-WHO, 2011). And yet, issues remain, such as which policy framework should be applied when evidence of risk is inconclusive, and whether the burden of proof should be on demonstrating risk or on demonstrating the safety of the technology (the latter being regularly applied to medical products)."
"As mobile-phone technology has progressed from first to fourth generation, requiring ever more powerful antennae, the Council of Europe responded in 2011 with Resolution 1815 (Council of Europe, 2011), a set of non-binding norms defining an emissions limit of .6 V/m for wireless devices, along with recommendations to reduce 'threshold values for relay antennae in accordance with the ALARA principle and install systems for comprehensive and continuous monitoring of all antennae' (Council of Europe, 2011, Section 8.4.3). Resolution 1815 also articulates strategies for better protection of children. But, these guidelines do not have the power of law. The Council must thus rely on its 47 members to regulate electromagnetic emission levels at the national or municipal level."
"Government responses have often been contradictory, since public officials are guided by the conflicting needs of protecting citizens' health, responding to the commercial logic of the telecom companies (frequently major employers within their jurisdictions), and meeting the obligations of information accessibility under the Digital Agenda for Europe."
[As a case study, the authors discuss the controversy surrounding the adoption and implementation of BTS policy in Paris and France.]
"International human rights law constitutes a possible means to address the current regulatory impasse. The painstaking work after the end of the Second World War to build an edifice of binding international treaties, ranging from the international bill of human rights to more specific protection for women, children and minorities, culminated with the entry into force of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in November 1989. Recent international instruments, such as the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises or the Ruggie Report, oblige State parties to 'protect, respect and remedy' human rights violations by businesses against individuals or groups, bringing corporations into the international human rights paradigm through State compliance with binding treaty law."
"Articles 3, 6 and 24 of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child (United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, 1989) constitute a legally binding responsibility on the part of States Parties to protect children from verified and potential threats to health and safety. We have argued, in a submission to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, that electromagnetic pollution poses a critical threat to the 'highest attainable standards of health' for children, as articulated in article 24 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and can be analyzed using constructs similar to those employed to assess trafficking and forced labour violations involving minors (Perry et al., 2012). Scientists from both industry and the academy recognize that children's physiology places them at greater risk to electromagnetic pollution from mobile phones and BTS (see Section 3.1), triggering stricter legal thresholds and precautions under articles 2 and 3 of the Convention. Regular testing of emission limits by an independent body of experts, with 'appropriate sanctions' for widespread or systematic pollution under article 32 of the Convention, coupled with regular monitoring of both voluntary and legally binding compliance by the telecoms industry, constitutes a minimum level of protection as required by the Convention (Perry et al., 2012). According to the Convention, decisions on where to place BTS and on what constitutes safe levels of EMF exposure for children should be made by competent health specialists guided by viable national legislation that requires public consultation and the lowest emissions possible in proximity to day-care and schools. The principle of precaution thus functions as a guiding standard when determining how to evaluate environmental risk with respect to children."Conclusions
"We have explored the difficulties inherent to EMF emission regulation and argued that they are due to a lack of scientific knowledge on long-term impact, along with a contested understanding of what constitutes appropriate assessment of risk. We have demonstrated how inadequate regulation on BTS emissions has generated contradictory policies at the national and local level, and has failed to reassure citizens that their health and the health of their children is sufficiently protected. Given this situation we have posited that the human rights framework to 'protect, respect and remedy' vulnerable populations from corporate violations of international law should also apply to State and European regulation of EMF exposure. In particular we have explained how the dearth of legislation to regulate the installation of BTS in close proximity to children's facilities and schools clearly constitutes a human rights concern according to the language of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, a treaty that has been ratified by all European States.
If we are to deliver on the promise of digital technology to enhance democratic dialogue and facilitate human lifestyles, then we have to make sure it is environmentally safe to use – particularly for the generations to come."
--Joel M. Moskowitz, Ph.D.
Director, Center for Family and Community Health
School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley
Center: http://cfch.berkeley.edu
Electromagnetic Radiation Safety
Website: http://www.saferemr.com
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W.E.E.P. – The Canadian initiative to stop: Wireless Electrical and Electromagnetic Pollution
