Monday, April 30, 2012

Vote YES to BCCPAC Wireless-Free School of Choice Resolution #17 at upcoming AGM on May 26, 2012

Vote  YES ! 

Dear Parents and Grandparents,

Please support Resolution #17 "Parent Choice Regarding Exposure to EMF Emissions" at the upcoming BCCPAC (BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils) Annual General Meeting on May 26, 2012. This resolution is not asking to remove Wi-Fi from all schools, but to provide wireless-free schools of choice. (Similar to French immersion, Montessori, or schools that emphasize a certain subject/sport, which are already available in BC.) It has taken hundreds of hours of work and debate in the BCCPAC Safety Committee to advance this resolution to the table. This is a much-needed opt-out solution for parents who want to follow the advice for precaution, as well as for children who have negative biological reaction to the pulsed microwave radiation emitted by Wi-Fi and wireless electronic devices in schools. These children are currently suffering physical symptoms while attending classes, or have to be withdrawn from schools because they are unable to take personal measures to avoid such exposure in campuses with Wi-Fi installed. http://www.bccpac.bc.ca/UserFiles/File/2012AGM-Spring/2012_Resolution_Book_Updated.pdf

Votes can be cast by all paid-up BCCPAC member PACs and DPACs, either by attending the AGM or by proxy votes. 

Voting Information & Proxy Rules:
Voting Instructions: 
Authorized Proxy Vote Form:
Spring Conference Registration & Program:

If you would like to support this resolution, please contact your PAC or DPAC to communicate your concern, and please share the info with other parents and grandparents.

Resolutions # 17 
Parent Choice Regarding Exposure to EMF Emissions 
from SRC Safety Wi-Fi Subcommittee

Submitted by: BCCPAC Board of Directors

Be it resolved that

BCCPAC calls on each Board of Education to have one public school at each education level (elementary, middle, secondary) that is free of Wi-Fi, cordless phones and cell phones. This school will only be equipped with wired computers and wired telephones for personal, educational and administrative purposes. This will not be required in cases where there is only one school available of that type in that district.

N.B. The above resolution was supported by some members of the Safety committee. Other members of the committee do not consider Wi-Fi a significant health risk and believe there is no need to exclude the use of Wi-Fi in any school until it is conclusively declared as being harmful by Health Canada and the World Health Organization. The committee is divided and consensus was not achievable. We refer this resolution to the membership for their consideration and decision.

Rationale:

In British Columbia, many school districts have installed Wi-Fi in recent years and other schools are now contemplating its use. At the same time, more children are using wireless technology, bringing their own cell phones and smart phones to schools.

In May, 2011, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified "Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields" "emitted by wireless communication devices" as Type 2B Possible Carcinogen (possible cancer risk to humans). The WHO report concluded that "additional research is important"; and advised the public, particularly young adults and children, to "take pragmatic measures to reduce exposure". This classification also includes Wi-Fi emissions as so affirmed by IARC experts as follows:

So the classification 2B, possibly carcinogenic, holds for all types of radiation within the radiofrequency part of the electromagnetic spectrum, including the radiation emitted by base-station antennas, radio/TV towers, radar, Wi-Fi, smart meters, etc." ”"This is what the Working Group discussed and decided last year. Of course, because the exposure levels for many of these other devices and exposure situations are so much lower than the exposure to someone who has a functioning cell phone against her/his ear, the risk will be considerably less (although the hazard still exists)."  http://www.iarc.fr/en/mediacentre/pr/2011/pdfs/pr208_E.pdf

Further information and clarifications from the WHO on this classification is here:

In October, 2011, Health Canada encouraged, “…parents to reduce children's RF (radiofrequency radiation) exposure from cell phones since children are typically more sensitive to a variety of environmental agents" and "there is currently a lack of scientific information regarding the potential health impacts of cell phones on children"; (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisoriesavis/_2011/2011_131-eng.php )

In January, 2012, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine published, "Chronic exposure to wireless radio frequency radiation is a preventable environmental hazard that is sufficiently well documented to warrant immediate preventative public health action... Children are placed at particular risk for altered brain development, and impaired learning and behaviour."

Some parents are concerned about the long-term health effects of wireless devices on children, given the long hours that children spend in schools and the fact that it is not feasible for children to take personal measures to avoid such exposure. These parents prefer to adopt the “Precautionary Principle“ by using proven wired technology solutions. In recent years some students in different school districts have reported adverse biological reactions such as headaches, dizziness, rapid heart rate, fatigue and impaired concentration when exposed to the radiofrequency emitted by Wi-Fi and wireless devices in the school environment. These students currently have no alternative to avoid such exposure while attending schools. The causal relationship of these claims is disputed by some scientists while other scientists are convinced that the symptoms experienced by these patients are valid, and that such exposure should be avoided.

Destination:
Ministry of Education
BC School Trustees Association (BCSTA)
BC Boards of Education


BC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Perry Kendall's Letter on Wi-Fi for Schools: Erroneous Representation of Radiation Data.

Using a study sponsored by Wi-Fi Alliance (companies that manufacture and sell Wi-Fi products), medical authorities are assuring parents that Wi-Fi is not dangerous. This study has nothing to do with classroom exposure. The locations measured (coffee shops, train stations, hospitals etc.) were hand-picked by the Wi-Fi Alliance members. When they measured a laptop, they measured at least 1 meter away (at least 3.3 feet; did not specify the maximum distance). This does not take into account that children are using laptops, tablets and wireless hand-held devices in close/direct contact with their bodies, and accessing the internet simultaneously in the classroom. Every one of these devices has a client's card which is a live antenna. Actual measurement of the Wi-Fi radiation signals from these devices (see videos below) are magnitudes - up to 700,000 times - higher than what's reported by the industry study.
Read full post:
http://www.safeinschool.org/2012/04/bc-chief-medical-officer-dr-perry.html

Wi-Fi and Cellphone Radiation Comparison
Here are 2 videos to illustrate the comparison between an iPad on Wi-Fi mode and an iPhone on talking mode:iPhone on Talking mode:
-Peaked at 19 μW/cm2 (microwatts/cm2)
-Continuous signal, but duration of use in talking mode likely shorter than internet browsing.
-Phone will be in direct contact with the ear and head (unless handsfree or headset are used).
-Wi-Fi was turned off on this phone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n097VN7KB_AiPad on Wi-Fi mode:
-Peaked at 70 μW/cm2; several times higher than iphone on talking mode
-Continual signals. Stop and spike every few seconds. 
-Duration of use for iPad is likely longer than talk-mode on cellphone.
-iPad will be in direct contact with the student's hands or/and lap/abdomen.
-Note that there is no Wi-Fi network available. The iPad is not even logged onto any Wi-Fi network and not downloading anything. The signals are simply from the Wi-Fi feature being turned on.
-The iPad is not on airplane mode but there is no SIM card in it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVJI-0YogGo
-In this other video, the airplane mode is on and Wi-Fi is turned on. This one peaked at 39 microwatts/cm2.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0qU2ov2U1w




N.B. The measuring “probe” of the RF meter is actually inside the middle of the spherical casing, about 1-2 cm away from the interior of the shell (i.e. not "touching" the devices). In real life, the radiation level in direct contact with the devices (like what the children could be doing) would be even higher.

What do the above numbers mean?


Health Canada's exposure limit is at an extremely high level of 1000 μW/cm2, while studies have found at:
0.002 μW/cm2 - Sleep disturbance and fatigue. Altpeter et al. (1995, 1997, 2005)
0.168 μW/cm2 - Progressive decrease in number of newborns and irreversible infertility in
mice after 5 generations exposure. I.N. Magras and T.D. Zenos (1997)
0.32-16.43 μW/cm2 - Attention, memory and motor function of school children significantly affected in comparison to control groups. A.A. Kolodynski and V.V. Kolodynska (1996) 
2.5 μW/cm2 - Damage to blood-brain barrier. Salford et al., (1997)

China/Russia/Italy/Poland have exposure limits at 10 μW/cm2. Switzerland's general limit is 9.5 μW/cm2 and 4.25 for sensitive areas (children, elderly, medically-challenged). The Swiss doctors' group - Physicians for the Environment - recently issued a public statement calling for reduction of their limit by 10 times, i.e. to 0.95 μW/cm2. Luxembourg/Bulgaria at 2.4 μW/cm2. Salzburg Health Department in Austria recommends only 0.001 μW/cm2 for outdoor and 0.0001 for indoor exposure. This is 10 million times more stringent than our outdated Canadian Safety Code 6 of 1000 μW/cm2. http://goo.gl/4pzyE 

Minister of Education Promoting Smartphones, Tablets and Other Electronic Devices in the Classroom. 


March 22, 2012 - Switzerland: Physicians for the Environment (MfE)
Founded 25 years ago, 1,500 physicians in Switzerland.
“From the medical point of view, it is urgent to apply the precautionary principle for mobile telephony, wifi, power lines, etc.”
http://www.safeinschool.org/2012/04/switzerland-physicians-for-environment.html

Brain Tumours

Apr 24, 2012 - UK Office of National Statistics shows a 50 per cent increase in frontal and temporal lobe tumours between 1999 and 2009.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2134382/Risks-biggest-technological-experiment-history-species-Calls-research-links-using-mobile-phones-brain-cancer.html#ixzz1tShA4PPV
Dec 15, 2011 - Brain Tumour Increase in Denmark by 40% between 2001-2010
http://newsvoice.se/2011/12/15/brain-tumour-increase-in-denmark-by-40-between-2001-2010/
Apr 26, 2009 - Child Cancer Deaths Led by Brain Tumours
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/apr/26/brain-tumour-child-cancer-deaths

Brian Tumours in the Interphone Studies:
  • For acoustic neuroma (Swedish Interphone), a 3.9-fold risk of acoustic neuroma was found for 10 or more years of cellphone use on the same side of the head where the cellphone was held (OR=3.9, 95% CI: 1.6 to 9.5). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15475713
  • For parotid gland tumors (Israeli Interphone), a 1.5-fold risk of parotid gland tumors was found for >266.3 cumulative hours of use (above the median) on the same side the head where the cellphone was held (OR=1.49, 95% CI: 1.05 to 2.13). http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/167/4/457.long
  • For glioma within the volume of brain where the tumor was located (Japanese Interphone), a 5.8-fold risk of glioma was found for >10 maxSAR-hours2 of exposure (OR=5.84, 95% CI: 0.96-35.60, p=0.051). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2410122/


New Studies Show Laptops and Cellphones Adversely Affect Children and Fetuses


USA - Yale University (2012)
Fetal Radiofrequency Radiation Exposure From 800-1900 Mhz-Rated Cellular Telephones Affects Neurodevelopment and Behavior in Mice
Here we demonstrate that fetal exposure to 800–1900 Mhz-rated radiofrequency radiation from cellular telephones leads to behavioral and neurophysiological alterations that persist into adulthood...The significant trend between the groups treated for 0, 9, 15, and 24 hours/day demonstrates that the effects are directly proportional to usage time... 

ITALY (2012)
Dept of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Reproduction Medicine, University of Siena.
ASL 7 (Local Health Agency), Prevention Dept Physical Agents Laboratory, Siena.
CNR (Italian Research Council), Institute of Applied Physics (IFAC), Florence, Italy.
Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields From Laptop Use of “Laptop” Computers

Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields From Laptop Use of “Laptop” Computers

In the LTCs analyzed, EMF values (range 1.8–6 μT) are within International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation (NIR) Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines, but are considerably higher than the values recommended by 2 recent guidelines for computer monitors magnetic field emissions, MPR II (Swedish Board for Technical Accreditation)
and TCO (Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees), and those considered risky for tumor development... the power supply induces strong intracorporal electric current densities in the fetus and in the adult subject, which are respectively 182–263% and 71–483% higher than ICNIRP 98 basic restriction recommended to prevent adverse health effects.”

RUSSIA (2011)
Russian National Committee on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection 
Psychophysiological Indicators for Child Users of Mobile Communication. Message 1: Present State of the Problem
Message 2: Results of Four-year Monitoring

"It has been shown that the children’s organism is more sensitive to this kind of exposure than the adult one. We have identified the following major trends of the psychophysiological indicators for child users of mobile communication: an increased number of phonemic perception disorders, abatement of efficiency, reduced indicators for the arbitrary and semantic memory, and increased fatigue. A steady decline of the parameters from high values to bottom standards has been found."

GREECE (2012)
University of Athens
Brain proteome response following whole body exposure of mice to mobile phone or wireless DECT base radiation (* Note DECT cordless phone bases emits the SAME 2.4 GHz frequency as Wi-Fi routers and devices)
"The observed protein expression changes may be related to brain plasticity alterations, indicative of oxidative stress in the nervous system or involved in apoptosis and might potentially explain human health hazards reported so far, such as headaches, sleep disturbance, fatigue, memory deficits, and brain tumor long-term induction under similar exposure conditions."
Summary: http://electromagnetichealth.org/electromagnetic-health-blog/mice-proteome/




TURKEY (2012)
Departments of Pediatrics, Abant Izzet Baysal University School of Medicine, Turkey.
Immunohistopathologic Demonstration Of Deleterious Effects on Growing Rat Testes of Radiofrequency Waves Emitted from Conventional Wi-Fi Devices.
“OBJECTIVE: To investigate effects on rat testes of radiofrequency radiation emitted from indoor Wi-Fi Internet access devices using 802.11.g wireless standards.
RESULTS: We observed significant increases in serum 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine levels and 8-hydroxyguanosine staining in the testes of the experimental group indicating
DNA damage due to exposure (p < 0.05). We also found decreased levels of catalase and glutathione peroxidase activity in the experimental group, which may have been due to radiofrequency effects on enzyme activity (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: These findings raise questions about the safety of radiofrequency exposure from Wi-Fi Internet access devices for growing organisms of reproductive age, with a
potential effect on both fertility and the integrity of germ cells.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22465825



Wireless Radiation Damages Fertility
http://www.safeinschool.org/2011/11/wi-fi-decreases-human-sperm-motility.html#uds-search-results
Infertility near doubled since 1992 for couples with women aging 18-44:
http://www.globalnews.ca/pages/story.aspx?id=6442582741

Read more scientific studies on the health effects of electromagnetic radiation: SafeinSchool.Org/p/scientific-studies.html 
EMRabc.ca
Wiredchild.org

European Parliaments
The Council of Europe is comprised of 47 countries and the European Parliament (EU) represents 27 countries. These two separate institutionsof European leaders have examined the issue thoroughly and come to the same conclusion regarding the need to protect citizens from electromagnetic radiation, particularly, "pregnant women, newborn babies and children." http://www.safeinschool.org/2011/05/europes-may-2011-report-calls-for-ban.html

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Updated! 2012 Expert Witness Testimonies to U.S. Court concerning Removal of Wi-Fi in Public Schools

Updated: Below are Expert Witnesses' testimonies provided under threat of perjury to the U.S. District Court of Portland, concerning removal of Wi-Fi equipment from the public schools. There is a lot of valid information in the testimonies for parents and educators to consider. These witnesses include Scientific Advisor to the European Space Agency, Presenter to the American President's Cancer Panel, Former UK Military Microwave Specialist and Physicist, University Professor in Environmental Studies, Electrical and Electronic Engineers. They all have the expertise to provide informative and qualified explanation on this issue. Their credentials are included in the testimonies.

Please share with other parents and teachers!

The following documents outline the current case...


Friday, April 27, 2012

Mobile Phones are NOT! Safe, Interview with Dr Annie Sasco, MD MPH MS Dr PH



Mobile Phones are Safe, NOT! Interview with Dr Annie Sasco, MD MPH MS Dr PH


Despite the voices of industry-funded scientists saying otherwise there is concrete evidence that mobiles/cellphones and wifi cause cancer in humans.


In 2011 the IARC reclassified them as Class 2B, possibly carcinogenic, yet they actually had enough evidence if not the balls to go further and classify them as Class 2A, probably carcinogenic.


Here Dr Annie Sasco, Harvard Doctorate, ex-Head of the IARC on cancer research, ex-cancer specialist for the WHO and now group leader of an INSERM, programme on cancer prevention in France, talks frankly in an exclusive interview about why we should be concerned - especially for children. Even if you don't use a mobile phone or wifi you are still affected. Watch this video for true facts, not industry-funded hype that there is no evidence of  harm. It could save your life.



At the 2010 Canadian Parliamentary committee hearing on Health Impacts of Microwave, Dr. Annie Sasco tesitifed, "If we want to wait for final proof, at least in terms of cancer, it may still take 20 years and the issue will become that we will not have unexposed population to act as control... But we have enough data to go ahead with a Precautionary Principle to avoid exposures which are unnecessary if our goal is to reduce somewhat the burden of cancer in the years to come and other chronic diseases."


Annie J. Sasco MD MPH MS Dr PH: Two Masters and a Doctoral degree in Epidemiology from Harvard University. Teaching fellow of Harvard University. Director of Epidemiology for Cancer Prevention in an Inserm (NIH) research unit, School of Public Health of the Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2 University in France. Training at the Bordeaux Medical School.  22 years at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in Lyon, France, including 9 years as Group Leader and then Unit Chief of Epidemiology for Cancer Prevention and 2 years as Acting Chief of the Cancer Control Programme of the World Health Organization (WHO).

BC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Perry Kendall's Letter on Wi-Fi for Schools: Erroneous Representation of Radiation Data.

Using a study sponsored by Wi-Fi Alliance (companies that manufacture and sell Wi-Fi products), medical authorities are assuring parents that Wi-Fi is not dangerous. This study has nothing to do with classroom exposure. The locations measured (coffee shops, train stations, hospitals etc.) were hand-picked by the Wi-Fi Alliance members.

When they measured a laptop, they measured at distances of "1 meter or more" away (3.3 feet or more; did not specify the maximum distance). This does not take into account that children are using laptops, tablets and wireless hand-held devices in close/direct contact with their bodies, and accessing the internet simultaneously in the classroom. Every one of these devices has a client's card which is a live antenna. Actual measurement of the Wi-Fi radiation signals from these devices (see videos below) are magnitudes - up to 700,000 times - higher than reported by the industry study.

Dr. Perry Kendall's letter sent to the Ministry of Education and all the School Districts included a statement that Wi-Fi exposure is "less than 1% [ WRONG ] of what is received during typical cellphone use." http://www.sd62.bc.ca/portals/0/PDFs/IT/WiFi_Letter.pdf

He quoted a study by Foster (2007):
"Foster measured Wi-Fi radiofrequency levels at 53 sites in Europe and the US, and found that levels were below those contributed by other radiofrequency sources (typically including cell phone base stations, FM radio transmissions, and radiofrequency emissions from microwave ovens).
Also, in an interesting comparison with a pre-cell phone world, Foster showed that the median power density measured over 70-3000 MHz was similar to what was measured over 50-900 MHz in 1980 in US cities (Foster, 2007)
".

Dr. Kendall's "less than 1%" is inaccurate. Using the Foster study to back up his assurance to school trustees, school administrators and parents makes no sense. 

This is Foster's 2007 study: http://www.medfordumc.org/celltower/wifirfexposure.pdf

P.2 "This study, supported by the Wi-Fi Alliance [companies that manufacture and sell Wi-Fi products]...
"The locations were chosen... in part to benefit from assistance of employees of member firms of the Wi-Fi Alliance to help with local arrangements.

"No attempt was made to provide a statistically valid sample of RF energy from WLANs in all environments in which a person might be located, however that may be defined.

P.7 "If there were a scientific need to obtain a statistically valid sample of all WLAN fields in the environment, that would require a study of different design than the present survey.

Measuring routers: P.3  "an access point [router] could be identified protruding from the ceiling or mounted on a wall, and measurements were made... usually by holding the meter at waist height while standing near the AP. In other cases [how many?]... no APs were visible and measurements were made in a convenient [unspecified] location.

Measuring laptop: P.10 "All of the present measurements were conducted at distances of approximately 1
 [1 meter / 3.3 feet; maximum distance not specified]  or more from the client card in a laptop computer... The user of a laptop would be exposed to stronger fields than reported here, particularly if the antenna in the client card were close to the user’s body. No attempt was made in this study to assess near-field exposures to a user of the laptop itself.
P.9 "if the AP or client card were transmitting with a high duty cycle, its output would be comparable to that of a mobile telephone in use."

First, this study (survey?) was not conducted with children in mind. 


Second, this study was not done for a classroom scenario** where there are multiple wireless laptops close to students' bodies, where there are iPads in their hands and smart phones in their faces. In the study they measured ONE METER OR MORE FROM A LAPTOP. Obviously our children do not have arms longer than one meter (3.3 feet) to type on the keyboards of their laptops, tablets and iPodTouches. Even adults would not be sitting "1 meter or more" from their laptops/ Laptops and tablets often rest right on their laps.


This is a ridiculous way to measure radiation. While public health officials preach about the need for proper study-design, they seem to have no problem accepting this kind of industry-supported psuedoscience, and cite it repeatedly to the unaware public. Is children's safety really their priority? 

Third, the Foster study only presented "average" measurements. They did not mention any peak level radiation (which can damage cell membrane). This is like saying that driving a car at 200 km/hr for 5 mins every hour is not dangerous, because the "average" speed including when the car is slow and when it stops at the red light comes to only 25km/hr. Similarly, if you stab at someone with a knife, can you claim the force of the knife averaged over 6 mins is low, therefore the harm is negligible? This study is an industry-sponsored and designed study to let the industry advertise that Wi-Fi emission levels are very low. These reported figures are not applicable to the exposure on our children in schools. 

This study was done in 2006 when the use of wireless was a lot less extensive than now, 6 years later. Nowadays, we are not able to predict nor quantify how much the children are touching the devices, how often they load a page or whether they will be streaming videos with non-stop signals, whether they are using laptops or iPad, iPodTouch, smart phones etc. With the Ministry of Education encouraging students to use more tablets and electronic devices in the classrooms ("BYOD" - bring your own device), we need to be realistic that transmission duty cycles are getting higher and higher. 

So Foster said it: "Comparable to that of a mobile telephone in use"!

Dr. Kendall, please correct your numbers.

Here are 2 videos to illustrate the comparison between an iPad on Wi-Fi mode and an iPhone on talking mode:

iPhone on Talking mode:
-Peaked at 19 
μW/cm2 (microwatts/cm2)
-Continuous signal, but duration of use likely shorter.
-Phone will be in direct contact with the ear and head (unless handsfree or headset are used).
-Wi-Fi was turned off on this phone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n097VN7KB_A

iPad on Wi-Fi mode:

-Peaked at 70 μW/cm2; several times higher than iphone on talking mode
-Continual signals. Stop and spike every few seconds. 
-Duration of use for iPad is likely longer than talk-mode on cellphone.
-iPad will be in direct contact with the student's hands or/and lap/abdomen.
-Note that there is no Wi-Fi network available. The iPad is not even logged onto any Wi-Fi network and not downloading anything. The signals are simply from the Wi-Fi feature being turned on.
-The iPad is not on airplane mode but there is no SIM card in it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVJI-0YogGo
-In this other video, the airplane mode is on and Wi-Fi is turned on. This one peaked at 39 microwatts/cm2.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0qU2ov2U1w

N.B. The measuring “probe” of the RF meter is actually inside the middle of the spherical casing, about 1-2 cm away from the interior of the shell (i.e. not "touching" the devices). In real life, the radiation level in direct contact with the devices (like what the children could be doing) would be even higher.

What do the above numbers mean?

Health Canada's exposure limit is at an extremely high level of 1000 μW/cm2, while studies have found at:
0.002 μW/cm2 - Sleep disturbance and fatigue. Altpeter et al. (1995, 1997, 2005)
0.168 μW/cm2 - Progressive decrease in number of newborns and irreversible infertility in
mice after 5 generations exposure. I.N. Magras and T.D. Zenos (1997)

0.32-16.43 μW/cm2 - Attention, memory and motor function of school children significantly affected in comparison to control groups. A.A. Kolodynski and V.V. Kolodynska (1996) 
2.5 μW/cm2 - Damage to blood-brain barrier. Salford et al., (1997)


China/Russia/Italy/Poland have exposure limits at 10 μW/cm2. Switzerland's general limit is 9.5 μW/cm2 and 4.25 for sensitive areas (children, elderly, medically-challenged). The Swiss doctors' group - Physicians for the Environment - recently issued a public statement calling for reduction of their limit by 10 times, i.e. to 0.95 μW/cm2. Luxembourg/Bulgaria at 2.4 μW/cm2. Salzburg Health Department in Austria recommends only 0.001 μW/cm2 for outdoor and 0.0001 for indoor exposure.  http://goo.gl/4pzyE 

Read more:


Minister of Education Promoting Smartphones, Tablets and Other Electronic Devices in the Classroom 

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=dbbb0c19-7993-4170-87f0-d9304f9300c2

iPad iPhone Wi-Fi Radiation and Magnetic Fields
http://www.safeinschool.org/2012/01/ipad-iphone-wi-fi-radiation-and.html

21st Century Learning: Higher Radiation from iPads on WiFi than Cellphones that are Actively Transmitting

http://www.safeinschool.org/2013/03/health-canadas-wifi-myth.html

iPad User Manual's Safety Warning and Disclaimer. Have You Read It?
http://www.safeinschool.org/2013/04/ipad-user-manuals-safety-warning-and.html

Scientific Studies on the Biological Effects of pulsed microwave radiation:
http://www.safeinschool.org/p/scientific-studies.html


** Out of those 55 locations selected for the study, 35 were coffee shops, fast food outlets, general merchants, tourist visitor center; 6 were homes and hotel rooms; 4 were office areas; 6 were train stations and outdoor environments. Only 4 locations were categorized under a combined heading of  "Hospitals/health care facilities, universities" but no mentioning of classroom at all. This study has absolutely nothing to do with students using Wi-Fi in the classroom, and yet it has been cited by the Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion, the Chief Medical Officer of BC, the Chief Medical Officer of Richmond and more, as an unfounded reference for the use of Wi-Fi in schools.



Switzerland: Physicians for the Environment (MfE) Calling for the Application of the Precautionary Principle and Reduction in Exposure Limit of Electromagnetic Radiation


March 22, 2012 - Switzerland: Physicians for the Environment (MfE)
Founded 25 years ago, the association of Physicians for the Environment (MfE) joins together around 1,500 physicians in Switzerland.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) considers the waves emitted by wireless communication “possibly carcinogenic”.  According to the IARC, the risk of cancer for this type of radiation is thus similar to that of the insecticide DDT, rightly banned.  Physicians for the Environment (MfE) is concerned that the limit values expected to protect the Swiss population, notably vulnerable groups such as children and pregnant women, constitute insufficient protection.  In a communication sent to the Federal Assembly, MfE thus requests strict application of the principle of precaution and – in view of the risk of cancer – lower limit values.

Children’s rooms, housing, trams or offices are experiencing a growing exposure to radiation from diverse sources:  babyphones, mobile telephony, wifi, etc., yet more and more studies warn against the serious health consequences of electromagnetic pollution for human beings and animals.

Cataracts in calves, Alzheimer’s Disease, cancer …
Since 2001, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) considered that magnetic fields emitted notably from current lines could be carcinogenic.  A 2008 Swiss study postulates increased risk of contracting Alzheimer’s Disease for residents living near power lines.  Other studies on the risk of brain tumors establish a higher risk for this pathology in the case of mobile phone use.  This is why the IARC, part of the United Nations, considered in 2011 that waves from mobile telephony are possibly carcinogenic”.  In 2012, the University of Zürich noted a 10 times higher prevalence of blindness from birth (cataracts) in calves during the duration of operation of a relay antenna [i.e cellphone tower] installed on a stable.

Strict application of the precautionary principle, lowering of limit values
From the medical point of view, it is urgent to apply the precautionary principle for mobile telephony, wifi, power lines, etc.” states Dr. Peter Kälin, President of Physicians for the Environment.  The Austrian Medical Chamber has moreover just formulated the same requirement in regard to smart meters.  In a communication dated 16 March 2012 to the Federal Council of the Federal Assembly, Physicians for the Environment requested to divide the value limits by 10.  Dr. Yvonne Gilli, National Councillor, has repeated the demands of the MfE in requesting the Federal Council, if it has to protect the population, to apply the precautionary principle and to lower limit values.

Contact:
Dr Martin Forter, Bâle, directeur MfE 061 691 55 83
Dr en médecine Peter Kälin, Leukerbad, président Mfe 027 470 21 77

The communication to the Federal Assembly and parlementary intervention of Yvonne Gilli are available in German on www.aefu.ch.


Note that Switzerland currrently has an exposure limit 100 times LOWER than Health Canada's. This new call by the Swiss doctors is to further lower it to 1/1000 times of Health Canada's, which is way below what wireless tablets and phones emit.

Guideline of the Austrian Medical Association for the diagnosis and treatment of EMF related health problems and illnesses (EMF syndrome)


The Austria Medical Association represents 40,772 doctors in Austria - 100% of their medical workforce.

Consensus paper of the Austrian Medical Association’s EMF 

Working Group ( AG-EMF)

Adopted at the meeting of environmental medicine officers of the Regional Medical
Association´s and the Austrian Medical Association on 3rd March 2012 in Vienna.

"Many people are increasingly exposed, to various degrees, to a combination of low and high frequency electric fields (EF), magnetic fields (MF) and electromagnetic fields (EMF) of different signal patterns, intensities and technical applications for varying periods of time, colloquially referred to as electrosmog.

"Physicians are often confronted with unspecific complaints without clearly identifiable causes (Huss and Röösli 2006). It has been suspected that environmental conditions such as increasing exposure of the population to radio waves, emanating e.g. from cordless phones, mobile phone base stations, cell phones, GPRS, UMTS, data cards for laptop and notebook computers and wireless LAN (WLAN), but also exposure to electric and magnetic fields emanating from power lines, devices and equipment, may play a causal role (Blake Levitt and Lai 2010). For the medical profession, this raises new challenges in diagnosis and treatment. A central issue for the causal attribution of symptoms is the assessment of variation in health problems depending on time and location, which is particularly relevant for environmental causes such as EMF exposure..."

Full text of the Consensus Paper:

http://www.aerztekammer.at/documents/10618/976981/EMF-Guideline.pdf

Environmental Physicians Issue Stern Warning on Biological and Health Effects from Electromagnetic Field Exposures


April 12, 2012 - The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM)
Environmental Physicians Issue Stern Warning on Biological and Health Effects from Electromagnetic Field Exposures
The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) today issued a position paper on "Electromagnetic and Radiofrequency Field Effect on Human Health http://aaemonline.org/emf_rf_position.html ," including wireless technologies and smart meters.

Today's report on electromagnetic fields takes a strong stand that society must acknowledge the biological effects of electromagnetic fields, educate the population about the risks from wireless technologies, and develop safer technologies. The group, AAEM, is an international association of physicians and professionals that has been dedicated to expanding the knowledge of human health in relationship to the environment since 1965, They have been first to recognize many conditions, including Gulf War Syndrome, chemical sensitivity and the role of mold in the development of systemic illness.

In its new report, "Electromagnetic and Radiofrequency Fields Effect on Human Health http://aaemonline.org/emf_rf_position.html ," AAEM is calling for:

An immediate caution on Smart Meter installation due to potentially harmful RF exposure.
  1. Accommodation for health considerations regarding EMF and RF exposure, including exposure to wireless Smart Meter technology.
  2. Independent studies to further understand the health effects from EMF and RF exposure.
  3. Recognition that electromagnetic hypersensitivity is a growing problem worldwide.
  4. Understanding and control of this electrical environmental bombardment for the protection of society.
  5. Consideration and independent research regarding the quantum effects of EMF and RF on human health.
  6. Use of safer technology, including for Smart Meters, such as hard-wiring, fiber optics or other non-harmful methods of data transmission.
The new position paper from the American Academy of Environmental Medicine comes on the heels of AAEM's letter to the California Public Utilities Commission http://electromagnetichealth.org/electromagnetic-health-blog/halt-smart-meters/  in January 2012.

12 Highlights from The Science

In the AAEM paper, " http://aaemonline.org/emf_rf_position.html Electromagnetic and Radiofrequency Fields Effect on Human Health" http://aaemonline.org/emf_rf_position.html , selected highlights of the science showing biological effects from electromagnetic fields included:
  • "Multiple studies correlate RF exposure with diseases such as cancer, neurological disease, reproductive disorders, immune dysfunction, and electromagnetic hypersensitivity.
  • "Many in vitro, in vivo and epidemiological studies demonstrate that significant harmful biological effects occur from non-thermal RF exposure and satisfy Hill’s criteria of causality.3
  • "Genetic damage, reproductive defects, cancer, neurological degeneration and nervous system dysfunction, immune system dysfunction, cognitive effects, protein and peptide damage, kidney damage, and developmental effects have all been reported in the peer-reviewed scientific literature.
  • "Genotoxic effects from RF exposure, including studies of non-thermal levels of exposure, consistently and specifically show chromosomal instability, altered gene expression, gene mutations, DNA fragmentation and DNA structural breaks.4-11
  • "Genotoxic effects are documented to occur in neurons, blood lymphocytes, sperm, red blood cells, epithelial cells, hematopoietic tissue, lung cells and bone marrow.  Adverse developmental effects due to non-thermal RF exposure have been shown with decreased litter size in mice from RF exposure well below safety standards.12
  • "The fact that RF exposure causes neurological damage has been documented repeatedly.  Increased blood-brain barrier permeability and oxidative damage, which are associated with brain cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, have been found.4,7,15-17
  • "Changes associated with degenerative neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) have been reported.4,10
  • "Other neurological and cognitive disorders such as headaches, dizziness, tremors, decreased memory and attention, autonomic nervous system dysfunction, decreased reaction times, sleep disturbances and  visual disruption have been reported to be statistically significant in multiple epidemiological studies with RF exposure occurring non-locally.18-21
  • "Nephrotoxic effects from RF exposure also have been reported.
  • "RF emissions have also been shown to cause isomeric changes in amino acids that can result in nephrotoxicity as well as hepatotoxicity.25
  • "Electromagnetic field (EMF) hypersensitivity has been documented in controlled and double blind studies with exposure to various EMF frequencies.
  • "Although these studies clearly show causality and disprove the claim that health effects from RF exposure are uncertain, there is another mechanism that proves electromagnetic frequencies, including radiofrequencies, can negatively impact human health.  Government agencies and industry set safety standards based on the narrow scope of Newtonian or "classical" physics reasoning that the effects of atoms and molecules are confined in space and time.  This model supports the theory that a mechanical force acts on a physical object and thus, long-range exposure to EMF and RF cannot have an impact on health if no significant heating occurs.  However, this is an incomplete model.  A quantum physics model is necessary to fully understand and appreciate how and why EMF and RF fields are harmful to humans.26,27”
The AAEM  position paper concludes:
"These EMF and RF quantum field effects have not been adequately studied and are not fully understood regarding human health. Because of the well documented studies showing adverse effects on health and the not fully understood quantum field effect, AAEM calls for exercising precaution with regard to EMF, RF and general frequency exposure.   In an era of when all society relies on the benefits of electronics, we must find ideas and technologies that do not disturb bodily function."

For over 50 years, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) has been studying and treating the effects of the environment on human health. AAEM co-sponsored ElectromagneticHealth.org's program on the biological effects of electromagnetic fields at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco in 2010 http://electromagnetichealth.org/electromagnetic-health-blog/cc-video/ , along with Citizens for Health, and endorsed the book, "Public Health SOS: The Shadow Side of the Wireless Revolution" http://www.amazon.com/dp/1441458794/?tag=bescom08-20 , sent to Congress in 2009, co-authored by Camilla Rees, MBA and Magda Havas, PhD.

READ MORE HERE:http://electromagnetichealth.org/electromagnetic-health-blog/aaem-report/

Read Full Position Paper from the American Academy of Environmental Medicine here (PDF) - "Electromagnetic and Radiofrequency Fields Effect on Human Health" http://aaemonline.org/emfpositionstatement.pdf
AAEM Press Release (PDF)  http://electromagnetichealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/press-release-aaem-emf-guidelines.pdf