The Council of Europe adopted New Resolutions on Wi-Fi and Cell Phones for Children and more

• The Council of Europe  http://www.coe.int/aboutcoe/ index.asp?page=47pays1europe& l=en, appointed a parliamentary committee to study the effects of electromagnetic fields on the environment and human health. The committee's report summed up important and current information about electromagnetic fields and proposed specific resolutions regarding Wi-Fi, cellphones, children and more. This report takes into account the current World Health Organization standards and describes the reasoning of their findings and recommendations.
  The report and proposed resolutions were formally adopted at their Parliamentary Assembly on May 27, 2011.
  
  The official News Release:
   
  PACE (Parliamentary Assembly - Council of Europe) calls on governments to ‘take all reasonable measures’ to reduce exposure to electromagnetic fields - May 27, 2011
  The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), meeting in Kyiv at Standing Committee level, today called on European governments to “take all reasonable measures” to reduce exposure to electromagnetic fields, especially to radio frequencies from mobile phones, “and particularly the exposure to children and young people who seem to be most at risk from head tumours”.
  
  According to parliamentarians, governments should "for children in general, and particularly in schools and classrooms, give preference to wired Internet connections, and strictly regulate the use of mobile phones by schoolchildren on school premises”, and put in place information and awareness-raising campaigns on the risks of potentially harmful long-term biological effects on the environment and on human health, especially “targeting children, teenagers and young people of reproductive age”.
  
  Following the proposals of the rapporteur (Jean Huss, Luxembourg, SOC), the Assembly called on governments to provide information on potential health risks of DECT-type wireless telephones, baby monitors and other domestic appliances which emit continuous pulse waves, if all electrical equipment is left permanently on standby. They should, instead, recommend “the use of wired, fixed telephones at home or, failing that, models which do not permanently emit pulse waves”.
  
  Governments should “reconsider the scientific basis for the present electromagnetic fields exposure standards set by the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection [followed by the WHO and Health Canada], “which have serious limitations” and apply as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) principles.
  
  The adopted resolution underlines the fact that “the precautionary principle should be applicable when scientific evaluation does not allow the risk to be determined with sufficient certainty” and stresses that “the issue of independence and credibility of scientific expertise is crucial” to achieve a transparent and balanced assessment of potential negative impacts on the environment and human health.
  News release:http://assembly.coe.int/ASP/ NewsManager/EMB_ NewsManagerView.asp?ID=6685
  Explanatory memorandum on the report (Part B of the webpage): http://assembly.coe.int/Main. asp?link=/Documents/ WorkingDocs/Doc11/EDOC12608. Htm

• The Council of Europe is comprised of 47 countries and the European Parliament (EU) represents 27 countries. These two separate institutions of European leaders have examined the issue thoroughly and come to the same conclusion regarding the need to protect citizens from electromagnetic radiation.
  
  The new resolutions adopted by PACE are consistent with the two EU Parliament resolutions passed in 2008 and 2009, which highlighted the health risks of wireless technology (mobile phones, Wi-Fi / WiMAX, Bluetooth, DECT landline telephones), particularly to pregnant women, newborn babies and children.
  
  In addition, all (1) asserted that the safety standard set by the World Health Organization (which Health Canada follows) is not only inadequate but outdated; and (2) affirmed that electrosensitivity is a valid physical disability, and electrosensitive patients require special protection.
  
  The followings are the resolutions adopted by the European Parliament at near-unanimous votes (559-22 votes in 2009 and 522-16 votes in 2008):
  “wireless technology (mobile phones, Wi-Fi / WiMAX, Bluetooth, DECT landline telephones) emits EMFs that may have adverse effects on human health... particularly to young people whose brains are still developing”.
  "...the limits on exposure to electromagnetic fields which have been set for the general public are obsolete. They do not take account of developments in information and communication technologies or vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women, newborn babies and children."
  
  the EU Parliament "calls on the Member States to follow the example of Sweden and to recognize persons that suffer from electrohypersensitivity as being disabled so as to grant them adequate protection as well as equal opportunities."
  http://www.europarl.europa.eu/ oeil/FindByProcnum.do?lang=en& procnum=INI/2008/2211
  http://www.europarl.europa.eu/ oeil/FindByProcnum.do?lang=en& procnum=INI/2007/2252
  http://www.org.feb.nu/FEB/AboutES.html

Some recent (May 2011) news on electromagnetic fields and health:
Researchers Say New Studies Confirm Cell Phone Hazards
"Stunning Proof" Ignored In North America, cientists Say http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2011/05/researchers-say-new-studies-confirm-cell-phone-hazards.html
Warning: Using A Mobile Phone While Pregnant Can Seriously Damage Your Baby
Study Of 13,000 Children Exposes Link Between Use Of Handsets And Later Behavioural Problems
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/warning-using-a-mobile-phone-while-pregnant-can-seriously-damage-your-baby-830352.html
 The Precautionary Principle
The Precautionary Principle is the international guideline for governments to deal with potential health crisis when consensus in science is not yet available. According to “The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) – 2005 World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology", the Precautionary Principle is defined as: When human activities may lead to morally unacceptable harm that is scientifically plausible but uncertain, actions shall be taken to avoid or diminish that harm. Morally unacceptable harm refers to harm to humans or the environment that is - threatening to human life or health, or - serious and effectively irreversible, or - inequitable to present or future generations, or - imposed without adequate consideration of the human rights of those affected. Actions are interventions that are undertaken before harm occurs that seek to avoid or diminish the harm.
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001395/139578e.pdf

At a Glance - The issue of Wi-Fi in School

中文按此

Wi-Fi pulses 10 times per second, broadcasting 2.4 billion cycles of Microwave frequency per second into its surroundings. This frequency goes through walls and human bodies.

Health Canada allows this much Microwave Radiation:
1000 μW/cm2 (microwatts /cm2) based on how much the radiation heats up body tissue = They think it's good enough protection for citizens but there is very little data  about Children. They also have an error in their safety code omitting human frequency and human induction in their calculation.

China, Russia, and many countries in Europe recommend only this much Microwave Radiation: 0.0001-10 μW/cm2 (microwatts /cm2) based on discovered damages to cells and organs by the radiation even without heat, and the Precautionary Principle = Better protection for citizens and children. http://goo.gl/4pzyE

Science - thousands of studies supporting each argument.

Our Choice: The Precautionary Principle 
Less radiation. Less health risks. Take the SAFER option for our Children. Computers can still function with Hardwired network. We don't want Wi-Fi in school. http://www.safeinschool.org/p/precautionary-principle.html

For Details: Please read The Frequently Asked Questions and other articles on this website.

No Wi-Fi in Sannich Elementary Schools

Saanich School District on Victoria Island has passed the use of technology policy at their board meeting, which included:

a. There will be no Wi-Fi in elementary schools.
b. In middle and secondary schools, managed Wi-Fi environments may be in adult workplaces including staff rooms and offices as necessary.
c. Middle schools will have up to 25% coverage of student areas...  


Hats off to the Sannich Board of School Trustees for protecting the health of young children in action by taking the Precautionary Principle.

Wi-Fi: The Mini Cell Phone Tower

Is Wi-Fi safer than cell phone use?

"No. Unlike cell-phones, Wi-Fi base stations employ a beacon signal, which is continuously emitting a pulse-modulated microwave signal at full strength in a radius of about 300 feet. This beacon signal is comparable to exposure from a cell tower... Bombarding children, teachers and staff to this constant unknown risk exposure for 5 days a week, 6 hours a day, for years on end is irresponsible when the simple solution of a completely safe wired connection exists." (Citizens For Safe Technology – Victoria)

"...signal strength from a mobile phone base station where it reaches the ground (approximately 70 to 100 metres from the base station) is typically between 0.5 and 1.5 V/m, exactly the same as we measured in a WiFi classroom in a school in Norwich, and the same as found in the above calculations, and seems therefore to be very relevant. A quick survey of the literature looking very specifically into mobile phone base station epidemiology finds some statistically significant health effects^{[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]}... There is, in fact, very little research looking at base stations that has failed to find an effect. Also interesting is that many of the effects in the papers above (non-cancer effects) are those being reported in the anecdotal evidence from Wi-Fi exposure.

In essence then, there is sufficient evidence to warrant some degree of precaution regarding WiFi until research has been done very specifically into its effects. With dLAN systems and ordinary CAT5/6 wired networks offering better stability, bandwidth and security, there is simply no need for most homes, organisations and schools to switch to wireless networks, apart from the savings of the slight inconvenience in cables."

Original text: http://www.powerwatch.org.uk/rf/wifi.asp#refs

REPORT ON CELL TOWER RADIATION
Submitted To Secretary, DOT (Dept of Telecommunication), Delhi, India

Prepared by Prof. Girish Kumar gkumar@ee.iitb.ac

Electrical Engineering Department IIT Bombay, Powai, Mumai – 400 076 - December 2010
 

Conclusion: "The seriousness of the health hazards due to radiation from the cell phones and cell towers has not been realized among the common man. Cell operators continue to claim that there are no health issues. Even organizations like WHO, ICNIRP, FCC, etc. have not recommended stricter safe radiation guidelines, whereas several countries have adopted radiation norms, which are 1/100th to 1/1000th of  these values based on their studies. Cell phone industry is becoming another cigarette industry, which kept claiming that smoking is not harmful and now there are millions of people around the world who have suffered from smoking. In fact, cell phone/tower radiation is worse than smoking; as one cannot see it or smell it, and its effect on health is noted after a long period of exposure. Therefore, majority of people tend to have casualness towards personal protection. Unfortunately, ignorance and non-awareness adds to this misery and all of us are absorbing this slow poison unknowingly. Even if people are aware of the radiation hazard, they may not have the choice to move away from it if the tower is installed near their office or residential building. In addition to the continuous radiation from cell towers, there is radiation from cell phones, wireless phones, computers, laptops, TV towers, FM towers, AM towers, microwave ovens, etc. We are exposed to all these radiations which are additive in nature. Hence, it is imperative that stricter radiation norms must be enforced by the policy makers. This does not mean that we have to stop living near these towers. We all know that automobiles create air pollution – have we stopped using them? Instead, solutions were found such asunleaded petrol, catalytic converters to reduce emission, CNG driven vehicles, hybrid vehicles,etc. If people in the mobile companies think there is no health hazard, then let them stand in frontof their own transmitting tower at 1m distance in the main beam for 6 hours – are they willing to take the risk? Similar effect will be there at 10m distance in about 600 hours (25 days). If mobile companies accept that radiation causes serious health problems, will people stop using cellphones? Not really, because the cell technology has its several advantages. However, thenresearchers/technocrats/entrepreneurs will come out with possible solutions, which may be expensive but that cannot be greater than the health risk faced by humans, birds, animals and environment."

http://www.scribd.com/doc/44736879/Cell-Tower-Radiation-Report-sent-to-DOT-Department-of-Telecommunications

(Note: Exposure limit in Canada is 1000μW/cm2, or 10W/m2)

 [4] - Abdel-Rassoul G, El-Fateh OA, Salem MA, Michael A, Farahat F, El-Batanouny M, Salem E (March 2007). "Neurobehavioral effects among inhabitants around mobile phone base stations". Neurotoxicology. 28(2):434-40 - [View Abstract]

" Inhabitants living nearby mobile phone base stations are at risk for developing neuropsychiatric problems and some changes in the performance of neurobehavioral functions either by facilitation or inhibition. So, revision of standard guidelines for public exposure to RER from mobile phone base station antennas and using of NBTB (neurobehavioral test battery) for regular assessment and early detection of biological effects among inhabitants around the stations are recommended." 

[5] - Yurekli AI, Ozkan M, Kalkan T, Saybasili H, Tuncel H, Atukeren P, Gumustas K, Seker S (2006). "GSM base station electromagnetic radiation and oxidative stress in rats". Electromagn Biol Med. ;25(3):177-88 - [View Abstract]

"When EM fields at a power density of 3.67 W/m2 (specific absorption rate = 11.3 mW/kg), which is well below current exposure limits, were applied, MDA (malondialdehyde - a marker for oxidative stress) level was found to increase and GSH (reduced glutathione, a major antioxidant) concentration was found to decrease significantly (p < 0.0001). Additionally, there was a less significant (p = 0.0190) increase in SOD (superoxide dismutase) activity (cell-repair) under EM exposure."

[6] - "Risk Evaluation of Potential Environmental Hazards From Low Frequency Electromagnetic Field Exposure Using Sensitive in vitro Methods". EU Programme, "Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources" - [View Foreword and Download Report]

"Genotoxic effects and a modified expression of numerous genes and proteins after EMF exposure could be demonstrated with great certainty, while effects on cell proliferation, cell differentiation and apoptosis (the process of programmed cell death) were much less conclusive. Since all these observations were made in in vitro studies, the results obtained neither preclude nor confirm a health risk due to EMF exposure, but they speak in favour of such a possibility."

[7] - Santini R, Santini P, Danze JM, Le Ruz P, Seigne M (July 2002). "Investigation on the health of people living near mobile telephone relay stations: I/Incidence according to distance and sex". Pathol Biol (Paris). 50(6):369-73 - [View Abstract]

"Women significantly more often than men (p < 0.05) complained of headache, nausea, loss of appetite, sleep disturbance, depression, discomfort and visual perturbations. This first study on symptoms experienced by people living in vicinity of base stations shows that, in view of radio protection, minimal distance of people from cellular phone base stations should not be < 300 m."

[8] - Santini R, Santini P, Danze JM, Le Ruz P, Seigne M (September 2003). "Symptoms experienced by people in vicinity of base stations: II/ Incidences of age, duration of exposure, location of subjects in relation to the antennas and other electromagnetic factors". Pathol Biol (Paris). 51(7):412-5 - [View Abstract]

"Our results show significant increase (p < 0.05) in relation with age of subjects (elder subjects are more sensitive) and also, that the facing location is the worst position for some symptoms studied, especially for distances till 100 m from base stations." 

 

[9] - Balmori Alfonso (2005). "Possible Effects of Electromagnetic Fields from Phone Masts on a Population of White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)". Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, 24: 109-119 - [View Summary and Download Report]

"Total productivity (number of young per couple, including nests with 0 chicks) for nests within 200m of the antenna was 0.86 (0.7 - 1.02), whereas productivity for nests further than 300m away was 1.6 (1.46 - 1.74). Both were statistically significant, with a p value of 0.001.

A large part of the difference here appears to be due to the likelihood of the couples in the nests near the mast (cell tower) not having any chicks: 40% of those within 200m had no chicks, whereas in the nests greater than 300m away only 3.3% did not have chicks!

Odd behaviour was also noted in the storks, happening much more frequently the closer the nests were to the masts."

[10] - Wolf R, Wolf D (April 2004). "Increased incidence of cancer near a cell-phone transmitter station". International Journal of Cancer Prevention Vol1, No2, - [Download Report]

"The measured level of RF radiation (power density) in the area was low; far below the current guidelines based on the thermal effects of RF exposure. We suggest, therefore, that the current guidelines be re-evaluated. 

The enormous short latency period; less than 2 years, indicates that if there is a real causal association between RF radiation emitted from the cell-phone base station and the cancer cases (which we strongly believe there is), then the RF radiation should have a very strong promoting effect on cancer at very low radiation!
Although the possibility remains that this clustering of cancer cases in one year was a chance event, the unusual sex pattern of these cases, the 6 different cancer kinds, and the fact that only one patient smoked make this possibility very improbable and remote. It should be noted that 7 out of 8 cancer cases were women, like in the work of Maskarinec (25) who found 6 out of 7 leukemia cases in proximity to radio towers to occur in girls. Such unusual appearances of cancer cases due to one accused factor on two completely different occasions is alarming."

[11] - Horst Eger, Klaus Uwe Hagen, Birgitt Lucas, Peter Vogel, Helmut Voit (April 2004). "The Influence of Being Physically Near to a Cell Phone Transmission Mast on the Incidence of Cancer". Umwelt Medizin Gesellschaft 17 - [View Summary and Download Report]

"People living within 400 metres of the mast in Naila had three times the risk of developing cancer than those living further away. This seems to be an undeniable clustering of cancer cases."

[12] - Oberfeld Gerd, Navarro A. Enrique, Portoles Manuel, Maestu Ceferino, Gomez-Perretta Claudio (August 2004). "The Microwave Syndrome - Further aspects of a Spanish Study". Conference Proceedings - [View Summary and Download Report]

All models showed statistical significant associations between the measured electric field (~ 400 MHz – 3 GHz) and 13 out of 16health related symptoms. The strongest five associations found are depressive tendency, fatigue, sleeping disorder, difficulty in concentration and cardiovascular problems. The symptoms associated are in line with the symptoms reported in the literature as “Microwave Syndrom... Based on the data of this study the advice would be to strive for levels not higher than 0.02 V/m for the sum total, which is equal to a power density of 0.0001 μW/cm²...”.

2011 International Association of Fire Fighters' Position on the Health Effects from Radio Frequency/Microwave (RF/MW) Radiation in Fire Department Facilities
http://www.iaff.org/hs/Facts/CellTowerFinal.asp#ref23

Mobile Learning and Health Risks Slideshow by University of Tampere, Finland

Mobile Learning and Health Risks - Implications for Pedagogical and Educational Practices * Click on "MENU" at bottom left of screen to select "Full Screen" viewing

View more presentations from Mikko Ahonen

 

Dr. George Carlo speaks on Wi-Fi Radiation in Schools

Dr. George Carlo, Ph.D, M.S., J.D, public health scientist and epidemiologist, is one of the world's leading experts on Electromagnetic Radiation. From 1993-1999, Dr. Carlo headed a $28.5 millions project, funded by the telecommunications industry, to study cellphone's health effects. He discovered that the risk of acoustic neuroma (a form of brain tumour) was 50 percent higher in long-term cellphone users, also that the amount of cellphone use and this tumor appeared to follow a dose-response curve. In recent years, Dr. Carlo has been alerting the public about the adverse health effects of cell phones and wireless radiation. He is especially concerned about the promotion of wireless technology targeted at children and youth.

This is a very informative interview of Dr. Carlo voicing why Wi-Fi is dangerous for young people and should not be used in a school setting. He also explains the "pulsed" nature of Wi-Fi routers and damages caused by "Information Carrying Radio Waves":

Part 1  (9 mins)

Part 2 (9 mins)

Part 3 (9 mins)

Illusion and Escape:  

The Cell Phone Disease Quagmire
A Summary of American Legal Actions Regarding Mobile Phones and Health Effects - by Dr. George L. Carlo

http://www.cutcat.com/item_images/Cell%20Phones%20Carlo.pdf

Israel's Position Paper on Electromagnetic Radiation in a School Environment - Nov 18, 2010

The recommendations presented in  this position paper were formulated in accordance with the request of the Knesset (Israeli Parliament, D.T.) Interior and Environment Committee Chairman, MP. Dov Hanin, at a meeting of the committee on May 31^st, 2010. The Health Ministry’s representative, Prof. Siegal Sadetzki was responsible for the initiation and consolidation of these recommendations:

"In April 2009, the European Parliament, by a majority of 559-22 (votes), adopted decision ENVI/6/65496, regarding potential adverse health effects associated with electromagnetic radiation (EMF). The decision declared that wireless technology (which includes cell phones, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and cordless phones) emit electromagnetic radiation which may impose danger to human health. The decision states that it is important for schools to be as “clean” as possible from electromagnetic radiation."

"It should be remembered that the school population comprises children and youth, a group with unique characteristics:

• In general, for all carcinogens, including ionizing radiation, and for most cancer sites,  an inverse association exists between age at  time of exposure, and  the risk of becoming sick. Therefore, this population should be regarded as a sensitive population in comparison to the adult population.
• The student population is expected to live for many years, during which diseases with long latency periods may develop.
• The student population is obligated by law to attend school. Moreover, in most cases the students and their parents do not have a choice regarding which school and which classes the student will attend.

Method of Operation:

It is agreed by all, that the education system and the country are under a moral and legal obligation to protect the health of the students.

It is agreed that the precautionary principle should be adopted as it was adopted in the Non-Ionizing Radiation Act of 2006. The principles upon which the Health Ministry based its guidelines regarding cell phones and cordless phones should also be applied to wireless network systems.

These principles should be adopted in order to achieve a balance between the needs and the potential adverse health risks from exposure to Wi-Fi and WLAN in this special population in which the exposure is forced.

Since there are alternative ways to establish computer networks which are safer and do not require exposure to RF, such as the use of wired technology by connecting directly to a internet-allocated socket, there is no reason to use wireless technologies such as WLAN and Wi-Fi for computer networks in schools."

Full Text English version: http://www.disconnectbook.com/2011/03/07/position-paper-on-electromagnetic-radiation-in-a-school-environment/
Original Text in Hebrew: http://tinyurl.com/64ptqvj

Governments of other countries (Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria, France, Italy, New Zealand, Russia, China, Israel and more) protect their citizens and children by much, much stricter safety standards against electromagnetic radiation. 

Our Canadian government does not.

In our schools, no preventive measure and nothing in place to monitor. How long do we have to wait to do something about this? Our school already has a hardwired network installed and functioning for years (with internet access in the computer lab as well as in each classroom). Why are we choosing to use a more risky technology (Wi-Fi) and not choosing the safer option for our children like these other governments do? As parents, we were consulted about food allergies in school, are required to sign consent forms for our children’s field trips to the skating rink, to the museum or even just a walk at the Dyke. However, we have been denied the opportunity to say NO when our children are irradiated involuntarily by microwave  in schools 6 hours every day. Furthermore, it is unbelievable that the number of wireless transmitters in our hallways has been increased even while we were raising our concern to the school district’s I.T. Department.

Apart from the long-term health risks of DNA break, cell mutation, damage to the blood-brain barrier, thyroid and heart etc, some of the short-term effects of microwave radiation, as indicated in scientific studies, include lack of concentration, short-term memory loss and non-specific weakening of the immune system (drop in counts of platelets and white blood cells). The last one means getting sick more easily. Does any of the above sound like the ideal setting for children's learning environment? Also, the problem is, is anybody even checking the health effects? Do we have any unexposed control group to compare with? And simply, WHY, should we insist on this risk rather than using hardwired network? Aren't our computers hardwired for electrical supply anyway?

The latest Oscar-winning documentary, Inside Job, gives a very thorough report of the events leading to the Wall Street, Iceland and global economic collapse in 2008. There were numerous signs and warnings before the final crisis hit. Yet the government officials didn't do anything to stop it, the experts - financial analysts and credit rating bodies - didn't do anything to stop it. The Ivy League professors not only didn't say anything which could have alerted the public, they published opinions that were complete contrary to truth. The final crisis, as it turned out, has been catastrophic. And who suffered? The government officials were still in office, if not promoted; the professors still earn high paychecks from  directorships in the industry. The Wall Street executives walked away with hundreds of million $ of bonus without any of them being indicted to date.  The result of that crisis was the loss of a lot of money by many who could not afford it.

For us, however, it could be our health and the future of our next generation.

Electromagnetic Induction by Wi-Fi causes Human Tissue to Polarize at Twice the Frequency

The following is a letter written by Mr. Curtis Bennett to the BC Premier's Office, concerning a significant error in Health Canada's Safety Code 6, which qualifies that Wi-Fi should not be allowed in schools. 

Mr. Bennett is president of Thermographix Consulting Corporation. His company investigates temperature at molecular levels for many professions. He is an educator at medical academia across North America where doctors and nurses receive education credits for licensing. Mr. Bennett testified as expert witness at the Canadian Parliament's Standing Committee on Health in 2010. He was also a first response consultant on vulnerability after 9/11.

"Health Canada isn't reporting there was a significant oversight reported (error or omission) in safety standards. That oversight is the peer reviewed science showing electromagnetic induction from the emfs is happening. That creates electrical problems with vulnerable, dynamic biology with its own electrical frequencies and causes tissue to polarize at twice the frequency.

By not reporting the error or omission, Health Canada disadvantages the province including corporations or administrations working with different aspects of wireless technology. B.C. School Districts for one are looking for the laws to administer their districts. The reported error or omission in Health Canada's Safety Code 6 qualifies that Wi Fi isn't allowed in schools and administrators, teachers as well as parents aren't being informed of that.

Radiation Protection Services of The BC Centre of Disease Control's reporting on Wi Fi Safety is seriously flawed as a result of the error or omission in safety standards. You can't exclude the frequency conflict between Wi Fi and people.

The dangers of emfs including the error in safety standards were lectured in medical education for education credits health professionals need for licensing in January, 2011. That makes the information medical education accepted for lecture."

Please click the image to read the full text of the letter:

The World Health Organization

These two documentaries, by CBC TV The National, explain the politics behind the science:

Cell Phones and Insurance Companies (September, 2010)

Cell Phone Radiation (September 2010)

WHO (World Health Organization), FCC (Federal Communications Commission) and Health Canada base their standard of Microwave radiation on the guideline set up by ICNIRP (International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation).

The following is a detailed analysis of the WHO/ICNIRP 's EMF standard by Dr. Neil Cherry: http://www.scribd.com/doc/3718366/Cherry-1 It is a very thorough MUST-READ document for anyone seeking to understand WHO's position on EMF,"originally written when the New Zealand Ministries of Health and Environment proposed to adopt the ICNIRP Guideline as the Public Health Standard for Cell Site exposures."
The late Dr. Neil Cherry was New Zealand's leading scientist. He held the position of Associate Professor of Environmental Health at Lincoln University, and had a professional scientific background in Physics, Biophysics, Meteorology, Agricultural and Human Biometeorology, Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency and Environmental Epidemiology. He was awarded the Royal Honour of Officer of New Zealand Order of Merit (O.N.Z.M.) for his services to Science, Education and Community. http://www.neilcherry.com/profile.php

In the Official WHO literature, the adverse health effects of Microwave and other Electromagnetic Fields are consistently downplayed. Even though there are official documents from individual countries presenting the urgent need for change in safety standards to protect the public (especially the vulnerable population including children), such requests are not reflected in the final public announcements. 

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING SEVERE WARNING presented by the Russian National Committee on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection to WHO, and compare it with the WHO fact sheet on cellphones which states, "Key Facts: To date, no adverse health effects have been established for mobile phone use."

Decision of Russian National Committee on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection
"CHILDREN AND MOBILE PHONES:
THE HEALTH OF THE FOLLOWING GENERATIONS IS IN DANGER"
Moscow, Russia 

14 April 2008

For the first time in history, we face a situation when most children and teenagers in the world are continuously exposed to the potentially adverse influence of the electromagnetic fields (EMF) from mobile phones. Electromagnetic field is an important biotropic factor, affecting not just a human health in general, but also the processes of the higher nervous activity, including behavior and thinking. Radiation directly affects human brain when people use mobile phones.

Despite the recommendations, listed in the Sanitary Rules of the Ministry of Health, which insist that persons under 18 years should not use mobile phones (SanPiN 2.1.8/2.2.4.1190-03 point 6.9), children and teenagers became the target group for the marketing the mobile communications.

The current safety standards for exposure to microwaves from the mobile phones have been developed for the adults and don’t consider the characteristic features of the children’s organism. The WHO considers the protection of the children’s health from possible negative influence of the EMF of the mobile phones as a highest priority task. This problem has also been confirmed by the Scientific Committee of the European Commission, by national authorities of the European and Asian countries, by participants of the International scientific conferences on biological effects of the EMF.
 

Potential risk for the children’s health is very high:

•  the absorption of the electromagnetic energy in a child’s head is considerably higher than that in the head of an adult (children’s brain has higher conductivity, smaller size, thin skull bones, smaller distance from the antenna etc.);

• children’s organism has more sensitivity to the EMF, than the adult’s;

• children’s brain has higher sensitivity to the accumulation of the adverse effects under conditions of chronic exposure to the EMF;

• EMF affects the formation of the process of the higher nervous activity;

• today’s children will spend essentially longer time using mobile phones, than today’s adults will.

According to the opinion of the Russian National Committee on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, the following health hazards are likely to be faced by the children mobile phone users in the nearest future: disruption of memory, decline of attention, diminishing learning and cognitive abilities, increased irritability, sleep problems, increase in sensitivity to the stress, increased epileptic readiness.

Expected (possible) remote health risks: brain tumors, tumors of acoustical and vestibular nerves (in the age of 25-30 years), Alzheimer’s disease, “got dementia”, depressive syndrome, and the other types of degeneration of the nervous structures of the brain (in the age of 50 to 60).

The members of the Russian National Committee on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection emphasize ultimate urgency to defend children’s health from the influence of the EMF of the mobile communication systems. We appeal to the government authorities, to the entire society to pay closest attention to this coming threat and to take adequate measures in order to prevent negative consequences to the future generation’s health.
 

The children using mobile communication are not able to realize that they subject their brain to the EMF radiation and their health – to the risk. We believe that this risk is not much lower than the risk to the children’s health from tobacco or alcohol. It is our professional obligation not to let damage the children’s health by inactivity.

Full text: Pg.3-4 at 

http://www.who.int/peh-emf/project/mapnatreps/RUSSIA%20report%202008.pdf

WHO Fact Sheet on Cell Phones and Health:

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs193/en/

As mentioned in another article on CHINA, Russia and other communist countries are very aware of the harm of microwave radiation, because low-level microwave was a heavily deployed "invisible" weapon against embassy staff between US/UK and the communist nations during the Cold War, causing widespread cancers and mental illnesses among emabassy personnel.

The following study was published in the Journal of the Australasian College of Nutritional & Environmental Medicine - April 2006:

Conflict of Interest & Bias in Health Advisory Committees: A case study of the WHO’s Electromagnetic Field (EMF) Task Group  
by Don Maisch 

Full text: http://www.emfacts.com/papers/who_conflict.pdf

"It is acknowledged that in an ever increasingly globalized world the reliance on international organisations to set standards to protect public health is an irrefutable fact of modern life. It is also a fact that international organizations charged with this task need to be “eternally vigilant” to ensure that their organisations are not co-opted by vested interests groups – as exampled by Big Tobacco and WHO.

However when it comes to non-ionizing radiation issues (in this case for power frequency health risk assessment) the evidence is clear that Michael Repacholi has used his standing in both WHO and ICNIRP to stack the WHO’s Environmental Health Criteria Task Group for power frequency exposures with representatives of the power industry in contravention of WHO policy. This can only be to the detriment of the group’s ability to evaluate the scientific literature in an unbiased way. This action can only be construed as being aimed at ensuring that industry involvement in determining the WHO Environmental Health Criteria will bias ICNIRP’s risk assessment for power frequency exposure limits for years to come. This will conveniently provide economic protection for the industry against the need to spend enormous sums of money on upgrading distribution systems as well as risks of litigation. Such a blatant disregard for the fundamental principles of credible science, as well as WHO’s mission on protecting world health, speaks of a desperation to bury independent science at all costs, even if that cost is the integrity of WHO."

Surprise! China's Safety Standard >100 times stricter than Canada's

中文按此
Many people would be surprised to know that CHINA actually has a safety standard in electromagnetic radiation which is much stricter than our Canadian one.

Reasons:

(1) During the Cold War, the embassies of the communist countries and US/UK were heavily zapping each others with low-level microwave, causing embassy staff to have cancers and mental illnesses. China was well aware of the potential harm that electromagnetic radiation could lead to.  

http://inthesenewtimes.com/2010/04/24/barrie-trower-on-microwave-radiation-stealth-warfare-and-public-health/ 

http://www.amazon.com/Zapping-America-Microwaves-Deadly-Cover-Up/product-reviews/0393009319/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

De-classified Naval Research Report on MICROWJAVE AND RADIO-FREQUENCY RADIATION compiled in 1971, after the Cold War was over:

http://safeschool.ca/uploads/Navy_Radiowave_Brief_1_.pdf

(2) China is one of the few countries (if not the only one!) which has conducted large-scale microwave radiation study on humans. In the 1980s, in one study they use 1312 workers, divided them into a control group plus two groups of different occupational radiation levels. In another study, they used 1859 youngsters (kindergarten to college age). 1170 subjects were divided into various ages and exposure levels. Another group of 689 subjects at the same ages and grades acted as the control group. The "results showed that chronic exposure to EMFs are associated with a variety of non-specific symptoms, including increased frequency of neuroses, liability of vegetation nervous system, and slight changes in peripheral blood, lens, and non-specific immune function... the existence of health hazardous effects of RF (radiofrequency) and MW (microwave) could not be denied." http://www.salzburg.gv.at/Proceedings_%2820%29_Chiang.pdf

Based on those studies, the "General Public Exposure Limits to RF Radiation in China (by Ministry of Health)" for the range of >0.3-300 GHz (incl. Wi-Fi range 2.4 GHz) was set at 10 μW/cm2.

In 2006, with further EMF studies and scientific findings, National Institute for Environmental Health and Related Product Safety in Beijing called for a further reduction on the exposure level.  According to Professor Zhaojin Cao, "To sum up, recent ten years (1994-2004) epidemiological studies in EMF in China found that low intensity EMF might have some bad effects on health, and what should be highly concerned is that some bad effects were caused by exposure lower than the present EMF limit. As above mentioned, precaution strategy should be adopted when amending and prescribing new exposure limit for the public." 

http://www.icems.eu/docs/Cao.pdf

Prof. Zhaojin Cao directs the National Institute for Environmental Health & Related Product Safety, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, located in Beijing China. Since 1997, he has published research on mobile phone health effects and protection. He is a member of the WHO EMF Project's International Advisary Committee (IAC). He is a member of the Chinese Biomedicine Engineering Association, and is the editor of the Journal of Hygiene Research. 

http://www.icems.eu/docs/bios_Cao.pdf
 

Please note that Health Canada's current "safety" limit is 1000 μW/cm2 - more than 100 times higher than that of China and many countries in the world:

    *  USA\Canada = 1000 μW/cm2 (microwatts /cm2)
    *  Italy, Russia, Poland, Paris (France),
        China, Switzerland, Hungary = 4.25-10 μW or lower/cm2

    *  Belgium (Brussels, Wallonia, Flanders),
        Bulgaria, Luxembourg = 2.4 μW
    *  Salzburg (Austria) = 0.001-0.0001 μW/cm2 (outdoor-indoor)
  
Latest  ( 2011 ) Safety Limit proposed by European Scientists based on biological effects discovered: 0.017 μW/cm2