WiFi in Schools:CTV Disguised Infomercial as Investigative Report

CTV, is professional ETHICS part of your journalism?

Industry-funded and industry-affiliated infomercial was disguised as credible science by Bell Canada's CTV News in their investigation on Wi-Fi radiation in schools. This piece is a poor attempt to offer false security to the public by using a flawed protocol and skewed data.

It does not appear that CTV has researched or disclosed any conflict of interest with their expert, Mr. Karl Reardon who conducted the testing.

Mr. Reardon is/was:

• A former Director and General Manager of Motorola
• A current industry consultant (Planetworks and Radiowize) with close financial ties to the telecommunication industry
• Collecting paycheques from consultation on cell tower installations
• Author of a celltower guidebook for the Municipal Engineers
• Holder of seven US and EU patents on wireless and data technology
• Chief Technology Officer of Wireless Image whose sole business is the sale of mobile advertising solutions for cellphones.

Did CTV not bother to conduct proper "investigation" on your expert's conflict of interest before presenting this one-sided, crippled testing to stroke the backs of the wireless industry?

This might only be a quick story for your program, but this is an important issue to parents for the health of numerous children. To parents who have electrosensitive children, this is even a matter of whether the child can attend school or not.

Instead of engaging an engineer who makes his money from the wireless industry, Bell Canada's CTV should have interviewed experts who understand the low-level effects of non-ionizing microwave radiation on human cells, such as Dr. Martin Blank, Dr. Leif Salford, Dr. Henry Lai, Dr. Andrew Goldworthy, Dr. Magda Havas, and Dr. Olle Johansson among others.

CTV: Flawed Testing & Skewed Dataon Wi-Fi Danger in Schools

It's a shame that CTV – owned by Bell Canada, used a flawed testing protocol to misinform the public about the “low” level of Wi-Fi radiation, in the name of “investigative journalism”.

CTV's reporter, Jon Woodard, requested to speak to parents about this issue and we provided a contact for him, with whom he had made the arrangement to conduct an interview. That parent was informed that the interview was canceled only late today when he tried to reach the reporter.

Perhaps this is just a "programme story" to CTV. To us, parents, this is an important issue about the health of our children. To parents with electrosenstive children, it is a matter of whether the child can attend school at all. 

We strongly protest against this PR piece being presented as “news”.

Conflict of interest does not only exist at the CTV/Bell level, but also the party conducting the measurements. CTV engaged Planetworks which is a consultant firm serving industry clients. Planetworks is a vendor involved regularly in celltower rental contracts.

Measuring two schools with Wi-Fi and two different schools without Wi-Fi is a sloppy way to compare. The schools are located in different neighbourhoods.
The proper way is to measure a number of schools with (a) Wi-Fi on, (b) downloading data/video with 20-30 devices in the room at the same time to represent classroom scenario, (c) measure both the nearfield level - user contact with the devices, and (d) the farfield - ambient levels. Then measure in the SAME schools with the Wi-Fi and all wireless devices (including cordless phones) turned off.

Walking around the school with the RF meter is NOT an accurate way to measure. This kind of measurement does not represent real world usage. Children are using laptops/tablets/smartphones in direct contact with their bodies, either in their hands or on their laps against their abdomens and reproductive organs. This walkaround measurement does not reflect the real radiation level which children are exposed to.

The “scientific studies” which Canadian health agencies cite are even more unrealistic, measuring laptop radiation at 50 cm, 1 meter or other “further distances”. This is done to report a lower reading of microwave radiation and is an example of skewing the data.

Comparison between inside and outside the school is irrelevant:

In May 2011 the World Health Organization's IARC (International Agency on Research of Cancer) has classified cellphone/WiFi radiation as 2B Possible Carcinogen. In October, 2011, Health Canada asked parents to reduce children's radiofrequency exposure 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". Just because this type of microwave radiation can be found outside schools does not mean it is safe.
Homes and schools are the two places where children spend the most amount of time. Parents have the choice to take measures to reduce children's exposure to microwave radiation at home by using wired computers which offer the same educational benefits with better security and speed. However, in schools funded by public money and with a captive audience, children are now FORCED to use wireless laptops and tablets which bear long-term health risks, and they are given no choice to avoid this exposure. Reducing exposure at home and in schools will reduce the majority of cumulative exposure for children.

What do cigarette smoke, asbestos, PCB and DDT have in common?

At one time, all were approved for human consumption, only to have been found harmful to human health later. Safety standards can be slow to change, leading to irreparable harm to human health.

School Districts are constantly complaining about the lack of funding. They should use the funding to improve existing wired networks instead of spending additional money on wireless technology.

See this white paper written by BC ERAC (Educational Resource Acquisition Consortium) which represents BC School Districts' IT Departments.

Members list: http://www.bcerac.ca/about/member-list.aspx

Wireless Networking for K-12 Education in BC - July 2007

http://www.bcerac.ca/docs/WirelessNetworkinginK-12.pdf

" the majority of school buildings have some or most teaching and administrative areas serviced by wired network connections... with sophisticated router and switching capability for managing traffic and security."

" wireless technologies are not able to provide the type of data speed experienced with wired connections, typically running at 100Mbps or faster. Thus wireless is still not an obvious replacement for a wired environment."

" Many of the risks associated with wireless... Reliability, slow speed of connections, interference from other devices, cost, security, manageability, compatibility, scalability and consistency of technology implementation."

Reporting “average measurements” is a sneaky way to skew data. See these videos: http://www.safeinschool.org/2012/01/ipad-iphone-wi-fi-radiation-and.html Wi-Fi signals spike every few seconds (at levels higher than cellphone transmission). They stop and go, emitting in bursts. Therefore, by averaging the figures, the resulting numbers look ridiculously low. This is similar to telling people that driving at 120 km/hr is not dangerous because when averaging with the time the car stopped at the red light, the "average speed" was only 20 km/hr.
Reporting only as a % of Health Canada's Danger Code 6 (misnamed as Safety Code 6).
By reporting a percentage, most of the public would not know how the figure converts to actual units and how it compares to other countries like Switzerland, Luxembourg and China, whose national maximum exposure limits are actually hundred to thousands times more stringent than our “danger” standard. The Canadian guideline is outdated and obsolete, protective of corporations' unrestrained wireless expansion but not protective of human health, especially children. http://goo.gl/4pzyE The European Parliament and the Council of Europe have passed repeated resolutions calling their member states NOT to use Wi-Fi. The truth is, even the lowest national exposure limit is already a million times higher than cosmic background radiation. Human bodies are simply not developed for the constant artificial pulse-modulated radiation from cellphone and Wi-Fi, which is being rapidly deployed all around us. Human bodies conduct electricity and absorb such radiation. Schools are imposing this human conduction on our children without parental informed consent.

Russia is among the earliest countries to have started research on microwave radiation. This week, Russia is calling for the replacement of Wi-Fi with wired networks in schools, out of health concern.

The following is the announcement by Professor Yuri Grigoriev, Chairman of Russian National Committee on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, and member of the WHO's International Advisory Committee on “EMF and Health”.

19th June 2012.  Translation from the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CemiJ-yIA4&feature=youtu.be

Programme of the Russian Committee on the protection from non-ionising
radiation with regard to the need to introduce strict regulations on the use
of Wi-Fi in kindergartens and schools.

'I have already been informed that pushy parents are already trying to get
this installed in kindergartens... Everybody sees Moscow... '

Mobile network connections are very popular amongst children of various
ages.  The duration of conversations on mobile phones is higher for children
compared to the adult population.  At the same time electromagnetic fields
and radio frequencies are irradiating the brain every day.
Furthermore, children are constantly subjected to electromagnetic radiation
and radio frequencies from the base stations round the clock.

The problem of preserving the health of children subject to the developing
conditions of wireless radio communications is referred to as a priority by
the World Health Organization.

Electromagnetic radiation from Wi-Fi presents an additional burden to a
child whose body is in a state of development and whose mental activities
are in the formative stage.  During this period children are most
susceptible to negative environmental factors.

WHO, Publication 3, April 2004

Furthermore it is necessary to highlight that the current regulations were
developed without taking into consideration this additional influence of
electromagnetic fields.  We don¹t have these regulations yet.

Our Committee believes it is necessary to:

Firstly, draw the attention of the RF Ministry of Health and of all of the
other organizations responsible for the safety of the population, including
children, to the regulations regarding the use of Wi-Fi in kindergartens and
schools, and to increase the sanitary and epidemiological control over
the use of Wi-Fi, and the development of the relevant regulatory framework.

Secondly, to recommend the use of wired networks and not networks using
wireless broadband access systems, including Wi-Fi, in schools and
educational establishments.

Toronto Hospital recognizes Electro-magnetic Hyper-sensitivity

Toronto Hospital is First to Recognize Symptoms from Wireless Radiation

TORONTO, June 18, 2012 /CNW/ - Women's College Hospital says family doctors must learn to detect the symptoms of exposure to wireless radiation.

The hospital released a statement saying the symptoms include disrupted sleep, headaches, nausea, dizziness, heart palpitations, memory problems, and skin rashes. These symptoms are now labelled Electro-magnetic Hyper-sensitivity, or "EMS".

"Health-care practitioners need to better understand EMS so they can help their patients," said Dr. Riina Bray, medical director of the hospital's Environmental Health Clinic.

Dr. Bray says the world is becoming dominated by wireless internet, cell phones and cell towers, and there can be a broad range of health impacts.

The hospital's Environmental Health Clinic has begun holding educational workshops on the subject for doctors.

Last year the World Health Organization placed microwave radiation from wireless internet and cell phones on an official Cancer watch-list. Since then several schools have removed their wifi systems and the Catholic teacher's union in Ontario has called for a moratorium on wifi installations in classrooms.

For further information:  

http://www.womenscollegehospital.ca/news-and-events/connect/the-effects-of-invisible-waves

EHS Electrohypersensitivity (ES, Electrosensitivity) Physiologically Explained at last by Health Research in France

L’intolérance électromagnétique élucidée (2011)

In 2002, World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Gro Harlem Brundtland told journalists that microwaves emitted by cellphones made her sick, even if the phone was only turned on and hidden in a pocket or purse located up to four meters away. Nonetheless, the World Health Organization stated in 2005 that electrosensitivity symptoms may be of psychosomatic origin, a claim that French oncologist Dominique Belpomme says is refuted by recent discoveries.

French researchers recently demonstrated that electromagnetic fields (EMFs) substantially alter the physiology of the blood and brain of electrosensitive people and that the impact on these biological markers increases and decreases according to the intensity of EMF exposure.

“We know with certainty that electromagnetic hypersensitivity is not psychosomatic”, Dr Dominique Belpomme stated in a [November 2010] telephone interview. “EMFs provoke major effects in the brain. The most important of these is the opening of the blood-brain barrier. This allows mercury, organochlorines and other pollutants to enter the brain, where they cause various neurodegenerative diseases. ”

20 new patients per week

A professor of oncology at Paris-Descartes University, Dr. Belpomme is President of the French Association for Research in Therapeutics Against Cancer (www.artac.info), which has shifted in the prevention from 2004. Since May 2008, his team has studied what he coined the Electromagnetic Intolerance Syndrome (SICEM in French). “I have 450 patients and see up to 20 new cases every week, including children who have headaches, impaired memory, concentration or language. We have the largest cluster of electrosensitive patients in Europe. This is a major public health concern.”

The SICEM [EHS] is an extreme reaction to low-level exposure to 50/60 Hz electric and magnetic fields emitted by electrical cables and devices as well as radio frequencies (10 MHz to 300 GHz including microwave) from wireless devices and antennas.

”In Sweden, electrohypersensitivity
 (EHS) is an officially fully recognized functional impairment, explains Swedish dermatologist and EHS expert Olle Johannson. Thus, the first step for a person in Sweden with a functional impairment is to contact the municipality’s special civil servant for disability issues, as well as the various handicap organizations and authorities, to achieve accessibility measures of various types with the sole aim to have an equal life in a society based on equality according to the The UN Convention on Human Rights for Persons with Functional Impairments, www.un.org.”

People with EHS are often incorrectly referred in psychiatry while many experts such as Belpomme say the first treatment they require is reducing or eliminating their exposure to EMFS. Their symptoms (neurological, cardiovascular, dermatological, muscular, etc.) are sometimes so serious that they must shield themselves with special clothing, curtains as well as grounded paints and vapor barriers. Others move into forests, caves or other remote locations if they are unable to find a low-EMF environment where their symptoms can recede or  disappear.

Dr. Belpomme’s team has developed a diagnostic method based on blood tests and a special brain scan (pulsed Doppler echography) to visualize blood flow. “These patients clearly have vascular disorders in the brain, said the oncologist. In addition, our biological tests show that 30% of them have high levels of histamine, 50% have too much stress proteins, most have low levels of melatonin (an potent anti-cancer hormone), and 30% have levels of antibodies and proteins that are signs showing thermal shock and brain damage.” He adds that half of his patients suffer from Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) and that MCS and EHS share the same brain abnormalities.

The oncologist explained that there are three distinct levels of sensitivity to pollutants. First, there is intolerance, caused by polymorphism. “This means that we are all different. For example, 30% of the population is most at risk of developing cancer.”

Second, there is the susceptibility factor demonstrated by Swedish oncologist Lennart Hardell who studied 16 families who were electrosensitive because of shared genetic factors. There are also active susceptibility factors, “such as dental amalgam that behave like antennas capturing airwaves”, explains Belpomme.

Finally, electromagnetic hypersensitivity appears in two stages. “The first phase is induced by exposure to a specific EMF frequency, either an acute or chronic exposure, such as talking on a cell phone 20 minutes every day. The first signs of hypersensitivity are pain and a heat sensation in the ear. In the second phase, the disease sets in. That’s when you become intolerant at all frequencies.”

Experienced researchers

ARTAC’s scientific council is chaired by virologist Dr. Luc Montagnier, 2008 co-Nobel Prize winner for discovery of the AIDS-causing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). And its research coordinator is nutrition specialist, Dr. Philippe Irigaray, one of five international experts recently appointed by Quebec’s Health Research Fund to select the most promising research projects in environmental cancer prevention. Dr. Irigaray stresses that the human brain contains magnetosomes, iron oxides that behave like magnets. Electrosensitivity may depend on their quantity, which varies from one individual to another.

ARTAC researchers are currently preparing five scientific papers on electrosensitivity. “It requires a lot of time", said Dr Belpomme. "They will be published in a year or two. But independent and immediate action is needed to reduce people’s overexposure to EMFs.”

In France, an estimated 5% of the population is already electrosensitive, and the proportion is constantly increasing with the ever-growing popularity of wireless technologies. “Studies show that 10 to 50% of the population may become very intolerant to EMFs over the next 25 to 50 years, Dr Belpomme said. I have two cases of multiple sclerosis triggered after overuse of cellphone, three cases of breast cancer – two relapses after exposure to EMFs and daily use of computers – and proof is building up against Autism and Alzheimer’s disease whose risk is much higher than for cancer. Causal links with electromagnetic fields are highly possible.”

Dr Belpomme said he has relieved some EHS patients by administering medication to tone-up the nervous system and antihistamines to close the blood-brain barrier.

No causal link, says WHO

In 2005, the World Health Organization published Fact Sheet No 296 entitled Electromagnetic hypersensitivity. It stated : ”Well controlled and conducted double-blind studies have shown that symptoms were not correlated with EMF exposure… The symptoms are certainly real and can vary widely in their severity… Further, EHS is not a medical diagnosis, nor is it clear that it represents a single medical problem. 

Physicians: Treatment of affected individuals should focus on the health symptoms and the clinical picture, and not on the person’s perceived need for reducing or eliminating EMF in the workplace or home. This requires:

• a medical evaluation to identify and treat any specific conditions that may be responsible for the symptoms,
• a psychological evaluation to identify alternative psychiatric/psychological conditions that may be responsible for the symptoms,
• an assessment of the workplace and home for factors that might contribute to the presented symptoms. These could include indoor air pollution, excessive noise, poor lighting (flickering light) or ergonomic factors. A reduction of stress and other improvements in the work situation might be appropriate.”

Bull, said Dr. Dominique Belpomme. “This is a political backwardness that has nothing to do with science. WHO will be forced to revise its judgment in the upcoming months. It is a societal denial that does not take into account the current knowledge which is constantly building up. ” [read Microwave News's coverage of conflicts of interest at WHO]
According to this oncologist, the causal link between exposure to magnetic fields and leukemia is no longer in doubt. “When we increase the dose, the rate of leukemia increases. Dozens of laboratory toxicological studies have demonstrated this most clearly, in vitro as well as in animals.”

For her part, Ontario researcher Magda Havas of Trent University said EHS studies with negative results have major biases. “The researchers assumed that reactions to EMFs are immediate, while there is often a delay between exposure and response. People are not switches that can be turned on and off. These studies incorrectly insinuate that if you can not feel anything, it can’t harm you. We know very well that we can’t detect the taste of arsenic, lead, DDT nor asbestos, but they are all toxic.”

Editor: Dr. Lennart Hardell, "It is a wrong satement that we have studied familiar EHS. Instead we measured persistent organic pollutants."

Original text in French: http://maisonsaine.ca/wp-content/uploads/sicem_demystifie.pdf
Translated: http://www.emfacts.com/2012/01/electromagnetic-intolerance-elucidated/
http://www.robindestoits.org/_a1661.html

Reasons for Supporting BCCPAC's Resolutions for Choice and Precaution

Reasons for supporting BCCPAC's Resolutions for Choice and Precaution over the use of Wireless Technology in Schools:



1) Not using wireless doesn't mean not using technology. Not using wireless doesn't mean going with dial-up. Broadband wired network provides faster, more secure and more reliable connection, without microwave radiation. If money is to be spent on further upgrade, fibre optics would be the ideal choice. It is magnitude (thousands of times) faster, does not emit RF-EMF radiation and is the preferred connection in Switzerland for their students' 21st Century Learning.


2) Compared to Shaw/Telus or other consumer grade routers, the commercial grade Wi-Fi routers in schools send much stronger signals. More importantly, signal from routers is only the "background" radiation. Each wireless laptop, iPad or other handheld device has a client card which is a live antenna that also emits beacon signals. When students use these devices to connect to the internet via Wi-Fi network, they have a live antenna in direct/close contact with their bodies, emitting continual microwave frequencies (similar to each person holding a router in his hand / on his desk / having one behind his head from another student behind). Multiply that you get 20-30 times of signals in the classroom. Adding the bounced waves from metal surfaces in the room you get additional "reflection" rates.


3) Most parents are careful not to put a cellphone to the child's ear. They have no idea Wi-Fi radiation from an iPad spikes several times HIGHER than an iPhone on talking transmission. Unlike cellphone signal which is continuous during talking, the Wi-Fi signal stops and goes every few seconds, but peaks at much higher measurements. Also, when a cellphone is on standby, it only "pings" about once per minute to the celltower. When a Wi-Fi enabled device has the Wi-Fi function turned on - even NOT being connected to a network and NOT downloading anything - it still radiates with microwave that peaks every few seconds. Watch the following video of the measurements: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n097VN7KB_A http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVJI-0YogGo


4) Choice - What people use at home is their choice. Most parents who object to wireless in schools do not use Wi-Fi at home. In fact, wired connection at home is faster for browsing and more secure for online banking/shopping or sending personal data. We have measured many schools and most of them do not receive signals form neighbours. For those that do, the signals from neighbours would definitely be weaker than signals that come from the commercial routers inside the school, and way lower than signals coming straight from the tablet or smartphone in direct contact with the student and from the person sitting at the next chair. 


5) EHS - Some children are more sensitive to the microwave signals than others and they have valid physical reaction while attending schools with Wi-Fi routers and devices. This condition, know as Electrohypersensitivity (EHS), is a recognized disability in Sweden where there are about 500,000 patients. It is also recognized by the Canadian Human Rights Commission. Microwave radiation is mandatory and penetrating. Resolution #17 provides the only viable way for EHS students to attend school without feeling sick (headaches, heart palpitation, nausea, dizzeness etc). We have nut-free schools and scent-free schools for the similar reasons. See latest findings on EHS by French Health Research:
http://www.safeinschool.org/2012/06/ehs-electrohypersensitivity-es.html


6) What school boards have received from BC's Chief Medical Officer in referencing the level of Wi-Fi radiation for students was an industry study (Foster 2007) sponsored by Wi-Fi Alliance, the companies that make and sell Wi-Fi products. That study measured laptop radiation from "distances of 1 meter and further". It specifically stated, "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." (Pg.10 http://www.medfordumc.org/celltower/wifirfexposure.pdf ) The advice that school boards have been given is outdated, irrelevant to current classroom situation, and does not protect the health of children. Actual measurement of "near-field" radiation from a Wi-Fi-enabled device was 700,000 times higher. The probe of our meter was encased inside the speherical casing, about 2cm further in. If in "direct" contact, the levels would be even higher. Children are touching the device directly, in their hands or against their reproductive organs on their laps. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVJI-0YogGo


7) The World Health Organization and Health Canada are both warning parents to reduce exposure for children. It is up to us as parents to take precaution. The Precautionary Principle according to the United Nations is to protect people from harm, especially irreparable harm (such as cancer, heart disease, infertility and damage in brain function as has been demonstrated to result from microwave radiation in animal studies and studies on occupationally exposed humans). The Precautionary Principle applies to such harm from technology that is "scientifically plausible but uncertain", and states that actions should be take BEFORE the harm occurs, to AVOID or PREVENT that harm. It has taken long latency period for the irreparable harm from DDT, PCB, BPA, tobacco and asbestos to show up and decades before "official" health authority ban them with certainty. Parents should absolutely have the choice to follow the advice for precaution. 
http://www.safeinschool.org/p/precautionary-principle.html

BCCPAC Voted YES to Wi-Fi Resolutions at AGM 2012

Press Release on British Columbia Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils

Citizens for Safe Technology Society

Press Release - May 28, 2012       

                         

PARENTS DEMAND CHOICE & PRECAUTION

The BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils (BCCPAC) passed two strong resolutions concerning microwave wireless radiation technology in schools at their May 26th AGM, designed to protect children and support parental rights and choice. 

Resolution 17 "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."

Resolution 18 calls on Boards of Education to "cease to install Wi-Fi and other wireless networks in schools where other networking technology is feasible." Both resolutions were passed with a clear majority (131-93; 130-77) and many attending members verbalized their support during the discussion period. 

These resolutions referenced the WHO classification of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields as a Type 2B Possible Human Cancer Risk in May 2011, and Health Canada's subsequent warning for reduced microwave radiofrequency radiation exposure for children because "children are typically more sensitive to a variety of environmental agents."

There are more calls for protection of children from around the world, including the American Academy of Environmental Medicine, which states, "Chronic exposure to wireless radiofrequency 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." 

It also noted that "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 radiofrequency emitted Wi-Fi and wireless devices in the school environment." This condition is known as Electrohypersensitivity (EHS), which is recognized by the Canadian Human Rights Commission. EHS students in BC, however, currently have no alternative to avoid such exposure while attending schools."

Peter Milne, owner of an IT consultant firm in Victoria, is convinced "innovative wired solutions can be achieved in a cost effective way. When parents demand safety first - the industry will respond with safer solutions."  Susan McFee from Langley pointed out that this is the first time in history a 2B carcinogen is being forced onto children. "Schools are taking the liability away from Wi-Fi manufacturers."

Michelle Wong of the Wi-Fi Subcommittee complained about Perry Kendall, Chief Medical Officer's advice to school boards. "He referenced radiation levels with a study sponsored by the Wi-Fi Alliance - companies that make and sell Wi-Fi products. They measured laptop radiation at distances of 1 meter and further from the laptop. That study does not assess near-field exposures to a user of the laptop itself." Using an audible microwave radiofrequency meter, Wong showed the attendees the strong and continual "near-field" microwave signals from an iPad. "It is comparable to cellphone (microwave radiation). We need to know what we are putting in the hands and laps of our children."

Ingrid Truow of Richmond District Parents' Association encouraged other parents "to consider the safety of these children who are affected by Wi-Fi as we do to the children who have peanut allergy." Gwen Giesbrecht, Chair of Vancouver's District Parent Advisory Council, felt strongly that "the present circumstances could really be detrimental to the next generation." Since it's a health issue, she preferred to cease the installation of Wi-Fi in all schools rather than creating only one wired school in the district.

BCCPAC represents a membership of 821, including Parent Advisory Councils and District Parent Advisory Councils from every school district in the province. Collectively, BCCPAC represents the parents of over 500,000 students in BC.

Media Contacts:

Una St.Clair, Executive Director, Citizens for Safe Technology Society

una@citizensforsafetechnology.org 

Susan McFee, Director, Citizens for Safe Technology Society

susan@citizensforsafetechnology.org

Deleterious Effects on Growing Rat Testes of WiFi Radiofrequency Waves

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

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:

http://www.bccpac.bc.ca/UserFiles/File/2012AGM-Spring/AGM_Voting_Info_Proxy_Form.pdf

Voting Instructions: 

http://www.bccpac.bc.ca/UserFiles/File/2012AGM-Spring/2012_Resolution_Voting_Instructions.pdf

Authorized Proxy Vote Form:

http://www.bccpac.bc.ca/UserFiles/File/2012AGM-Spring/Authorized%20Proxy%20Vote%20Form.pdf

Spring Conference Registration & Program:

http://www.bccpac.bc.ca/index/event_calendar/2012%20Spring%20Conf.aspx

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

http://www.bccpac.bc.ca/UserFiles/File/2012AGM-Spring/2012_Resolution_Book_Updated.pdf

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:

http://tinyurl.com/7fync2w http://goo.gl/77ztt

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."

http://aaemonline.org/images/CaliforniaPublicUtilitiesCommission.pdf

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. 

http://goo.gl/mByBt

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... ”

http://www.nature.com/srep/2012/120315/srep00312/full/srep00312.html

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.”

https://docs.google.com/open?id=17Z-BgRE0Ib-YtEnGFLLO5dmOgrudovBj8mfHLFrzzFkbLkZiwV1Lmth_TtxI

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."

http://electromagnetichealth.org/electromagnetic-health-blog/russian-res-children-emf/

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-resultsInfertility 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 

CitizensforSafeTechnology.org

Powerwatch.org.uk

Wifiinschools.org.uk

Emfacts.com 

MicrowaveNews.com 

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