nomoremasts

How safe are mobile phones

2008-03-04T13:54:00.001-08:00

We love our mobiles... but are we being told all the facts about how safe they are?

By JEROME BURNE

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=525268&in_page_id=1774

3rd March 2008

We love our mobile phones - all 70 million of them.

They are both fashion accessories and an essential part of our lives. Yet since they first became widely available in the 1990s, there have been nagging doubts about just how safe they are.

Could they cause cancers in the brain? Does living near a mobile phone mast raise your risk of other cancers? Despite official reassurances, we still don't seem to be any closer to a definite answer.

Dangerous call? Opinion is divided on the safety of mobile phones

Last September, the Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research (MTHR) programme, which is funded jointly by the Government and the industry, concluded that mobile phones, base stations and masts "have not been found to be associated with any biological or adverse health effects".

This conclusion was based on the findings of the working of the cells in our bodies. A major UK report eight years ago warned that children could be especially vulnerable to mobile phone emissions because of their thinner skulls and developing nervous system.

However, the Health Protection Agency, which is responsible for safety in this area, has stated that as far as adults are concerned, wi-fi, phones and radio masts all operate on a power level that is well within the accepted guidelines, and that there is no evidence that they pose a threat to people's health.

Speaking last September, the chairman of the MTHR programme, Professor Lawrie Challis, said: "There is no evidence for immediate or short-term health effects" — though he added there was a "slight hint" of increased risk of brain tumour among long term users.

There have not been any official studies on children, but because children have been shown to react differently to environmental stimuli, Professor Challis said it was "possible that they were at greater risk".

The advice to parents is to limit children's use of mobiles, and ensure that those under the age of eight do not use them at all.

For some experts, this warning does not go nearly far enough. Professor Denis Henshaw, head of the human radiation effects group at Bristol University, says: "We are steeped in denial over the safety of mobile phones and related technologies."

He points, as an example, to a recent Austrian study which found a raised risk of breast cancer near phone masts. "We have emission levels in the UK similar to those in Austria — and yet there is no warning to people of possible dangers."

Contrast the UK position with that in other countries, where at the very least they take the approach that when it comes to this new technology, better safe than sorry.

The German government has taken a more cautious line over wi-fi. Last September, the German environment ministry recommended that people should keep their exposure to radiation as low as possible by replacing wi-fi with a cabled connection.

In 2006, the city of Frankfurt decided not to install wireless systems in schools until there was more health research.

In Austria, there is a much greater level of professional concern about the possible dangers. Three years ago, the Vienna Chamber of Doctors put up more than 21,000 posters in surgeries and other places with very specific warnings about mobile phones, such as: "Use your phone as little as possible" and "Men - never keep a phone in your trouser pockets as it can reduce fertility."

A study reported last month found that out of 360 men attending an infertility clinic, those who used their mobile the most had the poorest sperm quality.

The Austrian Medical Association is currently lobbying against the installation of wi-fi in schools. "Children using a laptop that is broadcasting wi-fi are very close to the antennae," says Dr Gerd Oberfeld, the association's spokesperson 23 research projects.

Yet there has been a considerable amount of other research suggesting the technology might not be so safe after all.

For instance, last October, two Swedish professors pulled together the results of 11 studies involving people who had used mobiles for more than a decade and found they were 20 per cent more likely to develop a benign tumour in the inner ear, and 30 per cent more likely to develop a type of brain tumour known as a malignant glioma.

Last summer, a group of 25 international scientists — known as the BioInitiative Working Group — carried out a major review of the evidence for the effect of microwaves on health.

They found evidence for a raised risk of brain tumour from mobile phones, and also expressed concern about a possible raised risk of breast cancer, changes to genes, and inflammation in the blood vessels associated with conditions such as heart disease.

And it's not just mobiles and phone masts that are being implicated. Some experts are concerned about wi-fi networks which allow you to connect your computer directly to the internet without the need for wires.

These wi-fi networks are found increasingly in homes, offices and schools, as well as in cafes, hotels and other public places.

Last month, this long-running issue was given a new twist with the publication of a survey which found that cordless phones - used in millions of homes and offices - give off more radiation than mobile phones. The reason is that the base acts like a mini mobile phone mast, constantly broadcasting a signal.

All of these - mobile phones and masts, cordless phones and wi-fi networks - use microwaves. The fear is that these might affect on environmental issues. "There is a huge amount of evidence that being that close to an aerial poses a danger to human health."

The local government authorities of the province of Salzburg have already advised schools not to install wi-fi. Oberfeld says: "There are some perfectly good, safe alternative ways of connecting to the internet, such as infra-red."

Infra-red uses light, which our bodies are used to, rather than microwaves. Eighteen months ago, nearly 50 scientists at a meeting of the International Commission for Electromagnetic Safety in Benevento, Italy, agreed on a statement warning about the dangers of microwave emissions.

The scientists came from a range of top academic institutions, including COlumbia University in the U.S., the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and the University of Washington in Seattle.

There was now evidence, the commission said, that long-term use of mobile phones could raise the risk of cancer in children and brain tumours.

These scientists called on governments to promote alternatives to wireless systems, tell people about the potential risks of mobile and cordless phones, and to limit their use by children and teenagers.

But while part of the debate is about which bits of research to take notice of and which shoudl be ignored, there is also a more fundamental difference over what are "safe" levels of intensity of microwave exposure.

The UK's levels are well within the recommended levels set by the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection in 1998 - so how can there be any risk?

These levels were aimed at preventing any possibility of heating damage through microwaves.

But the big question now is whether microwaves can affect us not by heating, but by interfering with the activity of cells in our bodies at a power level way below the current safety levels.

The possibility of these "non-thermal" effects was raised eight years ago in a major report on mobile phone safety by Sir William Stewart, then chairman of Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust and now head of the Health Protection Agency, the body responsible for monitoring microwave safety.

However, the report by the Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research programme last September concluded that there was no evidence for an effect other than heating and that there was "no need to support further work in this area".

It's not a view shared by the Benevento scientists in their statement in 2006: "Arguments that weak (low intensity) electromagnetic fields cannot affect biological systems do not represent the current spectrum of scientific opinion."

Indeed, the BioInitiative review last summer went further and called for safety levels to be lowered to reflect these non-thermal effects of microwaves on our bodies.

Last month, the Irish Doctors Environmental Association said that the current thermal-based guidelines were clearly no longer appropriate and called on the government to "immediately start research into the non-thermal effects of exposure to electromagnetic radiation".

"There is absolutely no doubt these effects exist," says Dr Andrew Goldsworthy, a biologist and expert in low frequency microwave radiation, and honorary lecturer at Imperial College in London.

"For instance, we've known for more than 30 years that electromagnetic fields affect the behaviour of calcium in living cells."

He claims that this could explain the symptoms reported by people who say they are affected by pulsed microwave radiation - the sort emitted by mobile phones.

"The textbook symptoms of too little calcium - such as fatigue, muscles cramps, irregular heart rhythm and gut problems - are very similar to those reported by people who say they are affected by microwave radiation," he says.

Professor Henshaw of Bristol University agrees. The idea that microwaves don't affect our health is "a total red herring", he says.

"The real question is: Why should anybody who understands physics and biology be surprised that low level radiation has an effect on health?

"We need to start thinking about microwave radiation the way we think about atmospheric pollution caused by cars," suggests Henshaw.

"We know that cars emit harmful chemicals: we can even calculate the number of premature deaths caused as a result (around 20,000). But we have rules and regulations on emissions - with the result that while car numbers continue to rise, pollution levels have fallen.

"Mobile phones and the rest aren't going to go away, but could we do more to acknowledge the possible problem so people can make an informed choice about using them and can learn to deal with the effects?"

The need for better warning is echoed by electromagnetic research group Powerwatch, which believes that mobiles should come with a health warning, like cigarettes.

"The evidence that passive smoking causes harm is actually much weaker than the evidence for damage by pulsed low frequency microwaves,' claims Graham Philips, Powerwatch's technical manager.

The media is sometimes accused of creating false debates over health and safety, setting the opinion of one or two renegade scientists against the evidence-based authoritative view of the majority.

The authority of the scientific sceptics suggests this isn't what is going on here. The one thing that both sides more or less agree on is the need for more research.

The last word, then, to the Health Protection Agency. "I've not seen any evidence that suggests I should be worried about my personal health as a result of using a mobile phone," says the agency's spokesman Dr Michael Clark.

"Street lamps emit radiation and I'm not worried about them. Radio waves are just next to microwaves on the electromagnetic spectrum and I'm not worried about listening to Radio 4 either. But I keep an open mind on the subject."

Balmori:Childhood Leukemia and EM radiation

2008-02-25T01:35:00.000-08:00

PALENCIA

Leucemia infantil(EL">http://www.nortecastilla.es/prensa/20080222/opinion/leucemia-infantil-20080222.html">(EL NORTE DE CASTILLA)

Childhood Leukemia

22.02.2008 - ALFONSO BALMORI

Translation at foot of each paragraph

DE nuevo se repite la historia, esta vez en Palencia. El nombre del García Quintana vuelve a ocupar las
portadas de los diarios junto al del Colegio Juan de Mena, ambos unidos por un hilo invisible de
amargura, maldición e impotencia.
El edil de obras del Ayuntamiento palentino afirma rotundo que ha sido una casualidad.

[Once again history repeats itself, this time in Palencia. The name Garcia Quintana retuns to the headlines along with Juan de Mena College, both united by an invisible thread of bitterness, misfortune and impotence. The council roundly affirms that it is just a question of chance.]

Si las cuentas no me fallan, tres casos de leucemia infantil entre 150 alumnos del colegio, alcanzan un
porcentaje del 2%, que han contraído esta cruel enfermedad en solo tres años. ¿Puede considerarse
esto una casualidad?, o más bien debemos hablar de un cluster de cáncer infantil, provocado por algún
factor ambiental. El caso es que aquí no hay museo de ciencias al que echar la culpa. Tampoco es un
edificio viejo, que pueda albergar materiales peligrosos...

[If I'm not mistaken three leukemia cases amongst 150 school children is 2%. Can that be chance? Or shouldn't we be talking about a cluster of childhood leaukemia caused by some environmental factor. Here there is no science museum to blame. Nor is it an old building which could contain dangerous substances]

Otra vez la coincidencia de unas antenas cerca, también ilegales...
Se repiten las mismas cantinelas, las mismas declaraciones políticas que no tranquilizan a nadie, ni
siquiera a los que se ven obligados a pronunciarlas. Hay miedo, y la clase política es la que tiene más.
Tiene miedo de que se descubra que la telefonía móvil es un problema sanitario de primer orden.
Miedo por no haber sido capaces de advertir a tiempo sobre sus riesgos, en una absurda e inconcebible
huida hacia delante, mientras, de forma imparable, las revistas científicas publican trabajos cada vez
más concluyentes.

[Once again the coincidence of antennas nearby, illegal as it happens. They repeat the same excuses, the same political declarations which don't reassure anyone, not even those who are obliged to pronounce them. There is fear and the political class is the one which has most. They are afraid that it will be shown that the mobile phone network is a public health risk of the highest order. Fear that they haven't been capable of sounding the alarm in time about the risks in an absurd , unimaginable flight forward, whilst, relentlessly, the scientific journals publish increasingly conclusive findings]

Hace unas semanas, en la escuela de primaria 'Victor- Hugo' de Lyon, se diagnosticaron un caso de
leucemia y un linfoma en sendos niños de 10 años que estudiaban en el mismo aula. Casualmente la
escuela tiene antenas de telefonía colocada en su fachada. Como publicaba 'Le Progrès' el día 5 de
febrero se ordenó su inmediata desconexión, igual que en Palencia.

[a few weeks ago, in the primary school 'Victor Hugo” in Lyons, a case of leukemia and of lymphoma was diagnosed in a class of ten year olds. Coincidentally, the school had a mast right in front of it. As 'Le Progress” reported on the 5th February, its immediate disconnection was ordered, s in Palencia]

Hasta la fecha existen dos estudios científicos publicados sobre antenas y cáncer, y ambos relacionan
las antenas de telefonía con un incremento de casos de cáncer. El primero de ellos, un estudio Israelí
(Wolf y Wolf, 2004) publicado en 'International Journal of Cancer Prevention', indica un incremento de la
incidencia de cáncer 4,15 veces mayor en el área de influencia de una antena. El segundo, una
investigación realizada en Alemania (Eger et al., 2004) y publicada en 'Unwelt medizin gesellschaft',
concluye que el riesgo de contraer un cáncer se multiplica por 3,29 en el área interior de un radio de 400
metros de otra antena.

[Up until now, there have been two scientific studies relating increased cancer risk with proximity to masts.the first of these, an Israeli study published in the International Journal of Cancer Prevention indicates increased incidence, by a factor of 4.15, in areas near to masts. The second, a ninvestigation carried out in germany (Eger et al., 2004) and published in 'Unwelt medizin gesellschaft' gives a similar finding with an increased risk factor of 3.29 within 400 metres of masts.]

La Agencia de Prensa Austríaca (APA) acaba de difundir los resultados de un nuevo estudio, esta vez
oficial, realizado por el Dr. Gerd Oberfeld, médico del servicio de salud ambiental de Salzburgo. Él ha
encontrado también un aumento significativo del riesgo de cáncer debido a las radiaciones de una
antena de telefonía móvil situada en la proximidad de la estación de Graz.

[The Austrian Press agency(APA) has just released the results of a new study, an official one, carried out by Dr. Gerd Oberfeld, environmental medical officer for Salzburg. He has found a significant increase of cancer risk in the vicinity of a mast near Graz station.]

Ante estos resultados me surgen algunas preguntas: ¿por qué se empeñan nuestras autoridades en
repetir hasta la saciedad que no existen estudios que relacionen las antenas con el cáncer, cuando la
ciencia dice exactamente lo contrario? ¿Es para no crear alarma social? ¿Estarán creando una
«evidencia científica» virtual, a la medida de las necesidades de la industria?
Y la última: ¿por qué hay tantos profesionales que lo saben y mantienen silencio?

[Faced with these results certain questions come to mind: Why do our authorities keep endlessly repeating that there are no studies linking cancer to masts, when the science says exactly the opposite? Is it to avoid creating alarm or are they creating virtual “scientific evidence” taylored to the industry? And finally, why are there so many professionals who know and yet remain silent?]

EM causes genotoxic effects

2008-02-25T01:34:00.000-08:00

http://lib.bioinfo.pl/pmid:18278508

Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (UMTS, 1,950 MHz) induce genotoxic effects in vitro in human fibroblasts but not in lymphocytes

Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2008 Feb 16; : 18278508

[My paper] Claudia Schwarz , Elisabeth Kratochvil , Alexander Pilger , Niels Kuster , Franz Adlkofer , Hugo Rüdiger

OBJECTIVE: Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) was recently introduced as the third generation mobile communication standard in Europe. This was done without any information on biological effects and genotoxic properties of these particular high-frequency electromagnetic fields. This is discomforting, because genotoxic effects of the second generation standard Global System for Mobile Communication have been reported after exposure of human cells in vitro.

METHODS: Human cultured fibroblasts of three different donors and three different short-term human lymphocyte cultures were exposed to 1,950 MHz UMTS below the specific absorption rate (SAR) safety limit of 2 W/kg. The alkaline comet assay and the micronucleus assay were used to ascertain dose and time-dependent genotoxic effects. Five hundred cells per slide were visually evaluated in the comet assay and comet tail factor (CTF) was calculated. In the micronucleus assay 1,000 binucleated cells were evaluated per assay. The origin of the micronuclei was determined by fluorescence labeled anticentromere antibodies. All evaluations were performed under blinded conditions.

RESULTS: UMTS exposure increased the CTF and induced centromere-negative micronuclei (MN) in human cultured fibroblasts in a dose and time-dependent way. Incubation for 24 h at a SAR of 0.05 W/kg generated a statistically significant rise in both CTF and MN (P = 0.02). At a SAR of 0.1 W/kg the CTF was significantly increased after 8 h of incubation (P = 0.02), the number of MN after 12 h (P = 0.02). No UMTS effect was obtained with lymphocytes, either unstimulated or stimulated with Phytohemagglutinin.

CONCLUSION: UMTS exposure may cause genetic alterations in some but not in all human cells in vitro.

Cordless home phones sparks radiation fear

2008-02-19T13:32:00.000-08:00

by ANNE CAMPBELL, Metro -

6th February 2006

Forget the health scares over mobile phones - the real danger could be the cordless landline in your home.

New research shows the base stations of some cordless phones emit twice as much radiation as a mobile phone mast.

Electromagnetic fields of up to six volts per metre were discovered at close range, compared with safe levels of 0.05 volts.

Unlike mobile phones, the base stations put out radiation even when they are not in use, the study by Swedish scientists showed.

The findings may show that digital enhanced cordless telephones (DECT) put people at risk of brain tumours, say campaign groups.

Campaigners recommend phone switch

They recommend users switch to a different type of phone.

"If you have a DECT with a base station in your house then you are filling your home with pulsing microwaves," said Alasdair Philips, of environmental pressure group Powerwatch.

The Health Protection Agency, which protects public health in Britain, said it would look at the study but did not think DECTs were dangerous.

However, the HPA conceded there was an "increased association" between acoustic neuromas - a type of benign growth in the ear which could cause deafness - and electromagnetic fields.

"It is something to be suspicious of but we are not saying it is causal," the HPA said. "Newer DECT base stations only switch on when they are in use and we support such precautionary measures."

British Telecom said there was no conclusive scientific evidence to show that DECTs were unsafe.

Royal Society of London Meeting on BioInitiative Report

2007-12-01T04:35:00.000-08:00

November 30, 2007

Royal Society of London Meeting on BioInitiative Report and the Urgent Need for New Biologically-Based Public Exposure Limits

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Safety is not assured, nor is it even likely under safety limits for electromagnetic radiation (EMR) that were originally designed for short-term exposures and never anticipated the new wireless world. A meeting this week at the Royal Society of London organized by Coghill Research Labs previewed the results of the newly released BioInitiative Report (www.bioinitiative.org). Experts from the fields of cancer, immunology, public health and environmental policy who authored the BioInitiative Report presented scientific evidence in support of an urgent call for new biologically-based public exposure standards to deal with pulsed radiofrequency and microwave radiation from cell phones and towers that transmit the signals (masts). The Report also recommends a thousand-fold lower limit for children exposed to electric energy sources like appliances and power lines.

At the Royal Society conference, BioInitiative co-editor Cindy Sage of Sage Associates summarized the scientific evidence from the Report documenting the inadequacy of existing international public safety standards. Brain tumor specialist Dr. Lennart Hardell, MD, PhD and Professor at University Hospital in Orebro, Sweden spoke on his BioInitiative chapter on brain tumors and acoustic neuromas. His work on cell phones, cordless phones and brain tumors is widely recognized to be pivotal in the debate about the safety of wireless radiofrequency and microwave radiation. Olle Johansson, PhD, Karolinska Institute and BioInitiative Report author presented on EMR effects on immune function and electrical hypersensitivity.

The world’s safety limits are out of date and irrelevant for chronic exposures to low-level EMR since they did not anticipate the advent of a wireless world, with new forms of pulsed radiation that widely affect populations 24-hours a day. Today’s wireless environment virtually layers all of us with multiple exposures that appear to cause health effects that may include chronic illness and death. The use of cell phones is linked to increased risk of brain tumors and acoustic neuromas with 10 or more years of use, and the evidence for exposure to EMF (from power lines and appliances) points to genetic damage, several childhood and adult cancers and Alzheimer’s disease.

Several other speakers chronicled life-changing illnesses that occurred following the erection of masts near their homes. Electrical hypersensitivity - which can be debilitating - is thought to result from large changes in the immune system caused by continuing exposure to artificial EMR, leading to chronic inflammation and allergic responses. Estimates reach from 3% to 10% of populations in the UK, other European and the Nordic countries.

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20071130005773&newsLang=en

Phone mast blunders "just keep on coming"

2007-10-12T12:45:00.000-07:00

"If someone builds an extension to their home that is different from the original plans, the council takes enforcement action." "

By Kelly Fenna

THE CONTROVERSIAL mobile phone mast saga has unravelled yet more blunders after a new Moreton telecommunications pole was found to be taller than planned and in the wrong spot.

The T-Mobile mast, installed on Hoylake Road last month, is bigger and in the incorrect position according to planning officers - alerted to the hiccup by ward councillor Chris Blakeley.

The mast's cabinet equipment also exceeds the original measurements and is in breach of planning regulations.

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Officers have now been forced to admit that installation is inaccurate and that there are "discrepancies in the dimensions."

"This is unbelievable," said Cllr Blakeley.

"After all that has happened with this mast, you would think T-Mobile would have learned their lesson."

Last month the Globe revealed how hordes of residents and Cllr Blakeley staged a peaceful protest at the site when engineers begun their work.

But the group were threatened with arrest for breach of the peace and were told by police that they were obstructing the public highway.

If someone builds an extension to their home that is different from the original plans, the council takes enforcement action. The same action must be taken against T-Mobile
Cllr Chris Blakeley
Cllr Blakeley added: "T-Mobile had the nerve to call the police when we organised a peaceful protest and now we find they are the ones breaking the law by installing a mast and equipment that they don't have permission for.

"If someone builds an extension to their home that is different from the original plans, the council takes enforcement action. The same action must be taken against T-Mobile."

The mobile phone mast blunder began earlier this year when two separate planning committees refused applications for masts in Moreton, Heswall, Claughton and Pensby.

But the council forgot to send out the decision noticed within the 56-day time limit and did not realise until the company sent them an email to say they had won deemed consent.

An independent investigation is now under way.

In an email to Cllr Blakeley from council enforcement officer Steve Lacey, it is confirmed that the Moreton mast and cabinets are 1.2m to the right of its approved position.

And the height of the mast stands at 14.93m as opposed to the 14.7m stated in the original plans.

In his email, Mr Lacey said: "A letter will be sent to the applicants raising these points and requesting an explanation as to why there are discrepancies.

"Once we have received T-Mobile's response, the information will be presented to the planning committee with our recommendation."

A spokesman for T-Mobile (UK) Ltd said: "Although the company fully respects Cllr Blakeley's sincerity in raising this matter as the local elected member, T-Mobile does in fact dispute the circumstances in this case and is confident that our mast, which is of a standard 14.7 metres pre-fabricated design, is compliant with the law and our original planning submission.

"We look forward to being able to clarify these matters with Wirral Council officers in writing. We feel confident that this will resolve the matter."

http://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/wirralnews/display.var.1748575.0.phone_mast_blunders_just_keep_on_coming.php

9:36am Wednesday 10th October 2007

U-turn gives victory to anti-mast campaigners

2007-10-12T12:36:00.000-07:00

editorial@hamhigh.co.uk
11 October 2007

Ben McPartland

CAMPAIGNERS in West Hampstead are calling a victory in the battle against mobile phone masts.

Residents and traders in Iverson Road are celebrating after a business pulled out of a deal to put up a mobile phone mast.

Bosses at Iverson Tyres say their surprise decision - which came as the foundations were being dug for the O2 mast - was taken because they do not want to anger loyal customers.

Managing director David Gardner said: "We had overlooked the tremendous support that the local community has shown us over the years and feel it is important to show our support in return.

"We have a very strong customer base in the immediate vicinity going back 15 years.

"The community, our customers of all generations, have consistently advertised on our behalf the excellent service that we provide and we are grateful to them for that."

Tensions on Iverson Road have been fraught ever since residents found out the O2 company wanted to install the 15metre mast on their doorsteps.

In June scuffles broke out in Iverson Tyres' offices when protestors tried to deliver a 250 signature petition to Mr Gardner.

The group claimed the mast would be a blot on the landscape. And there were also health concerns over increased radiation levels.

O2 would have been the third telecom giant to have a mast on the street after Vodafone and Orange.

Resident Steven Jones said: "This is a message of hope for all those who think that just because the council has given planning permission that there is no point in carrying on with a campaign.

"Local people continued their battle to present David Gardner with their views and here you have the result. We applaud Mr Gardner for heeding our views and thank him for showing this consideration for our community."

Another protestor Roger Tavener, owner of C Tavener & Son builders withdrew his business from Iverson Tyres when he heard news of the planned mast.

He said: "If this is official then we will end the boycott and continue to use Iverson Tyres. We were a good customer to them. I am very happy to hear the news."

But O2, which was shocked to hear of the turnaround, has promised not to give up.

Spokesman James Stevenson said: "We will go and see them and find out the reason why they have backed out on the agreement.

"We will try to talk to them about how safe the mobile phone stations are and how they cause no health and safety problems for residents. They had already started putting it in."

http://www.hamhigh.co.uk/content/camden/hamhigh/news/story.aspx?brand=NorthLondon24&category=Newshamhigh&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newshamhigh&itemid=WeED11%20Oct%202007%2014%3A24%3A12%3A813

ben.mcpartland@hamhigh.co.uk

Málaga residents get mobile phone mast removed

2007-10-12T03:54:00.001-07:00

SPAIN NEWS

Oct 11, 2007

The residents had linked the mast with 40 cases of cancer in Calle Ingeniero de la Torre Acosta

500 residents of a block in Calle Ingeniero de la Torre Acosta in Málaga have finally won a court case against Vodafone who had installed a Mobile phone base station on the roof of the block.

The residents claim the installation had lead to at least 30 cases of cancer, and the judge, María Isabel Gómez Bermúdez, ruled in their favour, despite the fact that they failed to prove a direct link between the illness and the antenna.

They also claimed that the safety of the building was compromised by the weight of the base station

Hand Held Learning 2007 - We Want Safe Learning NOT Wireless Dangers

2007-10-11T12:22:00.000-07:00

Learning occurs when brain cells are able to freely communicate with each other. Science now shows that Wi-fi signals disrupt inter-cellular communication[1] and impede learning.

Although individual learning, taking advantage of the Internet and rich multi-media resources, is a good idea in principle, we believe that using wireless-enabled devices to do so is adding unnecessary danger to children and their teachers particularly when wired and pluggable devices+ can be used virtually risk-free. (+ e.g. see HHL07 Guide P17 for digimemo USB and espresso SD Card devices)

In this conference you will be tempted by wireless hand held devices which use the same microwave emitting technologies that mobile phones do - and thus carry the same health risks (although, no doubt, you will not be told this by the conference speakers or equipment vendors).

Facts to Consider:

Wi-fi has never been pre-market safety tested, nor were mobile phones or other wireless devices.
Wireless/Mobile technologies (Wi-fi, Bluetooth, HSDPA, 3G etc.) all use microwave frequencies
Independent Scientific studies have consistently shown health effects from microwave emissions well below currently allowed levels[2,3,4]
The UK Department of Health's own advice is that "the widespread use of mobile phones by children (under the age of 16) should be discouraged for non-essential calls"[5,6]
It has been shown on Panorama[14] that the radiation intensity inside a classroom with 30 Wi-Fi laptops is 3 times higher than as a result of being in the main beam from a mobile phone mast antenna at a typical distance.
Wireless computers, laptops and routers constantly emit pulsed microwave radiation over (and through) students' and teachers' bodies even when not being actively used.
Sir William Stewart reiterated that they (Stewart Committee) had found evidence for genetic damage and cancer at exposures below the guidelines[5] and he is now calling for an enquiry into Wi-fi in schools[14].
The German government is already advising its citizens to use wired internet connections instead of Wi-Fi, and landlines instead of mobile phones[7]
Executive Director of the EU's European Environment Agency said last month that, "it would be prudent for health authorities to recommend actions to reduce exposures, especially to vulnerable groups, such as children." The Agency called for immediate action to reduce exposure to radiation from Wi-Fi, mobile phones and their masts. It suggests that delay could lead to a health crisis similar to those caused by asbestos and smoking.[8]
World Health Organisation's EMF Project has been funded by Industry* and has not issued health warnings despite the ever increasing mass of evidence[11,12] to justify doing so - their decisions have been made on out of date and biased data.[9] (* Admitted by Mike Repacholi, it's ex-head and speaker at HHL07)
The exposure guidelines (ICNIRP) only protect against short term heat shocks and burns (heating effects). They are not designed to protect against long term exposure.[10]
Furthermore, Industry is perpetuating the myth that only the heating effects from microwaves can cause health problems, as opposed to non-heating (biological) effects[13 , 15 ]. Current 'ICNIRP' exposure guidelines used in the UK ignore non-heating effects.[10 ]
With Adult and even teenage adoption of mobile phones at saturation point, children - with their less-developed and more vulnerable bodies - are being targeted by companies such as O2 and T-Mobile (who are both heavily involved in HHL07) as an easy way of increasing sales and hence their revenue.

We hope that this information is useful and that it persuades you to put the safety of pupils and staff first and to keep all your hand held devices and networks wired.

Mast Sanity

http://www.mastsanity.org:80/handheldlearning

Calling for Environmentally and Biologically safe communications networks and radio frequency devices

Russia warns cellular phones affect brain activity

2007-10-05T02:53:00.000-07:00

Hide Cellular Phones From Children

Scientists are concerned with commodization of mobile communications. Although the damage of cellular phones� electromagnetic radiation has never been proved, their safety can not be warranted either. Chairman of the Russian National Committee for defense from nonionizing radiation, Doctor of Science (Medicine), Professor, Yuri Grigirievich Grigoriev advises that children and teenagers are particularly sensitive to electromagnetic radiation. Judging by some data, long child�s conversations on the cellular phone may painfully affect in mature age.

To evaluate safety of cellular phones, consequences of long-term electromagnetic fields� influence should be investigated. The overwhelming majority of medical investigation of mobile communications was performed abroad and was devoted to short-term effects. Domestic researchers have accumulated a lot of data about state of health of the people who worked for years with the sources of electromagnetic radiation. Summing up all these data, Yu. G. Grigoriev affirms that cellular phones are unsafe. Even a short telephone conversation often affects the brain activity: participants of experiment spend more time on fulfilment of test assignments, which is particularly important for students and schoolchildren, some people complain of headache and some distraction.

This annoyance is over soon but lengthy intense use of cellular communications result in more serious consequences. Some users suffer regularly from headaches, after a five-minute telephone conversation the ache being intensified. People complain of fatiguability, irritability, discomfort feeling, giddiness, difficulty in concentrating attention. The specialists who spent years working with sources of high-frequency electromagnetic radiation acquire vegetative disorders and neurasthenic symptoms. Experiments with young rats deserve particular attention.

As children and teenagers are particularly sensitive to negative impact of electromagnetic fields, therefore cellular communication is strongly contra-indicated to them. This opinion is shared by the majority of European scientists. In 2001, the European Parliament Research Group recommended to all EU member countries to prohibit children under 16 to use cellular phones. Physicians of Great Britain accepted similar recommendations in 1999, World Health Organization � in 2000, Russian physicians � in 2001. Unfortunately, physicians� recommendations in Russia have no validity. The number of underage subscribers of mobile communications is steadily growing in Russia, and cellular phones manufactures develop special child�s models. In the meantime, adverse effect of electromagnetic radiation is superimposed on the influence of other unfavorable environmental and social factors. Within the last 12 years, Russian teenagers morbidity has increased several times. Although it is impossible to ensure healthy way of life for all teenagers, at least cellular phones should be immediately taken away from them.

http://www.mastaction.co.uk/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=76

Green Party demands federal action on cell phones and wireless networks

2007-10-01T03:49:00.000-07:00

(GREEN PARTY)

27.09.2007

OTTAWA - Green Party leader Elizabeth May today called on Health Minister Tony Clement to issue an immediate warning on the potential danger posed by radiation from cell phones and wireless networks in Canada.

Germany recently warned its citizens to avoid wireless technology whenever possible and the EU’s European Environment Agency (EEA) followed suit with a call for immediate reduction in exposure to radiation from phones and wireless networks. The EEA suggested that a delay could precipitate a health crisis similar to those caused by asbestos exposure and smoking.

"There is growing scientific evidence that exposure to electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from cell phones and wireless networks can cause significant harm to people, especially children,” said Ms. May. “Until all the facts are in, it is foolish to turn a blind eye to the potential health effects of EMR. The Green Party urges the federal government to apply the precautionary principle and warn citizens of these risks now.”

Citing several studies that link cell phone use to cancer, the Green Party’s Health Promotion critic, Jake Cole, demanded rapid action from Mr. Clement.

“More and more Canadians are being exposed to EMR through wireless networks at work and at home,” said Mr. Cole. “The long-term effects of exposure aren’t known with certainty, but evidence suggests that health impacts can occur at extremely low levels of radiation, far below public safety limits.

"Canada must quickly issue some sensible public warnings on this matter, following the lead of other jurisdictions like Germany and the EU, and develop principles and regulations to ensure the health and safety of Canadians.”

In accordance with the precautionary principle, the Green Party recommends:

• Children under the age of 12 should not use cell phones, except in emergencies.
• Cell phones should not be used in schools, except in emergencies.
• A moratorium on the installation of all wireless equipment and cell phone masts within 300 metres of a home or school
• Turning off all electronic equipment when not in use

To read A Rationale for a Biologically-based Public Exposure Standard for Electromagnetic Fields (ELF and RF), the international scientific review on wireless radiation and health cited by the European Environment Agency, please see http://www.bioinitiative.org/report/index.htm

How did the MTHR report get so misreported?

2007-09-28T04:56:00.000-07:00

News :: 26/09/2007 -http://www.powerwatch.org.uk:80/news/20070926_mthr_update.asp

Go to original article to access all internal links

Summary:

On the 12th September the MTHR press-released their first published report on the "Mobile Telecommunications & Health Research" programme that has been running since 2001. The research programme covered a number of important recent papers on mobile telecommunications and health, including the much publicised INTERPHONE work. Sadly, the press-release did a very poor job of explaining what the findings were and gave the national press the view that it basically gave the all clear, with a few minor possibilities to clear up with further research. This incorrect message was reinforced by releasing the report through the Science Media Centre (SMC) who only invite and allow selected national media reporters to attend and so few challenging questions are usually asked. No-one else was allowed to see a copy of the report until after the Press Briefing had finished. The SMC freely admit that they specifically exclude press with strong non main-line views and those with links to groups such as Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and other campaigning groups.

With regards to cancer and phone exposure, there have been a number of flaws with some of the INTERPHONE epidemiological work, as we have covered previously (November 2006, December 2006, January 2007). It is looking as if the increase in brain cancer risk over the first 10 years is minimal to non-existent, but it is hardly surprisingly for a disease with a typical latency period of 15 to 25 years. They have concluded that after 10 years the situation is not clear, but failed to mention in their press release that some of their own research actually found statistically significant increases for brain tumours with of over 10 years of mobile phone use (in fairness, this is mentioned in the report itself, with the strange caveat that despite mathematical statistical significance the data is "not convincingly significant").

It also summarises that "The MTHR programme also investigated whether mobile phones might affect cells and tissue beyond simply heating them. The results so far show no evidence for this and the committee believes there is no need to support further work in this area." This is also in stark contrast to the more detailed summary of work to be found in the 291 page 2004 REFLEX report (10.8 MB .pdf) which found a number of significant and replicated genetic and cellular effects from microwave radiation. Further to this, there are a number of other peer reviewed papers going back decades finding similar effects referenced in the rest of this article.

It is always difficult when a programme such as this completes, and decides to neglect most of the literature outside of the studies involved in the programme itself when summarising the "current state of understanding". It is hardly news that there have been a large number of studies finding serious health effects from RF radiation exposure, a fact we pointed out on this site 9 years ago! Nevertheless, as the MTHR press release has attempted to make the phone issue sound largely resolved, it only seems fit to attempt to bring attention to the swathes of evidence ignored by the report.

Media coverage

The Times

Nigel Hawkes, health editor of The Times managed to give his readers a good impression that the whole phone issue is a clear non-problem, and comes up with a number of factually incorrect statements:

"As far as we can tell, on the experience gained so far, there is no evidence mobile phones or the masts that broadcast signals can damage anybody's health, and that includes children."
A strange statement considering the evidence from the MTHR programme itself on long term phone use and brain cancer[1][2], Hardell's work on phone use and brain cancer[3][4][5][6], and all of the literature finding "Microwave Syndrome" effects[7][8][9][10][11].

"Experience of widescale use of mobile phones is only about a decade old, however, and children have only started using them in large numbers even more recently. It remains just possible that longer-term studies will reveal some link to cancer, which takes at least a decade to manifest itself."
Aside from the misleading use of language (e.g. the unnecessary use of "remains just possible" when simply "is possible" would have done fine), it is also wrong. Longer-term studies already have revealed a link to cancer, and the increase has been found to be statistically significant (i.e. with only a 5% chance of being a "non-real" increase).[1][2][3][4][5][6]

"The odds of this are very low, because the experiments so far have shown no plausible biological mechanism by which cancer could be triggered. Radio-frequency radiation does not damage DNA, and nor has any other effect been found that could provide such a mechanism."
Again, this is just not true. It is fair to say there are no other accepted biological mechanisms, but there are certainly plausible theorised mechanisms awaiting further confirmation[12][13]. It is also wrong to claim that radio frequency radiation can not damage DNA, as there is already peer-reviewed evidence for this[14][15], and other genetic and cellular effects.[16][17][18][19][20]

"The mobile phone scare has always lacked plausibility. Radio frequency signals have been around since the invention of radio - more than a century - without evidence of ill-effects among those who work closely with them."
It can only have lacked plausibility for those that are not aware of the evidence. Aside from the obvious and well documented points that modern pulsed RF transmissions are considerably different in nature to the continuous wave radio transmissions that have been ubiquitous for so long, there has also been evidence up to 3 decades ago of possible increases in risk of adverse health effects from microwave radiation[21][22][23][24]. More recently there is even some research finding links to cancer with standard AM radio transmitter aerials.[25][26].

"All that remains, like the grin of a vanishing Cheshire Cat, is the tiny hint, not reaching statistical significance, of an increased risk of some brain cancers in long-term users. This must be followed up, clearly, but for the moment there is no evidence that mobile phones pose any risks at all."
This is simply poor reporting. As shown above, there is more than a hint of evidence which does in fact reach statistical significance. Summarising in this way is simply lying to the British public in a national newspaper, on an issue where the public is confused enough already. It is vital that science reporters go the extra mile and put in research before commenting on areas where they are ignorant themselves.

Other media coverage

In fairness, this is the worst of the bunch. For example, aside from the heavily misleading titles, the Belfast Telegraph and Independant articles were more objectively written, and only suffered from taking too much of the MTHR's press release as fact. The Telegraph also covered the story, and is probably the best reflection of the MTHR report in the mainstream media, and the Daily Mail covered the story and gave due attention to the very real possibility of a long term cancer risk, but was sadly the only one to give it prominence in its article -- all external press links below:

Links:

[MTHR Press Release]
[Times Coverage]
[Belfast Telegraph Coverage]
[Telegraph Coverage]
[Independent Coverage]
[Daily Mail Coverage]

References:

[1] - Schoemaker MJ, Swerdlow AJ, Ahlbom A, Auvinen A, Blaasaas KG, Cardis E, Christensen HC, Feychting M, Hepworth SJ, Johansen C, Klaeboe L, Lönn S, McKinney PA, Muir K, Raitanen J, Salminen T, Thomsen J, Tynes T (October 2005) "Mobile phone use and risk of acoustic neuroma: results of the Interphone case-control study in five North European countries". Br J Cancer. 93(7):842-8 - [View Abstract]

[2] - Lahkola A, Auvinen A, Raitanen J, Schoemaker MJ, Christensen HC, Feychting M, Johansen C, Klaeboe L, Lönn S, Swerdlow AJ, Tynes T, Salminen T (April 2007) "Mobile phone use and risk of glioma in 5 North European countries". Int J Cancer. 120(8):1769-75 - [View Abstract]

[3] - Hardell L, Carlberg M, Söderqvist F, Mild KH, Morgan LL (September 2007) "Long-term use of cellular phones and brain tumours: increased risk associated with use for > or =10 years". Occup Environ Med. 64(9):626-32 - [View Abstract]

[4] - Hardell L, Mild KH, Carlberg M, Söderqvist F (October 2006) "Tumour risk associated with use of cellular telephones or cordless desktop telephones". World J Surg Oncol. 4:74 - [View Abstract]

[5] - Hardell L, Carlberg M, Mild KH (February 2006) "Pooled analysis of two case-control studies on the use of cellular and cordless telephones and the risk of benign brain tumours diagnosed during 1997-2003". Int J Oncol. 28(2):509-18 - [View Abstract]

[6] - Hardell L, Carlberg M, Mild KH (September 2006) "Pooled analysis of two case-control studies on use of cellular and cordless telephones and the risk for malignant brain tumours diagnosed in 1997-2003". Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 79(8):630-9 - [View Abstract]

[7] - Al-Khlaiwi T, Meo SA (June 2004) "Association of mobile phone radiation with fatigue, headache, dizziness, tension and sleep disturbance in Saudi population". Saudi Med J. 25(6):732-6 - [View Abstract]

[8] - 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]

[9] - 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]

[10] - 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]

[11] - 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]

[12] - Irmak MK, Fadillioglu E, Gülec M, Erdogan H, Yagmurca M, Akyol O (December 2002) "Effects of electromagnetic radiation from a cellular telephone on the oxidant and antioxidant levels in rabbits". Cell Biochem Funct. 20(4):279-83 - [View Abstract]

[13] - Leszczynski D, Joenväärä S, Reivinen J, Kuokka R (May 2002) "Non-thermal activation of the hsp27/p38MAPK stress pathway by mobile phone radiation in human endothelial cells: molecular mechanism for cancer- and blood-brain barrier-related effects". Differentiation. 70(2-3):120-9 - [View Abstract]

[14] - Lai H, Singh NP (1995) "Acute low-intensity microwave exposure increases DNA single-strand breaks in rat brain cells". Bioelectromagnetics. 16(3):207-10 - [View Abstract]

[15] - Lai H, Singh NP (April 1996) "Single- and double-strand DNA breaks in rat brain cells after acute exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation". Int J Radiat Biol. 69(4):513-21 - [View Abstract]

[16] - Nylund R, Leszczynski D (May 2004) "Proteomics analysis of human endothelial cell line EA.hy926 after exposure to GSM 900 radiation". Proteomics. 2004 4(5):1359-65 - [View Abstract]

[17] - Nylund R, Leszczynski D (September 2006) "Mobile phone radiation causes changes in gene and protein expression in human endothelial cell lines and the response seems to be genome- and proteome-dependent". Proteomics. 6(17):4769-80 - [View Abstract]

[18] - 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. 2006;25(3):177-88. - [View Abstract]

[19] - Remondini D, Nylund R, Reivinen J, Poulletier de Gannes F, Veyret B, Lagroye I, Haro E, Trillo MA, Capri M, Franceschi C, Schlatterer K, Gminski R, Fitzner R, Tauber R, Schuderer J, Kuster N, Leszczynski D, Bersani F, Maercker C (September 2006) "Gene expression changes in human cells after exposure to mobile phone microwaves". Proteomics. 6(17):4745-54 - [View Abstract]

[20] - Sarimov R, Malmgren LOG, Markova E, Persson BRR, Belyaev IY (2004) "Nonthermal GSM Microwaves Affect Chromatin Conformation in Human Lymphocytes Similar to Heat Shock". IEEE Trans Plasma Sci 32:1600-1608 - [View Abstract]

[21] - Silverman C (April 1973) "Nervous and behavioral effects of microwave radiation in humans". Am J Epidemiol. 97(4):219-24 - [View Reference]

[22] - Adey WR, Bawin SM, Lawrence AF (1982) "Effects of weak amplitude-modulated microwave fields on calcium efflux from awake cat cerebral cortex". Bioelectromagnetics. 3(3):295-307 - [View Reference]

[23] - Milham S Jr (January 1988) "Increased mortality in amateur radio operators due to lymphatic and hematopoietic malignancies". Am J Epidemiol. 127(1):50-4 - [View Reference]

[24] - Szmigielski S (February 1996) "Cancer morbidity in subjects occupationally exposed to high frequency (radiofrequency and microwave) electromagnetic radiation". Sci Total Environ. 180(1):9-17 - [View Abstract]

[25] - Park SK, Ha M, Im HJ (August 2004) "Ecological study on residences in the vicinity of AM radio broadcasting towers and cancer death: preliminary observations in Korea". Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 77(6):387-94 - [View Abstract]

[26] - Ha M, Im H, Lee M, Kim HJ, Kim BC, Gimm YM, Pack JK (August 2007) "Radio-frequency radiation exposure from AM radio transmitters and childhood leukemia and brain cancer". Am J Epidemiol. 166(3):270-9 - [View Abstract]

An alarming number of Irish schoolboys have dropped dead in school

2007-09-23T05:52:00.000-07:00

An alarming number of Irish schoolboys have dropped dead in school in last three weeks
This is definitely for posting as it is too serious not to circulate widely.
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/4283002/"

The shocking news is as follows: On my arrival in Belfast, last Thursday afternoon,September 20, the front page story facing me on the BELFAST TELEGRAPH (final edition) was this: "TEENAGE BOY DIES AT SCHOOL." [ http://www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&q=TEENAGE+BOY+DIES+AT+SCHOOL&btnG=Google+Search ] And, as with the other tragic four cases just a short time ago in Ireland, he dropped dead of heart failure in front of his school mates. The Londonderry/Derry teenager James McGowan was all of fifteen years of age! Now, just add this latest victim of our health-abusive electrosmogged schools to the facts I sent you below just a mere two weeks ago. The bottom line is: Irish teenagers with hearts that are in any way dicey (and a few of the victims may not have had any previous heart problems) just can't survive the Hi-Fi etc school environments.

Email I sent to you on Sunday, 9th September, 2007

This is not for posting. But it is very strange and of course I see it relating to our convictions regard the dangers of cellphones plus wi-fi, wireless technologies etc for schools.

IT IS THIS FACT: Between last Monday and yesterday, five [addition Sept. 22: on re-checking, it was four. The fifth whose heart gave out suddenly, was in his early twenties and not in school] young boys (between 13 and 17) in different parts of Ireland dropped dead, four in them in schools, in front of their classmates. (Schools have just re-opened here this week.) Their hearts just stopped beating and they were dead in minutes, although fibrillators were rushed to some of them, it was too late.

Hope worse is not ahead!

Imelda

EU watchdog calls for urgent action on Wi-Fi radiation

2007-09-16T06:42:00.000-07:00

By Geoffrey Lean, Environment Editor(INDEPENDENT)

Published: 16 September 2007

Europe's top environmental watchdog is calling for immediate action to reduce exposure to radiation from Wi-Fi, mobile phones and their masts. It suggests that delay could lead to a health crisis similar to those caused by asbestos, smoking and lead in petrol.

The warning, from the EU's European Environment Agency (EEA) follows an international scientific review which concluded that safety limits set for the radiation are "thousands of times too lenient", and an official British report last week which concluded that it could not rule out the development of cancers from using mobile phones.

Professor Jacqueline McGlade, the EEA's executive director, said yesterday: "Recent research and reviews on the long-term effects of radiations from mobile telecommunications suggest that it would be prudent for health authorities to recommend actions to reduce exposures, especially to vulnerable groups, such as children."

The EEA's initiative will increase pressure on governments and public health bodies to take precautionary action over the electromagnetic radiation from rapidly expanding new technologies. The German government is already advising its citizens to use wired internet connections instead of Wi-Fi and landlines instead of mobile phones.

The scientific review, produced by the international BioInitiative Working Group of leading scientists and public health and policy experts, says the "explosion of new sources has created unprecedented levels of artificial electromagnetic fields that now cover all but remote areas of the habitable space on Earth", causing "long-term and cumulative exposure" to "massively increased" radiation that "has no precedent in human history".

It says "corrections are needed in the way we accept, test and deploy" the technologies "in order to avert public health problems of a global nature".

http://environment.independent.co.uk/lifestyle/article2966951.ece

O'Neill fearful of serious health implications of masts

2007-09-15T12:05:00.000-07:00

Sep 10

Ocean FM

Property owners in south Donegal have been urged to think twice before allowing mobile phone masts be erected on their buildings.

The appeal comes from Fine Gael Clr., Barry O'Neill who said that medical evidence is mounting which backs up the claim that mobile phone masts and antennae have a negative effect on people's health.

Another public meeting on a proposed mast on the Garda station in Pettigo takes place tonight.

Clr O'Neill said that concerned resident's groups in places such as Pettigo, Killybegs and Ardara are in the process of setting up an umbrella group to oppose mobile phone firms wishing to locate masts in the middle of towns without consultation.

http://www.oceanfm.ie/onair/donegalnews.php?articleid=000001811

Clr O'Neill said that planning exemptions which exist allow mobile phone firms to erect masts in spite of the county development plan.

NRPB-Don't worry about cell and DNA damage

2007-09-13T07:26:00.000-07:00

Mobile phones 'alter human DNA' (BBC)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4113989.stm

This report is from 2004 but it is well worth a read and is not a hoax.

The mobile industry says there is no proof phones harm health
Radio waves from mobile phones do harm body cells and damage DNA, a laboratory study has shown.
But the European Union-funded Reflex research did not prove such changes were a risk to human health.

The scientists behind the study, which has not been published in a journal, said more work was needed to see the actual effect of the phones on health.

But the UK National Radiological Protection Board said people should not be worried by the study's findings.

A spokesman said the study had not shown the biological changes led to disease.

He added that even research looking at the effects of radiowaves on cells and DNA did not consistently find evidence of damage.

This research is no reason for people to be worried
Dr Zenon Sienkiewicz, National Radiological Protection Board,
Around 1.5 billion people around the world use mobile phones.

There is an ongoing debate over their safety, with fears over potential dangers linked to mobile phone masts and the handsets themselves.

But the UK government-commissioned Stewart report in 2000 concluded there was no evidence of harm associated with using mobile phones.

However, the report did recommend a precautionary approach and said children should only use mobile phones in emergencies.

The mobile phone industry maintains there is no scientific evidence of harmful effects from electromagnetic radiation.

'Precautions'

The four-year Reflex study, co-ordinated by the German research group Verum, studied the effects of radiation on animal and human cells in a laboratory.

They found that, after being exposed to electromagnetic fields, the cells showed a significant increase in DNA damage which could not always be repaired by the cell.

The results of this study are preliminary, not yet published or peer reviewed and require further replication by other groups
Mobile Operators Association spokeswoman

Q&A: Mobile phone safety
Damage was also seen in the next generation of cells. Mutated cells are seen as a possible cause of cancer.

The study, which has not been published in a journal, also reported other harmful effects on cells.

The radiation used in the study was at Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) levels of between 0.3 and 2 watts per kilogram.

The SAR is the rate at which the body absorbs emissions from the phone handset.

Most phones emit radio signals at SAR levels of between 0.5 and 1 W/kg.

Mobile phones cannot be sold to unless they fall within the SAR of 2 watts per kg.

Franz Adlkofer, who led the Reflex study, said people should use landlines, rather than mobiles, wherever possible.

He added: "We don't want to create a panic, but it is good to take precautions."

He said definitive research would take another four to five years.

Other studies have suggested mobile phone radiation may have some effect on the body, such as heating up body tissue and causing headaches and nausea, but no study that could be independently repeated has proved that radiation had permanent harmful effects.

'No conclusions possible'

Dr Zenon Sienkiewicz, principal scientific officer at the UK's National Radiological Protection Board, said: "This research is no reason for people to be worried.

"It is an interesting study, but its conclusions should not be over-emphasised."

He added: "The bottom line is that more research looking at whether mobile phones do have a measurable effect on health is needed."

A spokeswoman for the Mobile Operators Association said: "Independent scientific review bodies in the UK and around the world have consistently concluded that the weight of scientific evidence to date suggests that exposure to radiowaves from mobile phone handsets and base stations operating within international guidelines do not cause adverse health effects.

"The results of this study are preliminary, not yet published or peer-reviewed and require further replication by other groups."

She added: "It is not possible to draw conclusions from this preliminary data.

"The authors of this unpublished study acknowledge that this work will need to be repeated by independent laboratories."

Letter to Helensburgh Advertiser

2007-09-10T03:24:00.000-07:00

Dear Editors,

At a meeting last night a group of local residents from the Golf Club area were unanimous in deciding to fight on against the mast sighting on the adjacent golf club , in spite of Tuesday's decision to approve the O2 application.
Or it might be more accurate to say because of Tuesday's decision since those who attended the hearing were deeply shaken in their confidence in the democratic process and are determined to find some means of redress, especially since we have no right of appeal, unlike the mobile phone companies had they lost.

We have decided to approach the golf club yet again to impress upon them our concerns. Are they aware that there were 58 objectors to the proposal, that is, 58 households in the immediate periphery of the club who objected? Are they aware of the potential adverse health effects to which we have repeatedly tries to alert them? Have they considered that adverse health effects could effect members and employees of the club, especially children( at summer coaching schools, for example) and older members?

We also think it appropriate to establish an ongoing presence outside the club with the aim of raising the awareness of the membership of these issues. To this end a number of us will at the club on Saturday 15th September from 9 am, and again on Tuesday 18th from 9.30 am, with a view to conveying our feelings to the membership and informing them about health issues. Anyone who feels sufficiently concerned is welcome to come along and we hope that yourselves and local representatives may also wish to be present.

Yours Sincerely,

Colin Buchanan

Germany warns citizens to avoid using Wi-Fi

2007-09-09T04:01:00.000-07:00

Environment Ministry's verdict on the health risks from wireless technology puts the British government to shame. By Geoffrey Lean

09 September 2007

INDEPENDENT

People should avoid using Wi-Fi wherever possible because of the risks it may pose to health, the German government has said.

Its surprise ruling – the most damning made by any government on the fast-growing technology – will shake the industry and British ministers, and vindicates the questions that The Independent on Sunday has been raising over the past four months.

And Germany's official radiation protection body also advises its citizens to use landlines instead of mobile phones, and warns of "electrosmog" from a wide range of other everyday products, from baby monitors to electric blankets.

The German government's ruling – which contrasts sharply with the unquestioning promotion of the technology by British officials – was made in response to a series of questions by Green members of the Bundestag, Germany's parliament.

The Environment Ministry recommended that people should keep their exposure to radiation from Wi-Fi "as low as possible" by choosing "conventional wired connections". It added that it is "actively informing people about possibilities for reducing personal exposure".

Its actions will provide vital support for Sir William Stewart, Britain's official health protection watchdog, who has produced two reports calling for caution in using mobile phones and who has also called for a review of the use of Wi-Fi in schools. His warnings have so far been ignored by ministers and even played down by the Health Protection Agency, which he chairs.

By contrast the agency's German equivalent – the Federal Office for Radiation Protection – is leading the calls for caution.

Florian Emrich, for the office, says Wi-Fi should be avoided "because people receive exposures from many sources and because it is a new technology and all the research into its health effects has not yet been carried out".

Just 10 minutes of cellphone chat may trigger cancer

2007-09-06T03:12:00.000-07:00

Just 10 minutes of chatting on cellular phones is enough to trigger such chemical changes in the brain that can increase the risk of cancer, warn scientists.

A study by the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel has shown that even low levels of radiation from handsets interfere with the process of cell division, which encourages the growth of tumors.

Although the researchers have yet not found any evidence that signals from cell phones are harmful, their findings suggest they may be.

Several studies have been conducted to find an association between mobile use and brain tumours, but they neither found any such link nor any dramatic rise in cancer rates.

Ever since the inception of mobile phones, the official advice has been that the device are safe. The guidance is based on the assumption that the phones emit too little radiation to heat the brain dangerously.

The new study, however, suggests that "nonthermal" radiation can pose a risk.

In lab tests, the researchers exposed human and rat cells to low-level radiation at 875 megahertz, a similar frequency to the one used in many mobile phones.

Despite being weaker than emissions from a typical handset, the radiation began to switch on a chemical signal inside the cells within ten minutes, say the researchers. The chemical signals detected were involved in the division of cells, they add.

The researchers also claimed to have found a separate way in which mobile phones can damage health.

"The significance lies in showing cells do react to cellphone radiation in a non-thermal way," the Daily Mail quoted Dr Rony Seger, a co-author of the study published in the Biochemical Journal, as telling New Scientist magazine.

Letter to Helensburgh advertiser

2007-09-02T08:08:00.000-07:00

Re: O2 and T-mobile masts applications

2^nd September, 2007

Dear Editors,

Just as the council is poised to invoke once again the infamous ICNIRP guidelines to facilitate the passage of 3G mast applications at the Bowling Club and the Golf Club, their cause has been struck a major blow.

A prestigious international body of scientists, and public health experts have issued The Bioinitiative Report (www.bioinitiative.org) which definitively ends the reign of the ICNIRP guidelines as the fig-leaf to cover the shameful machinations of the mobile phone lobby and their allies in central and local government. Giving their collective weight of expertise and authority to what is already common knowledge these experts bluntly state that

“The existing ICNIRP limit …..for ELF is

outdated and based on faulty assumptions. These limits can no longer be said to be

protective of public health and they should be replaced.”

Reminding us that these guidelines were only designed to take into account thermal effects they are categorical as to the health risk associated with all forms of EM radiation.

“In the last few decades, it has been established beyond any reasonable doubt that bioeffects and

some adverse health effects occur at far lower levels of RF and ELF exposure where no heating

(or induced currents) occurs at all; some effects are shown to occur at several hundred thousand

times below the existing public safety limits where heating is an impossibility.”

In there view it is uncertain whether any safe lower level for long- term exposure exists

Quite rightly, they focus particularly on the effect on children warning of

“ serious implications

to adult health and functioning in society if years of exposure of the young to both ELF and

RF result in diminished capacity for thinking, judgment, memory, learning, and control

over behavior.”

and of the destructive potential effect on DNA and therefore on future generations.

Given these revelations, it is with difficulty that our local representatives would have the temerity to press ahead on the basis the health guarantees fraudulently embodied in ICNIRP. But it would be unwise to rule it out. What recourse would, then, be open to us? Surely, to willfully or recklessly endanger public health is a criminal offence.

Happily, our rights are protected under European Law(Article 130r, Maastricht Accord 1992)

which insists on the application of the precautionary principle in such circumstances. Ironically and bizzarely the authorities make great play of their adherence to it. There may be some room for dispute as to its exact definition but it is certainly not, as they would have it, that the case for ill-effects on health is not proven and that they may, therefore, safely proceed. In other words “Prove we are damaging your health or we will keep on doing it.” This is the reverse precautionary principle.

By contrast here is an example of the application of the principle under European Law in an actual case concerning food additives:

"As long as the human health risk

cannot be evaluated with sufficient certainty, the legislator is not legally

entitled to authorise use of the substance, unless exceptionally for test

purposes."

It could not be more clear that the proponents are in breach of this principle and prosecution under it would appear to be one of our best options were the council to be foolish enough to pass these applications. As far as I am aware there is no precedent in the case of EM radiation but as public awareness grows it is crying out to be invoked.

Yours Sincerely,

Colin Buchanan

26 Machrie Drive

Public hearing in Helensburgh

2007-08-30T05:04:00.000-07:00

The letters have finally gone out and we can confirm the details of the public hearing( note particularly that Bowling Club application will be discussed at Bowling Club itself):

Tuesday 4th Sept.

1 pm T-mobile application at Bowling Club. Meeting to be held at Bowling club
2 pm O2 application at Golf Club. Meeting to be held at Victoria Halls

For some reason objections sent in after 25th May are not listed giving a total of only 49 objections. The real total is clearly higher than this.

To editors of Helensburgh Advertiser

2007-08-26T09:26:00.000-07:00

26^th August, 2007

Re: O2 and T-mobile mast applications

Dear Editors,

A public hearing on the mast applications at the golf and bowling clubs will take place on Tuesday, 4^th September at Victoria Halls, Helensburgh. The T-mobile application for the Bowling club will be discussed from 1-2 pm and the O2 application for the Golf Club from 2 pm.

Despite the decision having been taken on Monday, 20^th August, there has been an unexplained delay in informing objectors and the general public about this meeting – a delay which would be unthinkable were it to be a question of council tax arrears, for example. To date, I have no written confirmation of the above details, despite requesting that they be sent to me by E-mail, and so please check my blog: nomoremasts.blogspot.com for confirmation.

Hopefully this meeting will an opportunity for all concerned to express their views about this crucial public health issue – God forbid that there might be those who, perhaps overeager to facilitate the plans of their sponsors, would succumb to the temptation to muzzle local dissent and disquiet.

The mobile phone companies and their beneficiaries seem determined, in complete disregard for a growing body of scientific evidence and for any notion of a precautionary principle( a good basis, I hope, for sueing them under European law), to proceed with this unnecessary 3G programme of masts, which, at some point, could affect all of us.

Try to be there on the 4^th and make sure your voice is heard!

Yours Sincerely,

Colin Buchanan

Open letter to the secretary, Helensburgh Golf Club

2007-08-10T02:41:00.001-07:00

RE: 02 mast application

Dear Sir,

General public awareness of the danger to public health posed by mobile phone masts and, particularly, to those living nearby is growing rapidly. The change in mood was graphically illustrated at a public meeting in Rutherglen on Wednesday at which Dr Roger Coghill gave a simple and transparent presentation of the facts which left few of the well over fifty people in the room in any doubt as to this danger. Dr Coghill sits on a parliamentary committee investigating into the safety of EM radiation. In a local press report on a recent talk in Guernsey he is quoted as warning

"that local politicians and phone companies could find themselves open to damages actions in future if they failed to heed the latest advice."

I would like to think that this might also apply to those such as yourselves who agree to allow land to be used for mobile phone masts, in which case questions might arise such as what steps you took to consult with your own membership and, above all, local residents before going ahead.

I am informed that the decision to allow the erection of the mast by 02 has not yet been taken. I hope this is true and that you will seriously consider the responsibilities that would be yours were such an arrangement to go ahead. Your choice has a potentially serious impact on others within range of the mast, especially children and the elderly, including my own family members who are in direct beam to the mast only a few hundred metres away. You would also do well to consider the reputation and popularity of the club as sentiment against the masts grows along with general awareness as to their danger.

Please do not make the mistake of believing that the matter will be closed once the mast is up: I, for one, will continue to work tirelessly until it is removed.

The above article as well as studies on the health dangers associated with masts can be found on my blog:

http://nomoremasts.blogspot.com

Please take the trouble to inform yourselvelf as to the implications of your actions , for yourselves and others, before proceeding.

Fury as new school sits in shadow of phone masts

2007-08-09T12:45:00.000-07:00

IC LANARKSHIRE

Aug 9 2007

By Alexandra Hunt

[It is becoming habitual to place new schools next to masts; parents are justifiably outraged by this. The new school in Helensburgh is alos being built next to a mast - we need a campaign to bring it down- Calein]

PARENTS are outraged that the new Cambusnethan Primary School in Wishaw has been built just yards from mobile phone masts.

They have hit out that the Branchal Road school — which is due to open on August 20 — has a mobile phone mast towering over the school grounds from flats in Greenfield Drive.

Now parents, fearful for their children’s health, have slammed the council for the decision to site the school so close to mobile phone masts.

One of the nearby phone masts has antennae around 40 metres from the school building on top of a five-storey block of flats in Greenfield Drive.

Some parents were not even aware it was a mobile phone mast until a resident brought the matter to their attention.

One concerned parent — who didn’t want to be named — only realised the mobile phone site was there after driving by.

He told Wishaw Press: “Most people don’t even know it is there as they don’t look up and see it.

“I know someone who lives across the road but they didn’t know it was a mobile phone mast; they just thought it was for television reception not a phone mast. People forget these go on rooves of buildings.

“I just think this is too close to a school, especially as it is a brand new one. You would think the council would have taken that into consideration.”

The worried parent, whose child starts the school after the summer hlidays, continued: “It is outrageous that they have built a school next to the telephone masts. If they really wanted to build the school there, surely they could have said to the company with the phone mast to move the site? What if the school had been built first and then the mobile phone site?

“My concern is radiation. Has the site been checked? We don’t know what the long-term effects might be.

“If a mobile phone mast is near a primary school and the kids are there for seven years it is a long time for effects to show up. When kids are out playing in the pitches at play time it is more or less next door to the school.”

But the council say they were well aware of the masts’ location when the school was earmarked for the site which has been certified saying the equipment complies with internationally recognised safety levels.

Shirley Linton, planning manager for development management at North Lanarkshire Council, said: “The main telecommunications equipment on top of the five-storey block of flats at 32-52 Greenfield Drive has been in place for a number of years and did not require planning permission. Planning consent was granted in 2003 for an additional two dishes and, as part of the planning process, a certificate was submitted to the council confirming equipment compliance with internationally recognised safety levels.

“It is acknowledged that telecommunications equipment can give rise to health concerns. However, under national planning guidance this certificate covers such concerns, including the proximity of the equipment to the new Cambusnethan Primary School.

“The development involved the approval of three planning applications. As part of the planning process extensive consultation was undertaken and no objections were received.”

Orange to remove mobile mast

2007-08-07T03:19:00.000-07:00

Orange to remove mobile mast from 'tower of doom', where cancer rate has soared

Last updated at 00:42am on 7th August 2007

Certainly a victory, but we have to be careful not to end just moving the problem onto someone else's doorstep: we need a moratorium on new masts.-Ed

John Llewellin: Died last month

A mobile phone company is to remove a mast from a block of flats after seven residents were struck down by cancer.

Three have died and another four have battled the disease since two masts were erected on the roof of the five-storey block which has become known locally as the Tower of Doom.

The cancer rate on the top floor - where residents of five of the eight flats have been affected and the three who died all lived - is 20 per cent, ten times the national average.

Residents of Berkeley House in Staple Hill, Bristol, also complain of terrible headaches and other ailments which they blame on radiation from the masts.

Orange has agreed to remove its mast after a five-year campaign by residents and pressure from the local authority. But it has caused anger with plans to move it to a residential street nearby.

The other mast belongs to Vodafone, which has no plans to move it.

The most recent death was that of John Llewellin, 63, who lost his battle against bowel cancer two weeks ago.

Scroll down for more

Anger: The mast (circled) on the block known to locals as the Tower of Doom

Two years ago, Barbara Wood died in her 70s from breast cancer. Two years earlier Joyce Davies died, also from breast cancer.

Danger zone: Residents at this Bristol flat have suffered illness and death

The other victims on the top floor are Hazel Frape, 63, who has had breast cancer, and 89-year-old Phyllis Smith who moved out after she contracted the same disease.

On the fourth floor Bernice Mitchell, 69, has battled womb cancer. On the second floor, 78-year-old Barbara Watts, who has lived in the block for 31 years, is in remission from breast cancer.

Many of the 110 residents, including Doreen Sheppard, 74, have complained of headaches and other health problems.

She said: "The masts are bound to be doing something. I get terrible headaches and I've started suffering from Meniere's disease, where I lose my balance. I'm worried about the children on the estate as there are so many of them now."

Both masts were erected in 1994. South Gloucestershire Council served a notice asking for them to be removed when the ten-year contract expired three years ago.

But because current guidelines say there is no risk from radiation the council does not have a legal right to force their removal.

After a long legal battle Orange has submitted a planning application to put the mast on top of a shopping precinct in a street near homes, a primary school and a public library.

Left alone: Moira Llewellin's husband died of cancer, one of three flat residents to die

Jeanette McCormack, 69, who has led a campaign against the mast, said a petition against the new location had gathered more than 200 names.

She added: "People of all ages who live and work near the mast will be exposed to the radiation and so there's a lot of anger about it."

World Health Organisation guidelines have dismissed the risks of masts despite other evidence which has found they are harmful.

A spokesman for Orange said the company takes health and safety very seriously.

He added that the company was satisfied its mobile phone base stations do not present a health risk.

Vodafone is working on a new longterm lease from South Gloucestershire Council. A spokesman said the company took residents' concerns "extremely seriously" and would continue to work with them and the council to provide reassurance.

Phone masts victory

2007-08-07T03:15:00.000-07:00

By Carly Lockhart

JERSEY EVENING POST

CLARENDON Road residents are celebrating victory as Airtel-Vodafone have agreed to take their two phone masts down from the Washington Hotel.

One mast will be removed straight away, and the remaining mast with three antennae will remain in place until 31 January 2009 at the latest, giving Airtel-Vodafone enough time to resite it.

Campaigner Martyn Gallery heard about the proposal direct from Airtel chief executive David Watson recently. 'Airtel were kind enough to approach me,' said Mr Gal-lery. 'It was they who came up with the idea to remove one mast now and the next 18 months on, not us or Planning, so we owe a big thank-you to them. It's a very good and very acceptable compromise. I knew we'd get there in the end. I'm over the moon.'

Published 06/08/07

Protest march planned against mobile masts

2007-08-05T01:32:00.000-07:00

by Gemma Hockey(THIS IS GUERNSEY)

CAMPAIGNERS are hoping a protest walk against Airtel’s proposed application for 56 masts will attract as many as last year’s to Save Belle Greve Bay.

Thousands of islanders flocked to Salerie Corner on 26 November to protest against Long Port’s ‘Little Venice’ proposals.
The mast protest will take place on Sunday 19 August at 2pm.
A strong activist against Airtel Guernsey’s plans for more aerials, dishes and masts, Moira Le Huray said she would not miss it for the world.
‘We certainly hope to attract as many as they did with the Belle Greve Bay march last year: perhaps this will be even bigger,’ she said.
She added that she believed the march could have considerable political impact.
‘Absolutely. It’s about the power of people showing themselves and their beliefs publicly. It will be a very positive event.’
The walk has been arranged following several public meetings, including in the Vale and St Martin’s, where islanders have expressed their anxiety over the health and environmental effects of the masts.
Deputy Mary Lowe, who was the only States member to attend a public meeting between Vale residents and Airtel managing director David Watson earlier this week, welcomed the protest.
‘There is no doubt that many feel quite strongly about all the 56 proposed applications with some people wanting to go further than attend another meeting, hence the idea of a protest walk,’ she said.
Environment minister David De Lisle has promised to accept a second set of petition signatures from anti-mast campaigners at the end of the march.
‘I had agreed take the previous set of signatures when they came to Sir Charles Frossard House last time because that’s just a matter of taking something from a group, which is fair enough,’ said Deputy De Lisle.
But he would not comment on the march itself.
Mr Watson also refused to comment.

http://www.thisisguernsey.com/code/shownewsarticle.pl?ArticleID=002515

Mast Sanity- press release

2007-07-25T04:55:00.000-07:00

Press Release 24th July 2007 - MTHR Essex University Study & Updated Comments

The results of the Industry and Government funded Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programme (MTHR) study "to investigate whether emissions from mobile phone base stations can elicit a variety of symptoms in those exposed to them"^[1] run by Professor of Psychology Elaine Fox at the University of Essex^[2] is to be published on Wednesday 25th July at the Science Media Centre.

Firstly we should state that we don't know why this research is being done by psychologists as there is already evidence showing changes in the important mast cells in human skin upon exposure to microwaves^[3].

This Essex study will not be able to give us any insights into the long term effects such as cancer and genetic damage as has been highlighted in other research and so we think is just tinkering at the edges.

In doing this research one is subjecting the volunteers to harm. As such this research is unethical. We know of at least one person who had to stop doing it because it made him so unwell. Lab tests have already identified disruptions to the immune system, surely if this were a drug we would not go on to do further tests on human subjects as there is already enough evidence?

Some subjects of the study were sent summaries showing 90-100% ability to identify the 3G(UTMS) and 2G (GSM) signals from the SHAM (No signal) conditions without prior knowledge of which was which. Additionally, physical markers such as anxiety was 2-4 times higher, tension and arousal 1.5 times higher, discomfort 4-6 times higher and fatigue 3.5 - 5.5 times higher under the 2G and 3G signals. Clearly these individuals experienced real effects, not psychological problems.

Yet being unable to complete the study has led to the exclusion of these individuals from the results, we believe.

As Dr Carlo, Safe Wireless Initiative and former Chairman of the US $28 million research programme into mobile phone research, says:

"Because of the imprecisions in the Essex study^[4],[5], findings of 'no effect' are likely to be false negatives in that the study was not designed well enough to pick up all of the effects among the participants."

"Any findings of 'effect' are likely underestimates of the true risk for the same reasons of imprecision in the study design."

We also do not know how much of a part has been played by the so-called 'Wessely School' of psychiatry in separate earlier comparable studies with sufferers from farm Organophosphate Poisoning, Gulf War Syndrome and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME / CFS)^[6] . In each case the researchers' conclusion was that each condition was just a case of unfounded mental anxiety, which would be relieved by their form of psychotherapy and exercise. This in spite in every case findings of physical evidence of nerve system damage. In the case of electrosensitivity studies undertaken in Sweden are able to pinpoint the sort of damage that sufferers endure^[7].

Mast Sanity Spokesperson Yasmin Skelt says "Isn't it time that the Government woke up to the reality of electrosensitivity instead of attempting to persuade sufferers that it is all in their minds?"

"History has shown that many now commonly accepted physical conditions were initially dismissed as psychological, with the patients subjected to all kinds of tests and quack remedies."

"Electrosensitivity has been recognised by medics in Sweden since 2000, and its government calculates 3.1 per cent of its population - 200,000 people - suffer from the condition. In fact this figure has more recently been revised upwards to nearer 9%. That is an awful lot of people."

"This study has been such a waste of money. The World Health Organisation already recognise electrosensitivity^[8]. Why was the money not used to translate the 1500-subject Russian long-term epidemiological studies into English?"

Mast Sanity reiterate their call on the Government to stop talking and start doing something. The UK should adopt the Precautionary Principle and halt the roll-out and proliferation of microwave transmitters of all types. If the new Brown Government is serious about protecting public health then they will readily accept our recent request for urgent talks and take action. Too many lives have been blighted or completely ruined already.

New phone masts ‘are not needed’

2007-07-25T04:41:00.000-07:00

[Please note that Dr Coghill is talking in Rutherglen on 1st August. See details on blog below -Ed]

by Nick Mollet

AN EXPERT biologist is warning that there is no need for a high density of telecoms masts in Guernsey.

Roger Coghill investigates the effects of cellphone masts on neighbours. He is concerned about the health implications of them and will speak at a public meeting tomorrow at 7.30pm. He said that the cellphone industry needed to stop its blanket denials over health risks.
‘In an island populated by fewer than 60,000 people, there is no public communications need for a density of masts equal to nearly two masts every square mile,’ he said.
Mr Coghill advocated caution in erecting any new ones. He believes that they should not be placed near homes, day-care centres, hospitals and schools and does not trust research which, he said, was out of date.
Mr Coghill, who will speak at the meeting at St Martin’s Community Centre organised by local campaigners, will reveal new research and call for Guernsey to follow the example of other countries such as China which are more restrictive on masts.
‘The average coolie in the Chinese paddy fields is better protected by legislation about these exposures than any child in Guernsey,’ he said.
He warned that local politicians and phone companies could find themselves open to damages actions in future if they failed to heed the latest advice.
All are welcome at the public talk.

Outrage after ban on m obile phone masts kicked out

2007-07-25T04:32:00.000-07:00

GARETH EDWARDS (gedwards@edinburghnews.com)

TWO mobile phone masts are to be built at a Lothians football club, sparking anger from council leaders who blocked the original plans.

Whitburn Juniors will now get much-needed cash when the 12.5-metre masts - one of which will also be used as a flagpole - are built at the club's Central Park ground, not far from a day nursery and houses.

The Scottish Executive recently overturned West Lothian Council's decision to refuse mobile phone provider O2 permission to build the masts.

But Deputy Provost Jim Dickson today said the site was "extremely unsuitable" and branded the decision to allow the masts as "disappointing".

West Lothian's planning committee ruled the masts were unacceptable because the site was close to surrounding buildings, and they would affect "the general amenity" of the area.

O2 appealed to the Executive, which has now granted planning permission, saying the development is not out of keeping with a football ground.

Mr Dickson, a Whitburn councillor who also chairs the planning committee, said: "I'm disappointed that the directorate went against the wishes of the council's development control sub committee, which unanimously voted to refuse this application.

"The masts will be sited in very close proximity to both a nursery and residential properties, which we felt made this an extremely unsuitable site.

"They will have an unacceptable impact on the amenity of the area, for both the nursery and the local residents.

"I'm saddened the directorate didn't choose to uphold our decision and refuse the masts."

The two masts will be erected behind the terracing, with equipment cabins sited next to the boundary fence and all the equipment kept more than 70 metres from the nursery and the residential area.

For the club, as well as the mobile phone company, this was a welcome decision.

O2 is said to be paying a "substantial" amount to Whitburn Juniors for the use of the site, and the club's president, Thomas Smith, said the cash was needed to help ensure the survival of the team.

"We were originally contacted by another company but in the end it is O2 who have come in to put up the masts," he said. "We are getting paid a substantial amount of money for this, and that's the only reason the club is involved.

"Like most junior clubs, money is very tight, and these funds will help us to keep the club going for the future."

A spokeswoman for O2 said the firm was pleased with the decision, insisting that the company had complied with all safety requirements. She added: "We carried out an extensive search to try to find an alternative site."

A reply to O2 and T-Mobile

2007-07-21T11:57:00.000-07:00

Letter to Helensburgh Advertiser replying to statements by O2 and T-Mobile

21st July, 2007

Dear editors

The companies’ claim that the network is safe has no basis within the reviews referred to: these claim only that there is no convincing evidence of a health hazard. I disagree, but, anyway, that is quite different from claiming they are safe. Even the Stewart report(2000) only concludes that it is safe “on balance”, a logical absurdity. What this actually means is that having heard evidence for and against Stewart played down the evidence against. This has been the pattern throughout out the whole affair: by a process of selection those conclusion fittest to the needs of the companies have survived. The most dramatic example of this was T-Mobiles commissioning of the Ecolog report only to shelve it when its conclusion proved unfavourable.(Yet T-Mobile “does not seek to minimize any potential health effects”)

The other great mantra of the companies is the safety provided by the exposure limits. Here is the relevant paragraph of the ICNIRP report(1998) which established these limits:

“Overall, the literature on athermal effects of AM electromagnetic fields is so complex, the validity of reported effects so poorly established, and the relevance of the effects to human health is so uncertain, that it is impossible to use this body of information as a basis for setting limits on human exposure to these fields.”

In other words, claiming a “not proven” verdict on low-level effects it proceeded to throw aside the precautionary principle and to establish limits solely on the basis of thermal effects. So we can be confident that we will not be cooked alive if we live near a mast, but the guidelines have no relevance to the case that low-level effects are damaging to human health in a wider sense.

The evidence of ill-effects is there for all to see: anecdotal, epidemiological and experimental(See http://nomoremasts.blogspot.com). As the doctors of Bamberg in Bavaria put it, we face “a medical disaster spreading to all parts of the population”. People everywhere are showing an awareness of this and blocking mast applications the length and breadth of the land, most recently in Drymen. Those in positions of responsibility who think they can just go along for the ride, hiding behind the edifice of lies painstakingly constructed by the government, the companies and their carefully selected committees of experts, should think again: pleas of ignorance may not hold much water.

Rutherglen anti-mast campaign

2007-07-21T11:55:00.001-07:00

Open invitation to a public meeting - Proposed T-mobile 3G at Burnside Bowling Club, Rutherglen

7.00 pm Wednesday 1 August 2007 at Kings Park Hotel, Rutherglen Glasgow.

Free entry - and no collection! Organiser Cameron Low, http://www.anotherburnsidemast.com/

Speakers - Roger Coghill, an acknowledged expert and author on electropollution,
and others from T-Mobile and Burnside Bowling Club.

2007-07-20T11:24:00.000-07:00

Village wins battle against phone giant

Jul 19 2007

By Tina Kemp

A TINY Loch Lomondside village has won its battle against telecom giant T-Mobile.

More than 200 Drymen residents objected to plans to erect a 48ft telecom mast on land near their homes.

And on Monday, National Park planners — who were set to throw out the application — will hear that the phone firm has already withdrawn its proposals.

The village’s community council, backed by dozens of angry residents, launched an intensive campaign when T-Mobile applied to erect the mast — three times the size of a street lamp — on Stirling Council-owned land at the top of Gartness Road.

The area is used extensively by villagers and visitors including cyclists and those walking the West Highland Way.

The community council expressed concern about the effect on the rural character of the village, which it described as an “essential attraction” in encouraging and sustaining tourism.

And it was also worried about the harmful effects of potential radiation emissions on Drymen Primary pupils, many of whom pass the mast twice a day.

This week, it welcomed the news that the plans had been withdrawn but said it would keep lobbying against any future mast proposals in the area.

The community council says the issue has raised important questions about how applications are dealt with and has called on the Park Authority to review the process.

Chairman John Gleave said: “People would like to know if T-Mobile was recommended to look elsewhere for a location for its mast and equipment? It is known that the agent who acts for several landowners has offered to work with T-Mobile to identify an alternative location away from the village and its houses.

“It is also known that the Mobile Phone Operators Association recommends sharing of masts and there are other masts sited in the area. There is concern that this application may be followed by others.”

Mr Gleave said that while health matters were not a planning issue, research suggested that masts emit harmful radiation and there were fears for the safety of pupils attending the local primary.

He believes much anguish, time and money could be saved if the Park Authority was to introduce a more effective means of dealing with such matters.

He said: “It is a matter of regret that the National Park Authority, despite having established a well-funded and heavily staffed community relations and support organisation, has never managed to develop an effective pre-application consultation process with communities and residents where sensitive projects are concerned.”

He added that the community council had been pressing the Park Authority to review and amend the 1999 Drymen Local Plan.

“Had this been done,” he said, “the current application — and certain others which are causing difficulty — would probably not be entertained and everyone could have been saved much expenditure of time and taxpayers’ money.”

A spokeswoman for the National Park said: “With regard to pre-application consultation, the onus on this would be for T-Mobile to contact the community council in the first place, not the planning authority. We work very closely with the community council and letters would be sent out notifying them about the application so they could voice any concerns.”

Activist's blog battle with phone giants

2007-07-19T12:27:00.000-07:00

[T-Mobile does not wish to minimize any potential health effects...." You may wish to view this comment in the light of the Daily Mail article already published on this blog entitled "Row over "cover up" of mobile phone masts cancer finding" -Colin Buchanan]

The Helensburgh Advertiser

Thursday July 19, 2007

A CAMPAIGNER is using the internet to wage war on communications giants hoping to install new mobile phone masts in the town.

Colin Buchanan has set up a blog crammed with newspaper articles and the latest scientific research into health risks associated with living near the masts.

The 52-year-old music teacher hopes his site – nomoremasts.blogspot.com – will help fuel a campaign to halt plans to erect phone masts in two busy residential areas of the town.

He said: “We need a moratorium on all new masts as well as reviews of all existing masts.

“This is the biggest health issue we have ever faced. Phone masts aren’t pretty, but even less pretty when you realise they are quite likely to have serious health implications if you live near one.”

Colin claims that mobile phone companies rely on out of date studies to back up claims that masts are safe and choose to ignore important research into possible health problems associated with the structures.

His website features studies from around the world which have raised serious concerns over the safety of phone masts.

He said: “I want to get a campaign going in Helensburgh that is similar to the ones being spearheaded down south. I’m trying to bring together people who are worried about this and are keen to do something about it.

“There is a whole narrative that’s been built up alleging that the masts are safe but it is based on research from 1998.

“It is wrong to claim there is no hard evidence of the dangers. There have been at least 12 scientific studies focusing on this since 2002 and all of them have shown serious health problems arising.

“The government and the mobile phone operators seem determined to cover up this evidence.”

O2 is currently in talks with Helensburgh Golf Club about installing a mast on their land – just a stone’s throw from Colin’s home in Machrie Drive.

T-Mobile is also seeking planning permission to erect a 3G phone mast at Helensburgh Bowling Club.

A spokeswoman for O2 said: “In the past five years, the mobile phone health issue has been subject to no less than 30 scientific reviews carried out within the UK and overseas.

“In all cases, these reviews have come to similar conclusions that there have been no adverse health consequences established from exposure to RF fields at levels below the international guidelines.

“After taking guidance from expert and regulatory bodies in the field, O2 is completely satisfied that mobile base stations operating within the existing guidelines are safe and do not pose a health risk to members of the public.”

A spokesperson for T-Mobile said: “T-Mobile does not seek to minimise any potential health effects currently being studied and we have no influence over international bodies such as the WHO and ICNIRP which peer-review all the worldwide scientific studies

“The overwhelming international scientific consensus is that radio waves, at power levels beneath agreed international levels, do not cause adverse health effects.

“This scientific view is represented in the advice of the Health Protection Agency here in the UK and is the underlying principle of the planning regime for mobile phone masts in Scotland.”