January 2012
UK Petition asking for fibre optic network to be used for smart meters, not wireless.
The Delhi government in India plans to make it mandatory for all mobile phones sold in the national Capital to prominently display the level of radiation emitted by different brands of handsets.
Professor Dariusz Leszczynski and Professor Olle Johansson both consider whether too much emphasis has been placed on epidemiological studies when it comes to public safety and wireless technologies. A call for a multidisciplinary approach.
The hidden danger of touchscreens.
Could mobile phones and Wi-Fi be affecting the quality of biological and medical research results? 'Smart Results', BNA Bulletin, page 25.
Cardiologist Dr. Sinatra speaks on the cardiovascular risks posed by Wi-Fi in vulnerable individuals with undiagnosed heart problems.
Redmayne et al (2011) found that a large proportion of young people were ignoring the mobile phone rules in school. 42% reported texting from inside a pocket in the classroom up to 120 times a day. The authors stated that ‘There is sufficient evidence, supported by recommendations from fertility researchers and governmental bodies, to make it advisable for schools to have and enforce policies that remove cell phones from students’ pockets during school.’ One teacher thinks it is rude to text in the classroom.
Paper on electromagnetic hypersensitivity.
Public discussion about Wi-Fi at the Calais school. Forum on Wi-Fi health issue, videos 4-6. A family physician comments "If you had asked me a month ago whether I thought that Wi-Fi was OK to have in the school, I would have said, sure. ... But (now) my conclusion was based on the research that I was able to look at - we turned off the Wi-Fi in our house after learning about this. I am now removing it from my office".
Wi-Fi in Schools – Civil Action: United States District Court, District of Oregon, Portland Division, Civil Action No. 3:11-cv-00739-MO.
Mobile phone safety tips worth knowing, taken from 'Discussing mobile phone safety with young people', British Journal of School Nursing.
December 2011
'The consequences of undervaluing or misjudging the biological effects of long-term, low-level exposure (radiofrequency radiation) could become a critical problem for the public health, especially if genetic effects are involved', US Government report, 1971. Before mobile phones appeared, governments found it easier to be open about the adverse health effects of electromagnetic fields.
The Education Secretary is 'waking up to technology in schools'. But before each school rushes out to buy iPads and iPod touches for their students, they need to consider their legal liabilities with regard to future health damages. If schools force pupils and teachers to use gadgets that emit a possible carcinogen, and are known to alter brain activity, they leave themselves open to future legal liability claims, as well as failing to safeguard pupils. Academy Trusts and Governing Bodies with legal liability responsibilities need to consider all evidence of harm to pupils and not only rely on advice from the Health Protection Agency. Legal responsibility lies with the employer. When it comes to safeguarding, schools need to ensure that they aren't impairing the health and development of children and are allowing them to enter adulthood successfully. A school is failing to safeguard its pupils if their brain development is damaged or they develop cancer. The educational benefits of technology can still be achieved using safe, wired devices. Could this be a case of 'fools rushing in where angels fear to tread'?
A paper published in the journal Fertility and Sterility finds that the use of laptop computers connected to internet through Wi-Fi decreases human sperm motility and increases sperm DNA fragmentation. This is the full paper of the abstract published in 2010. Sperm were exposed to an average of around 6.8milliW/m(2) radiofrequency radiation for four hours. The HPA have found that children in schools are exposed to up to 22milliW/m(2) at 0.5 metres from a wireless laptop. So we now have the majority of children in the UK having to use a technology in the classroom which has been shown to damage human DNA, as well as alter human brain activity (at 0.6milliW/m(2)). The problem could be solved by using fibre-optic or Ethernet connections for computers in schools. It needs Head Teachers to choose to safeguard the health of pupils and teachers.
A paper has been published in the British Journal of School Nursing, entitled 'Discussing mobile phone safety with young people'. It describes evidence for safety concerns and safety tips for students. Highly recommended.
DISCONNECT Trailer. Mobile phones and head tumours, a video by Kevin Kunze.
Lecture at Harvard Law School by Dr. Franz Adlkofer on wireless technologies and institutional corruption. How science can be manipulated to protect products.
November 2011
Parents take children out of Wi-Fi schools. Parents call for a precautionary approach to wireless technologies in schools.
Wi-Fi-free Wednesdays. Parents are keeping children away from school on Wednesdays, so that they have a break from constant Wi-Fi exposures in the classroom. If you are frustrated with schools not listening to parental concerns, you could take part in the Wi-Fi-free Wednesday movement.
315 non-governmental organizations, 52 scientists and medical doctors and 14 MEPs are concerned over the narrow range of speakers and agenda items for the November 16-18 EU Commission conference on Electromagnetic fields. They are concerned about a lack of transparency and pluralism in the evaluation of evidence by risk assessment committees. This is a call for conferences, assessments and decisions to honestly reflect the science. Read the letter here.
A flyer about Wi-Fi from SSITA, Safe Schools Information Technology Alliance.
Video of Wi-Fi health hazard for students. Parents raise concerns about Wi-Fi in schools. Spanish website about the use of Wi-Fi in schools. Science Fair: Students in Canada investigate Wi-Fi in schools.
Comments on Danish mobile phone study in the British Medical Journal.
Wi-Fi, electromagnetic fields and damage to trees. The First Symposium on the effects of electromagnetic fields on tree health, 2011. Wi-Fi.
Danish mobile phone study update is published in the British Medical Journal. Whilst the study concludes that they found no evidence of increased central nervous system (CNS) tumours in people who had a personal mobile phone subscription up until 1995, the study has serious flaws. Article in the Telegraph. The lack of increase in CNS tumour risks may have been due to the early non-subscriber group including some mobile phone users up to 1995 and mobile and cordless phone users from 1996 to 2007. However, the authors did find a significant increase (158% increase) of cancers of the cerebral ventricles in the subscriber group, but based on only a few people. The authors write ‘results from in vivo and in vitro studies do not provide convincing evidence for an effect of exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields at non-thermal intensity levels on carcinogenicity or genotoxicity’. This opinion is in complete contrast to the conclusion of a recent review on microwave radiation and cancer growth by Yakymenko et al, where they write ‘a number of reports revealed that under certain conditions the irradiation by low intensity microwaves can substantially induce cancer progression in humans and in animal models’ and ‘Taken together, we state here that nowadays there is enough convincing data to appropriately assert that the long-term exposure to low intensity electromagnetic microwaves can indeed promote cancer development’.
October 2011
Parents are concerned about Wi-Fi in Vancouver schools, Canada.
MEPs call for EU-wide action to reduce cancer risk from mobile phones.
A video of the 2008 US Congressional Hearing on mobile phone safety and tumour risks. Wi-Fi is mentioned at 33 and 39 minutes. More than two and a half years later, the WHO classified radiofrequency radiation as possible carcinogen.
A new paper published in Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine demonstrates that children and small adults absorb significantly more mobile phone phone radiation than had been previously understood. The authors are calling for mobile phones to be manufactured without the ability to hold the phone against the head.
The government's £3billion conflict of interest. How can the government admit the potential adverse health effects of Wi-Fi when they are hoping to make £3billion by auctioning off the 4G frequencies, which include Wi-Fi. Schools have a responsibility to provide a safe environment in the school and take conflicts of interest into account. Responsibility for safety lies with the employer (the Local Authority, Governing Body or Academy Trust). Academies have responsibility for all health and safety liabilities.
Another school in Ontario (Canada) removes Wi-Fi because of health concerns.
Mobile phone retailers in San Francisco now need to display a poster from the Department of the Environment in a prominent place, visible to the public. An accompanying factsheet warns that mobile phones emit a potential carcinogen and gives tips for reducing exposures.
Is Wi-Fi making kids and teachers sick? Article from the Toronto Sun, Canada.
We need honest science if we want to protect public health: 'Mobile phones and cancer risks. Scientists manipulated research – played down brain tumour risks in children' by Kerstin Stenberg & Mona Nilsson. Also, 'Science is often misused by government and industry for selfish purposes. The truth about the biological effects of radio frequency radiation is heavily suppressed' Professor Franz Adlkofer.
An excellent video on You Tube showing the microwave exposures that children are exposed to when using wireless laptops in the classroom.
Two new studies have found that electromagnetic fields from Wi-Fi transmitters can alter electrical brain activity and decrease a measure of attention in young adults when performing a memory task. These are the first reports to look at the effects of Wi-Fi on brain function. The attractiveness of Wi-Fi as a learning tool in schools is significantly decreased if it could be damaging the cognitive abilities and brain development of pupils. More information here.
More parents in Canada are concerned about Wi-Fi in schools.
Unions have voted unanimously against the deployment of Wi-Fi in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, in accordance with the Precautionary Principle and equal treatment in access to library services.
Childhood is being eroded, with children spending more time indoors with screen-based technology, rather than in active outdoor activity and play. A group of more than 200 experts are calling for action. Letter here.
September 2011
A school in Ontario, Canada has removed Wi-Fi from its school, after having researched the potential health risks. Listen to an interview with the school principal here. The interview starts after a short introduction, but is worth listening to. An article is here. Some schools in the UK have removed Wi-Fi because of health concerns, but we are interested in hearing from any Head Teachers who would like discuss how they can provide a safe environment in their school whilst maintaining excellence in ICT. Please get in touch.
Article about Wi-Fi in schools from New Zealand.
'You and Yours' on BBC Radio 4 talks about the Nationwide campaign warning men not to keep their mobile phone in their trouser pocket (27 minutes into the programme, 1st September 2011). The discussion referred to a review published in the Journal of Andrology (paper is available in full here). The paper concludes: 'The results show that human spermatozoa exposed to RF-EMR (radio frequency electromagnetic radiation) have decreased motility, morphometric abnormalities, and increased oxidative stress, whereas men using mobile phones have decreased sperm concentration, motility (particularly the rapid progressive one), normal morphology, and viability. These abnormalities seem to be directly related with the length of mobile phone use.' Campaign poster. Yes, Wi-Fi also damages sperm.
Two new studies have found that electromagnetic fields from Wi-Fi transmitters can alter electrical brain activity and decrease a measure of attention in young adults when performing a memory task. These are the first reports to look at the effects of Wi-Fi on brain function. The attractiveness of Wi-Fi as a learning tool in schools is significantly decreased if it could be damaging the cognitive abilities and brain development of pupils. More information here.
August 2011
Chief Executive of Apple resigns over ill health, having previously suffered from pancreatic cancer. In 2001 the British Medical Association warned that radio waves from mobile phones might damage internal organs when texting. The IARC have classified radio frequency radiation as potentially carcinogenic. Wi-Fi can damage DNA. Could abdominal cancers be caused by using Apple's iPhone or iPad too much? It is certainly possible. Should children be using them in school until we know they are safe?
Adolescent brain tumours and mobile phones - Dr Magda Havas highlights the importance of reading the detail in a scientific paper. Increased risk of brain tumours in children and adolescents after relatively short periods of exposure.
Very weak radio frequency signals show promise for treating inoperable liver cancer. Radio frequency electromagnetic fields have potential therapeutic applications as well as damaging effects on the body; low powers can also damage normal cells in the brain (1, 2, 3, 4). Radiotherapy with ionizing radiation, currently used to treat cancers, damages the DNA in cancer cells as well as in healthy cells. Radio frequency signals can also damage DNA.
Technology addiction. Sixty six percent of Americans sleep with their smartphones by their side. Twenty one percent would rather go shoeless before giving up thier phones.
Professor Oleg Grigoriev, Director of the Russian Centre for Electromagnetic Safety, Head of the of Laboratory "Radiobiology and Hygiene for Non-Ionizing Radiation" of the Federal Medical-Biological Agency of Russia and Vice-Chairman of the Russian National Committee on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (RCNIRP) has kindly offered wifiinschools.org.uk his view on the use of wireless technologies in schools:
"Our Committee and I are personally against the use of Wi-Fi systems in schools. Professor Yury Grigoriev (chairman of the RCNIRP) has the same opinion. The reason is that it forms a very complex form of electromagnetic field, but in this case the probability of biological effect is higher than when the same total dose is created by one source of unmodulated electromagnetic field. This pattern is for non-thermal electromagnetic fields. There are very good studies that have shown that prolonged exposure to low-intensity radio waves in children disturbed cognitive function, and we trust this research."
Writing in the British Medical Journal, Consultant Neurosurgeon Kevin O'Neill calls for medical practitioners and medical professional bodies to play a role in ensuring that action is taken to protect children from electro-magnetic radiation emitted by wireless equipment. Letter here.
July 2011
Mobile phones and Wi-Fi technologies emit a class 2B carcinogen. The Trades Union Congress say: 'trade unions believe the aim should be to remove all exposure to any known or suspected carcinogen in the workplace.' 'Caution should be used to prevent exposure to substances in Group 2B.' 'The regulations are clear: that the first aim should always be to remove the hazard.' 'Management Regulations and COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) lay down clear principles for prevention that must be followed when deciding what to do about a potential hazard. This means the first step must always be, where possible, to remove the hazard altogether – removing any cancer-causing hazards from the workplace.' 'There is a legal requirement on employers to only use a carcinogen if there is no reasonable alternative.' Employers can provide safe alternatives to Wi-Fi in schools - they can provide wired computing facilities for staff and pupils, thereby removing a potential cancer-causing hazard.
Allan Frey and the inconvenient truth about radio frequency radiation.
Radio frequency-producing antennas that are essential for the wireless world could be the next asbestos for the insurance industry.
Robin Des Toits in France are calling for Wi-Fi to be banned in educational institutions.
Video from TodayTonight on 'mobile phone cancer danger'. Brain and head tumour sufferers are calling for under 16s not to use mobile phones and for adults to only text or use speakerphone. Please share with young people. Cordless phones also increase the risk of brain tumours. For advice from neurosurgeons and doctors about safer mobile phone use, see this leaflet.
Five hundred social groups in Spain are calling for Wi-Fi to be banned in schools, along with the exposure limits to be revised in law.
A parent is suing Portland Public School System (PPS) in America, for installing Wi-Fi in public school buildings. The plaintiff contends that PPS policy of using Wi-Fi in their schools impinges on his rights and fundamental liberties under the Fourteenth Amendment to the care and control of his child's health and continued well being. The plaintiff will seek an injunction to stop the use of Wi-Fi immediately until the case is resolved by the courts. Press Release is here. Further information, including memorandum, injunction and declarations, here. Dr David Carpenter commented in his expert witness declaration 'There is a major difference between an exposure that an individual chooses to accept and one that is forced on an individual who can do nothing about it, especially a child. The evidence for adverse effects of radiofrequency radiation is currently strong (beyond just a known controversy) and grows stronger with each new study.'
June 2011
Are Smart meters killing bees? Several researchers have reported disruption to bees from mobile phones(1, 2, 3, 4). Low power or short duration microwaves have been found to damage DNA and fertility in other insects (1, 2, 3, 4). Perhaps wireless, microwave technologies could be contributing to the decline of pollinating insects? Wouldn't it be worth even finding out before installing transmitters everywhere? Humans have the ability to ask great questions, investigate them, debate them, and then to act on the information gained. Let's find out first.
Is 'popcorn brain' the result of hours spent on the internet or the microwave radiation from wireless internet computers/phones, or perhaps a bit of both? 'Researchers in China did MRIs on the brains of 18 college students who spent about 10 hours a day online. Compared with a control group who spent less than two hours a day online, these students had less gray matter, the thinking part of the brain.' Published here. We already know that exposure of rats to microwave radiation from wireless technologies decreases the number of neurones in some regions of the brain, both for adults and for the offspring when exposed during pregnancy.
20th-26th June is Child Safety Week. A perfect opportunity to discuss mobile phone and Wi-Fi safety with children and young people. The poster from the Vienna Medical Association lists useful tips for improving safety. Other resources can be found in 'Wireless technologies and young people'.
Wifiinschools.org.uk and Families magazine have written example letters to send to schools, Members of Parliament and Members of the European Parliament, calling for actions following the Council of Europe Resolution. Please use them, add your details at the top, change them where you want, but send them to your school and MPs. We need action following the recent recommendations from the Council of Europe and WHO. MPs and MEPs can be found here. Letters are available in different formats here. Thank you for your help.
British Medical Journal article about the Council of Europe recommendations for Wi-Fi in schools.
Chairman of the WHO IARC working group, Jonathan Samet, has commented "the group 2B designation was not limited to cell phones. It has 'broad applicability' to all sources of radiofrequency radiation" (which includes Wi-Fi).
The World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer, has classified radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as possibly carcinogenic to humans (group 2B), 31st May 2011. Press Release can be found here. This was based on an increase in glioma, a malignant type of brain cancer, associated with wireless phone use. News reports are concentrating on mobile phones. But the IARC statement includes all wireless phones and states that radiofrequency electromagnetic fields are potentially carcinogenic, based on studies from radar, microwaves, TV, radio, wireless communications as well as wireless phones.
May 2011
The Council of Europe calls on governments to reduce exposures to electromagnetic fields and ensure that schools use wired internet connections.
The Council of Europe Standing Committee has adopted, on behalf of the Council of Europe Assembly, the resolution brought forward by the Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional Affairs (27th May 2011). The wording of the resolution has been changed and can be found here. The Council of Europe advise European member states:
8.3.2. for children in general, and particularly in schools and classrooms, give preference to wired Internet connections, and strictly regulate the use of mobile phones by schoolchildren on school premises.
8.3.1. develop within different ministries (education, environment and health) targeted information campaigns aimed at teachers, parents and children to alert them to the specific risks of early, ill-considered and prolonged use of mobiles and other devices emitting microwaves.
The Council of Europe (Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local Regional Affairs) has made recommendations for all member states in Europe regarding the potential dangers of electromagnetic fields. In the resolution, which was adopted unanimously by the Committee on the 11th April, they recommended:
(8.3.2) that mobile phones, DECT phones or Wi-Fi or WLAN systems are banned from classrooms and schools.
(8.3.1) that education, environment and health ministries develop information campaigns aimed at teachers, parents and children to alert them to the risks of the use of mobile phones and other microwave emitting devices. The whole report is worth reading (here). Articles from the Telegraph, Metro, Mail.
Wi-Fi and mobile phones in schools are discussed on 'You and Yours'. The comparison in the interview of mobile communication technologies with traditional radio signals, doesn't take into account the proximity to the transmitters (next to the body for mobile phones and Wi-Fi-enabled gadgets), or that effects have been reported when close to radio transmitters, such as increases in cases of leukaemia.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer has dropped one of its panel of experts after revelations that he was also a director in his brother's company, with links to the telecommunications industry. Governing bodies and Local Authorities also need to take care with conflicts of interest when making assessments about risks from the use of wireless technologies in schools.
WHO mobile phone cancer risk cover up.
More evidence that mobile phone radiation damages DNA, brain and sperm.
Two new papers show a link between tumours and mobile phones. See Microwave News, Short Takes, May 24.
The Russian National Committee on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection has passed a resolution entitled 'Electromagnetic fields from mobile phones: health effect on children and teenagers'. The resolution describes an increase in childhood diseases since the year 2000, and their possible link to mobile phone use. Recommendations include: a requirement for courses in schools on mobile phone use and issues concerning electromagnetic field exposure; limits on mobile telecommunications use by children and adolescents, including a ban on all types of advertising.
A paper published in the International Journal of Maxillofacial Surgery has found a significant association between long-term and heavy use of mobile phones and cancers of the salivary gland (mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the parotid gland). The authors, Duan et al (2011), found a 20 fold increased risk of cancer with mobile phone use for 7-8 years. The authors recommend larger-scale studies. This follows the publication in 2008 of a significant association between salivary gland tumours and mobile phone use by Sadetzki et al.
A study of a possible link between leukaemia and mobile phone use reported an increased risk after 15 years of use (1.87 fold increased risk, Cooke et al., 2010), although the data didn't reach significance. Further studies are needed to see whether significance is reached with a larger population or a longer duration of use. This raises the possibility of increases in cancers following mobile phone use other than those associated with the brain, head or neck. Studies are also needed into whether Wi-Fi exposures can increase the risk of developing leukaemia.
Cardis and Sadetzki recommended in the British Medical Journal (March 2011) that until definitive scientific answers are available for a link between mobile phones and cancer, precautionary actions are advisable, particularly for young people.
April 2011
The Radiation Research Trust campaign 'Save the Male' is warning men not to carry their mobile phones in their trouser pockets as it can affect their fertility.
A new website, Mobilewise, is helping young people to reduce the potential risks to their health when using mobile phones.
A shortened version of the Panorama programme about Wi-Fi in schools is available here (7 minutes). Other resources to pass on to schools can be found on the Actions page.
March 2011
The Department of Health has released a new version of its leaflet 'Mobile Phones and Base Stations'. The UK Chief Medical Officers still advise that children and young people under the age of 16 should be encouraged to use mobile phones for essential purposes only.
A cafe sets an example by removing Wi-Fi and providing wired internet access for its customers.
February 2011
Wireless technologies and young people - A resource for schools, January 2011. A document for schools, containing guidance from the Department of Health and NHS Direct, resources for discussing mobile phone safety with young people, international advice, frequently asked questions, suggestions for best practice in educational settings and extracts from research studies. Please pass on to Schools, Parent Teacher Associations and Governing Bodies. Flyer.
The Scientific Panel on Electromagnetic Health Risks has published their recommendations in the journal 'Reviews on Environmental Health'. 'The Panel recommends wired internet access in schools, and strongly recommends that schools do not install wireless internet connections that create pervasive and prolonged electromagnetic field exposures for children'. Their provisional recommended exposure limit for radio frequency radiation is lower than that experienced by users of Wi-Fi-enabled technologies. Further information1 and further information2.
A bill has been introduced in Oregon, USA, to put health warnings on mobile phones and their packaging.
Dr David Carpenter, M.D., and Professor Olle Johansson have written letters about the dangers of Wi-Fi in schools.
January 2011
Does long-term use of mobile phones lead to brain tumours? Science Daily, January 2011.
Dr. Martin Blank from Columbia University, USA, explains some of the mechanisms by which the electromagnetic fields from mobile phones and Wi-Fi can affect cells. "We must insist on the testing of new devices... Just because we allow microwaves, doesn't mean that Wi-Fi at the same frequency should be allowed into all classrooms."
The International Commission for Electromagnetic Safety has published a collection of scientific papers in the International Journal of Oncology, 2010: 'Non-thermal effects and mechanisms of interaction between electromagnetic fields and living matter'. It is available in full, online. It describes effects of microwave radiation at exposures experienced by users of wireless technologies and discusses mechanisms of action. It includes: the mechanisms by which electromagnetic fields can produce oxidative stress (e.g. increasing free radicals) from Professor Georgiou, p.63; the dependence of non-thermal effects of microwaves on physical and biological conditions, Dr Belyaev p. 187; effects of mobile phone radiation on cognition, Dr Fragopoulou and Professor Margaritis, p.261; effect of cordless phones on heart rate variability, Dr Havas et al., p.273; absorption of radiation into the heads of children, Dr Han et al., p.301; effects on the blood-brain barrier, Professor Salford et al., p.333 and Professor Seyhan et al., p.319; cancer risks of radiation from wireless phones Dr Hardell, p.363. Worth a look!
Professor Behari talks about effects of mobile phones on male fertility.
Mobile phones and cancer. Professor Hardell describes in the International Journal of Epidemiology how the International Interphone study published last year underestimated the risks of brain tumours associated with mobile phone use
December 2010
A letter from a parent to a school principal about Wi-Fi in schools.
On 22nd November 2010 the Environment and Health Committee of the Israeli Parliament called on the Government to adopt the recommendations of a technical committee to reduce and to prevent exposure to electromagnetic radiation of students in schools, due to concerns of potential effects on health. The recommendations include: Wired computer networks in schools will be preferred over wireless networks. Schools should have wired landline telephones for students to use. Schools should consider establishing special areas where mobile phones can be used and limiting the use of mobile phones elsewhere (similar to smoking areas). Schools should ensure that teachers use cell phones only in the staff room or allocated areas. The Committee noted that students are exposed to wireless technologies against their will because they are committed by law to a compulsory school education. The Committee agreed that there is a moral obligation for the education system and State to protect the health of its students.
A discussion about parents removing children from Wi-Fi schools.
More from epidemiologist Dr Devra Davis on mobile phones - London 2010.
Does Wi-Fi damage trees? Researchers at Wageningen University in the Netherlands exposed trees to Wi-Fi access points at a distance of 50cms, 2.412-2.417GHz frequency and 100mW power (similar to Wi-Fi transmitters in schools) for three to six months. The leaves pointing towards the radiation source had a discoloration of the leaves that appeared to result in the disappearance of the outer cell layer of the leaves. This was followed by desiccation and death of a portion of the leaf.
November 2010
Public concern over Wi-Fi in schools, mobile phone base stations near schools and wireless smart meters:
The School Board in Victoria, Canada is setting up a committee to look into health effects of Wi-Fi in classrooms. Parents have taken their children out of a school in Ontario, Canada, because of concerns about the effects of long-term exposure to electromagnetic fields from Wi-Fi transmitters.
Even though the Government's Stewart report in 2000 recommended that the beam of greatest intensity from mobile phone base stations should not fall on or near school grounds, parents and schools are still having to fight to stop the placement of masts near schools. Recent examples include Watford and Weymouth, UK. Industry repeatedly claims that there are no known health risks to children or adults living near a mobile phone mast. But a recent publication in the International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health disagrees. Neurosurgeon, Dr Khurana and colleagues found that eight out of ten epidemiological studies found adverse neurobehavioural symptoms or cancer for people living near base stations.
Should schools insist on smart meters or utility monitors having wired connections? Several regions in the US have been concerned enough to introduce a moratorium on wireless smart meters. The meters emit short duration electromagnetic pulses of very high strength. One measurement found the pulses to be almost a 1000 times more powerful than signals from a mobile phone. It may be these high power signals that are the most relevant biologically, and not the lower time-averaged exposures often quoted. Smart meters in the news.
Anna's Message: 'A mobile phone caused my brain tumour'. EMFacts describe the Australian Today Tonight TV programme (text) where 27 year old Anna talks about her aggressive brain tumour. She and her neurosurgeon Dr Teo consider it likely that the tumour is a result of her heavy mobile phone use.
A Canadian school removes all wireless technologies. A copy of the statement sent from the school Principal to the Parliamentary Health Committee.
October 2010
Dr Avendaño and colleagues presented their findings that wireless laptops decrease human sperm motility and damage human sperm DNA, at the meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (abstract; 27th October 2010).
The Canadian Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health discussed the safety of Wi-Fi in schools on the 28th October 2010. The Committee heard from expert witnesses from both sides of the argument. Beth Pietersen from Health Canada stated that whilst Health Canada were not themselves carrying out any studies into the safety of Wi-Fi in schools, they were following the thorough investigations being carried out by the UK Health Protection Agency (HPA). However, the UK HPA has only measured radiation levels in schools, and is not monitoring potential health effects. It would appear that no one is monitoring the health effects of Wi-Fi in schools, except the parents. Standing Committee meeting in the news: video.
Microwave News warns against turning to gizmos which claim to protect you from the microwaves emitted by wireless transmitters.
Parents vote to remove Wi-Fi from a school in Ontario, Canada.
Global National News 16:9, Canada, report on Wi-Fi in schools. In the video (17th October 2010) Dr Havas demonstrates that a Wi-Fi router can cause cardiac arrhythmia and tachycardia in some people. Dr Carpenter, MD, says "You don't want to wait until you can count the bodies before you tell the public that there is a serious potential of harm. And with regard to the issue of Wi-Fi in schools, this is exactly where we are". Hérouville St. Clair in France leads the way by removing Wi-Fi in schools and putting in state of the art fibre optic networks. In 2007, the UK Panorama programme 'A Warning Signal' raised some of the issues now being debated in Canada about Wi-Fi in schools.
In schools, children and young people have no choice about their exposure to mobile phones, Wi-Fi enabled devices and other microwave emitting transmitters. But for personal use, we can choose how or if we use wireless technologies. This week some families who have experienced brain tumours spoke out at a press conference in San Francisco about mobile phone risks.
Dr Jerry Phillips, Director of the Science Learning Centre and Professor of Chemistry, University of Colorado, discusses some of the issues which lead some people to decide that wireless technologies are not safe and others to decide that they are: the meaning of 'weight of evidence', possible mechanisms of action and understanding studies from different laboratories.
Mobile phone manual guidance and a CBC interview with Dr Devra Davis about her book 'Disconnect'.
September 2010
'Disconnect', a new book written by Dr Devra Davis, is available from 23rd September 2010. The Truth about mobile phone radiation and how to protect your family. This is highly recommended.
More leadings scientists comment on scientific inaccuracies in the Welsh Assembly Government's leaflets on mobile phone safety. A call for young people to be given scientifically accurate information
August 2010
A court in Bresica (Northern Italy) has judged that a brain tumour of an employee was caused by use of a cordless (DECT) and/or mobile phone in the workplace. The individual has been awarded an 80% disability pension and the employer has to pay court costs. Employees in Italy can now insist that employers supply corded phones and they can advise their employer that they will be legally liable for future damages should they insist on the use of a cordless phone. Further information
Wi-Fi-enabled laptops have been found to reduce sperm motility and damage sperm DNA in men. This is not surprising given the previous studies on male fertility (Scientific Research), but it is the first report with wireless laptops. Damage to sperm DNA, or for women damage to DNA in the ovarian follicles or the embryo/foetus during pregnancy could affect development of the next generation. For children, who may be absorbing up to ten times more radiation than adults into their bone marrow, damage to DNA could potentially lead to cancers. A precautionary approach would be not to use a wireless laptop on your lap, not to use one when pregnant, for wired connections to be used whenever possible and for only wired connections to be used for laptops or computers in schools.
Microwave exposures within the range of those experienced by users of wireless laptops cause abnormal development and death of tadpoles (1.8-3.5V/m) and DNA damage and reduced reproductive capacity in fruit flies (maximum at 6.1V/m, decreasing down to 1.9V/m radio frequency).
July 2010
The Welsh Assembly Government has produced leaflets offering mobile phone guidance for primary and secondary school children. But leading international scientists have reacted, saying that the information is scientifically incorrect and misleading. "Surely the children of Wales deserve to have high quality health advice which is scientifically correct." "In the light of the scientific opinions and inaccuracies I hope you will withdraw and redraft these leaflets." Click here for details. It should be possible for Wales to provide young people with accurate and balanced precautionary advice
Full Signal the movie is out on DVD.
Simcoe County Safe School Committee in Canada are monitoring the health of pupils in wireless schools.
Dr. Martin Blank talks about the inadequacy of current standards for electromagnetic exposure from cell phones and other electronic and electrical devices.
San Francisco to make mobile phone SAR values available at the point of sale. This follows France's decision to do the same, as well as including information that overuse of the device may carry health risks
Open letter about the compulsory use of mobile phones and other wireless technologies in the classroom (UK). Please pass on the letter (page 1) and the links page (page 2) to schools.
June 2010
France bans the use of mobile phones by pupils in all kindergartens, elementary schools and colleges (up to ages 15-17). All mobile phones sold in France must also mention that overuse of the device may carry health risks. Article 72, Assemblée Nationale May 11th 2010 (translation). Sénat vote, Article 72, 8th October 2009 (translation).
May 2010
International Interphone study into a possible link between mobile phone use and tumours is published in the International Journal of Epidemiology. Microwave news comment. Increased risks of gliomas were found for high mobile phone use (>1640 hours of cumulative call time). With children's bodies absorbing more radiation than adults', risks are likely to be higher in children. But controversy over study design, bias and flaws limit the conclusions. Future studies need careful planning and choice of meaningful controls that take into account exposure to cordless phones and other wireless technologies
Absorption of radiation from wireless technologies into the brain and bone marrow of children: Time to start talking sense.
Dr Kesari, Director of Neuro-Oncology at the Moores Cancer Centre at UC San Diego USA, talks about long-term mobile phone use and the increased risk of developing brain tumours.
Next-up Organisation publish a 1973 Canadian Research document which describes microwave radiation as a potential threat to human health.
April 2010
Wi-Fi security problems.
A call for courageous ministers to follow the precautionary principle, where there is evidence of harm to public health.
Study published in PNAS describes how a magnetic field applied behind the right ear can disrupt human moral judgements and risk taking. Could mobile phones also alter moral judgements, in particular with respect to attempted harm?
Preliminary study finds that 2.4GHz microwaves affect the heart, causing arrhythmia and tachycardia (irregular and rapid heart rate) in some people. Exposures were within the range of those experienced by users of wireless laptops: 3microW/cm(2), or 30milliW/m(2).
March 2010
March 2010 is Brain Tumour Awareness month. Braintumourresearch.org is asking people to wear a hat for a day in March to raise awareness of brain cancers. Brain tumours now kill more people under the age of 40 than any other cancer. Article about brain tumours and mobile phone use. Neurosurgeon Dr Charlie Teo, videos on brain tumours, part 1 and part 2.
Debate about the safety of wireless technologies.
Rehab clinic for technology addicts.
February 2010
Leaflet about the exposure of children and adolescents to mobile phones and wireless technologies. Supported by the Austrian Medical Association and Physicians for a Healthy Environment.
GQ Magazine reports on mobile phone and wireless technology health risks (Feb 2010).
Living in a Wireless World - pregnancy, fertility and children in wireless times.
Videos for teenagers describe how mobile phones can be used more safely and what the potential risks are. These are highly recommended. An excellent resource for schools to stimulate discussion about an issue which affects the majority of young people today.
January 2010
Open letter from Professor Havas about wireless routers in schools (Jan 2010).
December 2009
'Full Signal', the movie, wins Best Documentary award at the Myrtle Beach International Film Festival. See film website and trailers. Film screenings from early 2010 and DVD available from June 2010.
November 2009
Public concern about radiation from Wi-Fi and mobile phone mast transmitters. Parents in Formby and Stockton (see Video, Mac version) petition, campaign against and remove children from wireless schools. Massive public protest in Stuttgart over phone masts and in Nantes over masts and Wi-Fi in schools.
International Conference on Electromagnetic Fields and Health, 17th November 2009, Stavanger, Norway. Website and Press Release.
October 2009
French Health and Security Agency recommend reducing exposure to mobile phones and other wireless devices. France to ban mobiles in schools. Cancers are linked to long-term mobile phone use. Maine set to introduce warning labels on cell phones. But Mick Brookes from the National Association of Head Teachers wants mobile phones to be used by pupils in the classroom.
Mobile communication technologies decrease male fertility and damage sperm DNA (Scientific Research). Will the countries with the highest exposures to Wi-Fi, WiMAX or mobile phone mast transmitters suffer the highest rates of infertility and genetic abnormalities in future generations?
International scientists express concern about exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields in the Porto Alegre Resolution. 'The ... use of Wi-Fi, WiMAX, or any other form of wireless communications technology ... shall preferably not include siting or signal transmission in residencies, schools, day-care centres, senior centres, hospitals or any other buildings where people spend considerable time'.
September 2009
Health Protection Agency (HPA) announce their measurements of microwave emissions from individual wireless laptops, similar to those used in schools (see Wi-Fi exposures and guidelines). A teachers' union remains concerned. Powerwatch and Mast Sanity also comment. The HPA will go on to use this information for a wider health risk review.
A new website, Wiredchild.
A link between mobile phones and cancer?
August 2009
Are we living in the 'Age of Stupid'? Is a sustainable future one where we damage wildlife, bees needed for pollination, human health and the DNA needed for healthy future generations?
A Telecom Strategy described by a former company Environment Manager.
June/July 2009
The Israeli Government bans marketing of home Wi-Fi products as a precautionary measure. The Environment Minister said that "the health consideration comes before any economic consideration" (16.7.09).
The UK Government outlines its plans for a wireless, digital Britain despite scientific warnings of a future public health crisis and environmental damage.
How independent are the decision makers? Former Government Health Minister, Patricia Hewitt, receives £75,000 from British Telecom (Sunday Telegraph, 28.6.09).
May 2009
Teachers' Unions still concerned about wireless technologies (May 2009).
Schools in France and a Paris University remove Wi-Fi (International concerns).