Energy and Climate Change CommitteeWritten evidence submitted by Yvonne Tinckler (SMR26)
There has been a decade of warnings from researchers, doctors, professors and governments, that WiFi is potentially harmful especially to children and pregnant women and should be reduced or avoided.
Experience of Smart Meter installation in the US and Australia has shown that a significant number of people are made extremely sick by them, so much so that Australia has WiFi free zones in several hospitals & those affected by WiFi are obliged to use these when needing hospital treatment.
Smart Meters will not be removable once they are installed. It will be extremely difficult if not impossible to avoid the effects of them in a neighbourhood even if they can be removed from an individual house (those individuals also having to reorganize heating/cooking/washing to cope without grid meters). Studies show 4–5% of the nation may have EMF hypersensitivity.
There is no doubt the lack of freedom to avoid the devastating effects of Smart Meters on a significant minority of individuals and consequently their families will contravene several Articles on the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
The Bioinitiative report has just been updated, and covers Smart Meters:
http://www.bioinitiative.org/
The Sage Report on Smart Meters, including letters from experts:
http://sagereports.com/smart-meter-rf/
May, 2011—World Health Organization (WHO) reclassifies microwave radiation from wireless communication devices and mobile phones as classification Class 2B “possible carcinogen.” This is the same class as lead, DDT and car exhaust. Click here for CNN article Click here for Press Release Click here for Journal of Nature article
May, 2011—The Council of Europe recommends WiFi be banned from schools. The Council of Europe has 47 member states and is highly influential in policy-making. Click here for article.
February, 2011—Scientists at the National Institutes of Health in the U.S. find that microwaves emitted by cell phones cause changes in the brain. These biological changes are well below the “thermal level”. Click full study: Effect of Cell Phone Radiofrequency Signal Exposure on Brain Glucose Metabolism. Click The Globe and Mail: Radiation from long cellphone calls stimulates brain.
February, 2011—Scientific Panel concludes that standards for WiFi and other wireless devices are “entirely inadequate” and “strongly recommends that schools do not install wireless internet connections that create pervasive and prolonged EMF exposures for children.”
November, 2010—National Research Council Press reports that many Canadians are being exposed to dangerous levels of radiation in its journal Environmental Review. It concludes that a new biologically based guideline is needed, instead of the dangerous, outdated thermal guideline. Click study: Biological effects from exposure to electromagnetic radiation emitted by cell tower base stations and other antenna arrays.
September, 2010—Study finds that sitting at a laptop computer with the WiFi enabled for just four hours can damage sperm. No research has been done on possible DNA damage to female eggs because of the technical and ethical difficulties studying female eggs. Journal of Fertility and Sterility September, 2010
April 27–29, 2010—Canadian Government’s Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health heard two days of testimony including international scientists calling for people to stop exposing children to microwaves from systems such as cell phones, cell towers and unnecessary WiFi transmitters in schools.
October 2009—The U.S. government releases classified military documents on the biological effects of Microwave Radiation from 1971. The detailed report by the Naval Medical Research Institute lists hundreds of papers from around the world showing that microwave radiation causes biological changes. The report was declassified in 2009. Note the index which lists every symptom that has been experienced in Simcoe County Schools. Here is a PDF of declassified U.S. Navy Report on the Biological Effects of Microwave Radiation. Many of the individual documents can be viewed at http://www.magdahavas.com/. The entire collection was donated to Dr. Havas by the author, Dr. Zory Glasser.
October 2009—U.S. Government, National Institutes of Health, released a stem cell study linking microwave from carrier frequencies like cell phones and WiFi, to Leukemia and Cancer, especially among children.
July 2009—Dr. Magda Havas PhD., professor at Trent University issues a public warning to all School Boards saying “It is irresponsible to introduce Wi-Fi microwave radiation into a school environment where young children and school employees spend hours each day.”
January 2009—French National Government announces it will tighten safety regulations for cell phones and children.
November 2008—The European Parliament votes almost unanimously (522 to 16) to urge Cabinet Ministers across Europe to introduce stricter regulations for microwave exposure. Russian Ministry of Health have issued guidelines stating that youth under 18 should not use cell phones.
July 2008—The French Public Library System gutted its WiFi after only a year because the labour unions complained about a growing number of symptoms suddenly being reported by workers. These are same type of symptoms now being reported in Simcoe County Schools along with several other Paris libraries are WiFi-free
November 2007—Toronto’s Chief Medical Officer of Health recommends Health Canada’s Safety levels for microwave exposure be lowered by a factor 100X.
September 2007—Germany’s Federal Government issues a national warning to citizens: “Avoid exposure to radiation emanating from WiFi and Amex ports in cafés, schools, public “hot spots”, and private homes.”
August 2007—Ther BioInitiative Group, of 20 Scientists, doctors and professors release their 610 page report warning that the effects of prolonged exposure of radio frequencies (ie. WiFi) on children is unknown and there cannot be declared safe. The report concludes that, “This could have serious implications to adult health and functioning in society if years of exposure of the young to Radio Frequencies result in diminished capacity for thinking, judgement, memory, learning, and control over behaviour.”
September 2006—A group of thirty Physicists, Doctors, Professors, Union Reps and Politicians meeting in Italy released the Benvenuto Resolution that confidently stated: “We take exception to the claim of the wireless communication industry that there is no credible scientific evidence to conclude there a is risk. New standards should be developed to take various physiological conditions into consideration, eg, pregnancy, newborns, children, and elderly people.”
February 2006—Lakehead University banned WiFi to protect students staff and visitors from unnecessary microwave exposure. Lakehead’s sitting president was a trained Biologist who understood the dangers moresoe than most. This now includes the new Orillia Campus.
2005—Irish Doctor’s Environmental Association. A group of Irish physicians declared that, “The current safe levels for exposure to microwave radiation were determined based solely on the thermal effects of this radiation. There is now a large body of evidence that clearly shows that this is not appropriate, as many of the effects of this type of radiation are not related to these thermal effects.”
June 7, 2000—Twenty Doctors, Physicists and Professors meet in Salzburg Austria to discuss the growing concern with microwave radiation from the erection of Cell Phone Towers in Europe. They declare in the Salzburg Resolution that current “safe limits” for microwave exposure, such as Health Canada’s, are 100 to 1,000 times too lenient to be declared safe for humans.
International Warnings
WiFi
Wingspread Conference on the Precautionary principle: http://www.sehn.org/wing.html
German Government advises against WiFi:
http://www.icems.eu/docs/deutscher_bundestag.pdf
In 2010 the Hesse minister of education and cultural affairs (Germany) replies to a request regarding Wi-Fi in schools with the recommendation to prefer wired network solutions whenever possible.
http://download.bildung.hessen.de/medien/einrichtungen_medien/support/Drucksache_18_1924_Laptop_WLAN_Gesundheitsgefaehrdung_an_Schulen.pdf (in German but can be translated)
In 2007 the Bavarian parliament (Germany) recommended the use of wired networks in all Bavarian schools due to health concerns and had each single school informed about this recommendation by the state secretary himself. http://download.bildung.hessen.de/medien/einrichtungen_medien/support/Bayer-StaMi-Empfehlung-20070823.pdf The parliament of the Canton Thurgau clearly recommends since 2006 that schools use wired networks. http://wwwgrgeko.tg.ch/docs/00000064_00000E85_WEB.pdf (in German but can be translated with GOOGLE) European Environmental Agency advises the precautionary principle for WiFi: http://www.eea.europa.eu/highlights/radiation-risk-from-everyday-devices-assessed http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/eu-watchdog-calls-for-urgent-action-on-wifiradiation-402539.html Austria medical association pressing for a ban on WiFi in schools: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1549944/Warning-on-wi-fi-health-risk-to-children.html
Herouville St Claire Normandy removes WiFi from schools: http://freepage.twoday.net/stories/5670096/
(USA) Progressive Librarians Guild urges the precautionary principle for WiFi in libraries June 2008: http://libr.org/plg/wifiresolution.php France: Paris City Council launched a study on WiFi June 2008 (in french): http://www.lemonde.fr/technologies/article/2008/06/16/wi-fi-le-conseil-de-paris-lance-une-etude-surles-risques-sanitaires_1058950_651865.html#ens_id=1053227 UK: The Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) with 160,000 members has called for a government investigation into the biological and thermal effects of “WiFi” networks: http://news.scotsman.com/education/39Wifi-in-schools-may-give.5156371.jp Penang Malaysia to study health effects of WiFi. October 2008: http://freepage.twoday.net/stories/5250937/ England: Health Protection Agency launches study on health effects of WiFi Oct 2007: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2007/oct/13/internet.internetphonesbroadband USA: Sebastopol CA. City Council chooses the precautionary principle and terminates contract for free city wide WiFi: http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080324/NEWS/803240314/1033/NEWS Sebastopol Area WiFi petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/mufifree/petition.html European Parliament Sept 2008 voted 522 to 16 to adopt text: “is greatly concerned at the Bio-Initiative international report concerning EMFs, which summarizes over 1500 studies on that topic and which points in its conclusions to the health risks posed by emissions from mobile-telephony devices such as mobile telephones, UMTS, WiFi, WiMax and Bluetooth, and also DECT landline “. “The limits on exposure to electromagnetic fields [EMFs] which have been set for the general public are obsolete.” http://new.marketwire.com/2.0/release.do?id=901580 England schools dismantle wireless networks: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article642575.ece England: Teachers union call to suspend WiFi in schools: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1039235/Suspend-wi-fi-schools-says-union-chief-followingreports-causes-ill-health.html Bavarian state parliament advises schools against WiFi: (in German): http://www.buergerwelle-schweiz.org/fileadmin/user_upload/buergerwelle-schweiz/Mobilfunk/MF_03.07_Kein_WLAN_in_bayer._Schulen.pdf Glastonbury residents “Why WiFi” Campaign: http://www.glastonburynaturalhealth.co.uk/WhyWi-Fi.html Ireland: Jan 2008 The City of Dublin Ireland did not install WiFi due to a EU law: http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0109/wifi.html WiFi code for Welch Schools: http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/child-safetyfears-prompt-wifi-code-for-welsh-schools-403255.html Frankfurt, Germany: Bans WiFi in public schools (in German): http://www.buergerwelle-schweiz.org/fileadmin/user_upload/buergerwelle-schweiz/Mobilfunk/Frankf_Rund_keinWLAN.pdf Hospital Techies urge limits on “white space” WiFi: http://news.cnet.com/8301–10784_3–9930441–7.html
Spain: Ecologists in Action statement on WiFi: http://www.ecologistasenaccion.org/spip.php?article11598 http://www.es-uk.info/news/20080319_belmonte_en.pdf GreenWarriors of Norway oppose WiFi in schools: http://www.miljovernforbundet.no/render.asp?rticleno=1471&segment=1&session= Dr. Magda Havas open letter to schools and teachers on WiFi health risks: http://www.magdahavas.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/09_Havas_WiFi_schools.pdf Austrian health director Dr. Gerd Oberfeld advising against WiFi: http://www.antennafreeunion.org/salzburg.pdf
Sweden Prof. Olle Johansson scientist WiFi letter: http://www.powerwatch.org.uk/pdfs/20070723_wifi_olle.pdf
Dr. George Carlo WiFi video: http://www.mcs-international.org/red_alert_1_wifi_schoolchildren.html
Green party MEP/concern with WiFi in schools: http://www.carolinelucasmep.org.uk/2007/10/12/green-meps-demand-investigation-into-wifi-inschools-after-study-links-electro-magnetic-fields-and-cancers/ (USA) Dr. Mercola wireless warning: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/06/21/are-you-allergic-to-wirelessinternet.aspx?source=nl (Canada) Dr. Magda Havas Report opposing WiFi in San Francisco: http://www.magdahavas.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/07_Havas_WiFi-SNAFU.pdf
The Gathering Brainstorm: http://www.theecologist.org/pages/archive_detail.asp?content_id=1179
Dr. Jeff Fawcett: WiFi Blues: http://ezinearticles.com/?The-WiFi-Blues&id=169261
WiFi in Schools UK: http://wifiinschools.org.uk/index.html Santa Fe Librarians letter supporting WiFi free Public libraries: http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Opinion/Their-View-Librarians--Keep-public-library-Wi-Fi-free
“Wireless Networks (WiFi) Consumer Health and Safety Advice” EMFacts handout: http://www.emfacts.com/wifi/ Porto Alegre Resolution 2009: http://www.icems.eu/docs/resolutions/Porto_Alegre_Resolution.pdf Venice Italy Resolution 2008: http://www.icems.eu/resolution.htm London Resolution 2007: http://www.icems.eu/docs/resolutions/London_res.pdf Benevento Italy Resolution 2006: http://www.icems.eu/benevento_resolution.htm Catania Italy 2002: http://www.emrpolicy.org/faq/catania.pdf Salzburg Austria Resolution 2000: http://www.salzburg.gv.at/salzburg_resolution_e.pdf Vienna resolution 1998: http://www.icems.eu/docs/resolutions/Vienna_Resolution_1998.pdf Other Concerns Bioinitiative Report: http://www.bioinitiative.org/
Bioinitiative Report video with co-author Cindy Sage: http://www.youtube.com/v/7tZDor-_co0
Brussels determines new EMR safety standard of 3 volts per meter: http://www.next-up.org/Newsoftheworld/Belgique.php#2
2009: The European Parliament passed the EMF Resolution calling for caution on the use and expansion of electromagnetic fields, particularly radio frequency exposure from wireless technologies. The resolution was endorsed by an overwhelming margin of 559 members in favor, 22 opposed, and 8 abstaining. The EP calls on member states to follow the example of Sweden to recognize ES as a disability and grant adequate protection as well as equal opportunities. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+TA+P6-TA-2009–0216+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN
French Health and Security Agency (Afsset) recommend reducing exposure to mobile phones and other portable wireless devices. OCT 2009 http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.9264422c2946d8bf1cb62cde139e996e.c21&show_article=1
(USA) NIEHS and NIOSH classifies EMF’s as a hazardous substance. NIEHS advocates prudent avoidance of EMF’s. http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/resources/library/consumer/hazardous.cfm
Prudent avoidance has been adopted in Australia, Sweden, and several U.S. states, including California, Colorado, Hawaii, New York, Ohio, Texas, and Wisconsin: http://www.who.int/peh-emf/meetings/southkorea/en/Leeka_Kheifets_principle_.pdf
Collarborative on Health and the Environment CHE EMF statement: http://www.healthandenvironment.org/wg_emf_news/772
California EMF program 7 million dollar gov’t mandated study. up to 95% certainty leukemia caused by EMF’s. Up to 80% certainty brain cancer related to EMF’s. Advocate prudent avoidance of EMF’s. http://www.dhs.ca.gov/ehib/emf/ 2009 Counties of LA (CA), Pima (AZ) City of Portland Oregon, Cities of Sebastopol, Albany and Glendale CA pass resolutions requesting the federal government repeal section 704 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.and/or requesting the FCC to update RF studies: http://www.cloutnow.org/localres/
Chinese breakthrough study how EMFs promote childhood leukemia: http://www.microwavenews.com/XRCC1.html
European Union adopts ALDE report advising the precautionary principle for EMF’s: http://www.alde.eu/index.php?id=42&L=2&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=9559&cHash=2fec11e0cc
USA, NJ. Sussex County school to close due to unsafe power lines near playground: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/09/sussex_county_school_to_close.html (NZ) Dr. Neil Cherry: http://www.neilcherry.com/
(USA) Dr. Louis Slesin: http://www.microwavenews.com/
(Canada) Dr. Magda Havas: http://www.magdahavas.com/ http://www.magdahavas.org/
Electrical Sensitivity Germany 2002: Freiberger Appeal signed by 30,000 doctors: http://www.starweave.com/freiburger/
2005 Ireland IDEA Irish doctors concern over EMR health effects: http://www.ideaireland.org/emririshresearch.htm Switzerland: Dr. Rau Paracelsus Health Clinic : treats 10,000 people annually. They assess health in light of EMF exposure. Although health issues are multi factorial, his assessment is EMFs are a hidden factor in many illnesses: http://www.paracelsus.ch/welcome
US Access Board: Report on Indoor Environmental Quality Released: http://access-board.gov/news/ieq.htm Dr. Christine Aschermann: Observations from a Psychotherapy Practice on Mobile Telecommunications and DECT Telephones: http://emfsafetynetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Aschermann2009.pdf
France Eco village white zone for EHS recovery: http://www.zoneblanche.fr/index-eng.html
2008: Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_sensitivity
February 2013