Man-made electromagnetic fields: are we at risk?

Public health - 31-03-2009 - 12:25Power lines carrying high voltage electricity from power stations generate lowfrequency electromagnetic fields which are causing concern.We revel in the ways in which mobile phones and wireless internet make our liveseasier. However, is there a darker side to this, are waves from human-madeelectromagnetic fields damaging our health? Belgian Liberal Member FrédériqueRies is sufficiently concerned that she is urging fellow MEPs to back precautionarymeasures before the full weight of scientific knowledge weighs in. On Wednesdayevening the full European Parliament will consider her report on the matter.It is now two years since the number of mobile phones in Europe exceeded thenumber of people. As you will have noticed phone network coverage is almosteverywhere - something that we have now come to expect. Add to this Wi-Finetworks, phone masts, power lines, GPS receivers and we are talking about agrowing amount of electromagnetic waves.

Electromagnetic fields

•

Electrically charged objects create the electromagnetic field

•

The strength of the EM field is measured in watts per (square) metre (W/m)

•

EU recommends the limits of 41.25 volts/metre for GSM technology

•

Reduce radiation by using hands-free, keeping calls short, switching off phones when not in useThe health risks are as yet unknown. What is known is that human beings are nowalmost constantly exposed to what Ms Ries calls "a cocktail of electromagneticfields".The World Health Organisation has already said that given the novelty of mobiletelephony it will not know the public health consequences until 2015. Put grimly,this is when people could start dying of cancer. The Ries report calls for action now based on the precautionary principle used inother forms of public policy. It calls for the following steps:

SUBMIT