Dear Editor,
The World Health Organization has just issued their first
specific evaluation of the health hazards from cell phone
towers.
Dear Editor,
The World Health Organization has just issued their first specific evaluation of the health hazards from cell phone towers.
Their conclusions are contained in Fact Sheet No. 304 issued in May, 2006 and titled “Electromagnetic fields and public health – Base stations and wireless technologies”.
“Base station” is WHO’s generic designation for the low power, radio transmitter/receivers that connect wireless phones to the hard-wired telephone network and includes those mounted on cell phone towers as well as other installations such as on buildings, church steeples, etc.
Their conclusion is based on a comprehensive review of human epidemiological studies, animal experiments and other phenomenological investigations conducted over the last 15 years.
The bottom line: “Considering the very low exposure levels and research results collected to date, there is no credible scientific evidence that the weak RF signals from base stations and wireless networks cause any adverse health effects.”
Fact Sheet No. 304 also includes a very compelling and comprehensible comparison between cell phone signals and those from FM and TV transmissions. Cell phone field strengths are comparable to, but generally lower than, those from FM and TV sources.
However, FM and TV signals are much more highly absorbed in the body (up to five times higher) which would magnify any adverse health effect if existent. FM radio and television have been in operation for more 50 years without any adverse health consequences being detected.
Underlying the conclusion regarding cell phone towers and providing additional confidence is the fact that no adverse health effects have been detected from the use of the cell phone itself. The local signal strength from the cell phone is far more intense than that from cell phone towers (about 1,000 times stronger).
Despite all the hysterics, the only credible, scientifically supported health hazard from the entire cell phone infrastructure is increased accident rates from cell phone use while driving.
Mark Lyons, Gilroy
