A.K.TIWARI
PROFESSOR MEDICAL PHYSICS & RADIATION SAFETY OFFICER, DEPARTMENT OF RADIOTHERAPY, L.L.R.M.MEDICAL COLLEGE, MEERUT---250004
SUMMARY---Various studies have revealed that frequent exposure to these RF (Radiofrequency) radiations can lead to health related problems ranging from chronic fatigue to DNA damage. Research done by Mount Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center, California, revealed that even at low levels of RF radiation, there is evident damage to cell tissue and DNA. These radiations also reduce the competence of the immune system. Leukemia is one of the major illnesses among people living in the vicinity of cell phone towers. A study by Dr Bruce Hocking from Australia revealed that children living near cell phone towers had double the risk of childhood leukemia than those who lived at least 7 miles away from the towers. Problems like eye cancer, miscarriage, cardiac arrests and brain tumors are also common health risks of living near cell phone towers. It also leads to other relatively less serious health issues, like; sleep disturbance, chronic fatigue, irritability, anxiety and depression. Some researchers argue that these harmful radiations can also lead to memory loss and infertility.
A pregnant woman and the fetus both are vulnerable because of the fact that these RF Radiations continuously react with the developing embryo, increasing cells, because of thermal heat also. When the pregnant ladies either use Mobile Phone or when illuminated with RF Radiations, the developing child can become affected, the developmental mall formation may occur.
Children are at the greatest risk, due to their thinner skulls, and rapid rate of growth. Also at greater risk are the elderly, the frail and pregnant women. Doctors from the United Kingdom have issued warnings urging children under 16 not to use cell phones, to reduce their exposure to radio frequency (RF) radiation. The RF Exposure adversely affects implanted Pace Maker and becomes arhythemical. These radiations may stop Pace Maker from delivering pulses in a regular way or may generate some kind of external controlling pulse putting the patient to death.
Dangers of cell phone tower radiations are not just restricted to humans but their harmful effects, such as abnormal growth, have also been seen in animals and plants. According to Dr. W. Löscher of the Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy of the Veterinary School of Hannover in Germany, dairy cows that were kept in close proximity to a TV and cell phone tower for two years had a reduction in milk production along with increased health problems and behavioral abnormalities. In an experiment, one cow with abnormal behavior was taken away from the antenna and the behavior subsided within five days.
When the cow was brought back near the antenna, the symptoms returned.
The electromagnetic waves emitted by mobile phone towers and cell phones can pose a threat to honey bees, a study published in India have concluded. An experiment conducted in the southern state of Kerala found that a sudden fall in the bee population was caused by towers installed across the state by cell phone companies to increase their network. The electromagnetic waves emitted by the towers crippled the "navigational skills" of the worker bees that go out to collect nectar from flowers to sustain bee colonies, said Dr. Sainuddin Pattazhy, who conducted the study, the Press Trust of India news agency reported. He found that when a cell phone was kept near a beehive, the worker bees were unable to return, leaving the hives with only the queens and eggs and resulting in the collapse of the colony within ten days.
According to a study done by Raman K R scientist who has done research on the subject, "There are two effects in such cases-thermal and non-thermal. A person will fall prey to a thermal effect due to radiation only if he is close to the tower." Being exposed to the thermal effect could cause fatigue, cataracts and reduced mental concentration. This largely occurs to the amount of heat that is generated due to radiation.
Then there is the non-thermal effect, which affects people who are at a distance from the tower. The illeffects of a non-thermal effect are cell membrane permeability. This, according to experts, is also caused due to the heat generated through radiation.
The present study of mine is done on the basis of a two years’ survey done on the study group of 400 persons (including teenagers, pregnant ladies and senior citizens) from Meerut, Moradabad, Dehradun, Gazhiabad and Delhi. For this the population density residing in the radius of about 400-500 meters from the cell phone towers was chosen. All of these people were given a ready made questionnaire, seeking the details of the cell phone towers, whether the consent was taken from them and they were ever informed about the possible hazards of non ionizing radiations of radio frequency before the installation of cell phone towers, their over all health status or changes observed if any in recent times after the masts have come up in their vicinity.
After collecting, following up and analyzing the feedbacks gathered from the study group the following conclusions were inferred and discussed in the paper. (1).75% of the cell phone companies are installing their towers well above the specified radiation power levels recommended by ICNIRP. The specified radiation power level is 600 micro watts per sq. meter but companies are installing towers up to about twelve times above this limit. (2).Majority of the masts is not following the civil construction norms for earth quack proof installations. (3).79% people complained of loss of sound sleep, 10% developed insomnia, 54% had reported of suffering from headache, fatigue and general weakness, 71% were found of having unusual mood swing, mental disturbance and anxiety including students had noticed in the reduction of their mental concentration, 54% complained that they became more prone to seasonal diseases, developed respiratory problems and blurred vision, 13% mentioned of joint pain and 5% were found suffering from skin allergy and itching. It was also noticed in this study that most of the complaints noticed by the persons were found reduced remarkably or illuminated permanently when they moved away from the area of cell phone towers for more than two weeks or so and when they came back near the antenna, the symptoms again returned.
KEY WORDS----Mobile phone towers, Electromagnetic Radiation, Radiofrequency, Health Hazards of Non Ionizing Radiation, and International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection.
REFERENCES—
1. Microwave and Radio Frequency Radiation Exposure, San Francisco Medicine, Vol. 74, No 3, March 2001
2. Mobiles Risk to children, Daily Mail (U.K.), May 11, 2000
3. Radiofrequency Radiation Health Studies, Wireless Antenna Site Consumer Information Package, Sage Associates, Montecito, CA, 2000, www. sageassocciates.net
4. Tower concerns should be health, not aesthetics, Burlington Free Press, January 12, 2001
5. Selected and Extensive Bibliographies on Electromagnetic Fields and Health, Bridlewood Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs) Information Service, compiled by: Richard W. Woodley, revised 1999,
www.wave-guide.org/archives/bridlewood/biblio.html
6. Reported Biological Effects from Radiofrequency Non-Ionizing Radiation, www.waveguide.org/library/studies.html
7. Some Reported Biological Effects from Radiofrequency Radiation, Sage Associates, 2000 at
www.sageassociates.net/rfchartreportbio-sample.pdf, and Reference List for Some Reported Biological Effects from Radiofrequency Radiation (RFR), Sage Associates, August 2000, at www.sageassociates.net/Bibliography-sample.pdf
8. A Cellular Phone Tower on Ossining High School? includes extensive reference to scientific papers and government documents citing adverse health effects from cell tower radiation, www.cyburban.com/~lplachta/safeweb2.htm
9. Cell Phones: Invisible Hazards in the Wireless Age: An Insider's Alarming Discoveries About Cancer and Genetic Damage, Dr. George Carlo and Martin Schram, Carroll & Graf, ©2001
10. International Conference on Cell Tower Siting, by Monica Kauppi, No Place to Hide, September 2000, Resolution presented June 2000 and signed by 19 of 23 speakers, including Dr. Carl Blackman of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
11. Ibid, endnote 5.
12. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Evaluation of the Potential Carcinogenicity of Electromagnetic Fields, External Review Draft, No. EPA/600/6-90/005B, October 1990.
13. Becker, Robert O., & Gary Seldon, The Body Electric: Electromagnetism and the Foundation of Life,
William Morrow and Company, Inc., New York, NY, 1985
14. Becker, Robert O., Cross Currents: The Perils of Electropollution, The Promise of Electromedicine, Jeremy P. Tarcher Inc., Los Angeles, CA, 336 pp., 1990.
15. The Physiological and Environmental Effects of Non-ionising Electromagnetic Radiation, Dr. Gerard Hyland, presented to European Parliament's Industry, Trade, Research and Energy Committee, July 11, 2001.
16. FCC takes look at 'antenna farm', Denver Post, October 30, 1998
17. Town May Order Company to Remove Cellular Tower, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, March 20, 2000
18. Cellular Tower Zoning, Siting, Leasing and Franchising: Federal Developments and Municipal Interests, by Varnum, Riddering, Schmidt, Howlett Attorneys at Law, presented to International Municipal Lawyers Association, September 2001,
19. Plan Wireless Newsletter, Kreines & Kreines, Inc., at www.planwireless.com/index.htm
20. U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, SPRINT SPECTRUM v WILLOTH , (Corrected Opinion, August Term 1998) , Docket No. 98-7442
21. Government of India – Department of Telecommunications: Network status June 2008. Available at: http://www.dot.gov.in/network/2008/Network%20Status_June_08.pdf [Last accessed October 16, 2008]
22. Draft guidelines for complying with limits for human exposure to electromagnetic fields (base station antennas and mobile Telephones/radio terminals). Telecommunications Engineering Centre, India. Available at: http://www.tec.gov.in/guidelines/Draft_
EMF_Health_Guidelines_Feb_2007.pdf [Last accessed October 16, 2008]
23. United States Federal Communications Commission (US FCC) safety guidelines. Available at: http://www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety/rf-faqs.html [Last accessed October 16, 2008]
24. International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines for electromagnetic fields. Available at: http://www.icnirp.de/PubEMF.htm [Last accessed October 16, 2008]
25. Hardell L, Carlberg M, Söderqvist F, Hansson Mild K. Meta-analysis of long-term mobile phone use and the association with brain tumours.Int J Oncol 2008;32(5):1097-103.
26. Röösli M. Radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure and nonspecific symptoms of ill health: a systematic review. Environ Res 2008; 107(2):277-87
27. Tandogan I, Temizhan A, Yetkin E, Guray Y, Ileri M, Duru E, et al.The effects of mobile phones on pacemaker function. Int J Cardiol 2005;103(1):51-8.
28. Djeridane Y, Touitou Y, de Seze R. Influence of electromagnetic fields emitted by GSM-900 cellular telephones on the circadian patterns of gonadal, adrenal and pituitary hormones in men. Radiat Res 2008; 169(3):337-43.
29. Yan JG, Agresti M, Bruce T, Yan YH, Granlund A, Matloub HS. Effects of cellular phone emissions on sperm motility in rats. Fertil Steril 2007;88(4):957-64.
30. Hutter HP, Moshammer H, Wallner P, Kundi M. Subjective symptoms,sleeping problems, and cognitive performance in subjects living near mobile phone base stations. Occup Environ Med 2006; 63(5):307-13.
31. Lajunen HR, Keski-Rahkonen A, Pulkkinen L, Rose RJ, Rissanen A, Kaprio J. Are computer and cell phone use associated with body mass index and overweight? A population study among twin adolescents.BMC Public Health 2007; 7(147):24.
32. Beck KH, Yan F, Wang MQ. Cell phone users, reported crash risk, unsafe driving behaviors and dispositions: a survey of motorists in Maryland.J Safety Res 2007; 38(6):683-8.
33. Hietanen M, Sibakov V. Electromagnetic interference from GSM and TETRA phones with lifesupport medical devices. Ann Ist Super Sanita 2007;43(3):204-7.
A pregnant woman and the fetus both are vulnerable because of the fact that these RF Radiations continuously react with the developing embryo, increasing cells, because of thermal heat also. When the pregnant ladies either use Mobile Phone or when illuminated with RF Radiations, the developing child can become affected, the developmental mall formation may occur.
Children are at the greatest risk, due to their thinner skulls, and rapid rate of growth. Also at greater risk are the elderly, the frail and pregnant women. Doctors from the United Kingdom have issued warnings urging children under 16 not to use cell phones, to reduce their exposure to radio frequency (RF) radiation. The RF Exposure adversely affects implanted Pace Maker and becomes arhythemical. These radiations may stop Pace Maker from delivering pulses in a regular way or may generate some kind of external controlling pulse putting the patient to death.
Dangers of cell phone tower radiations are not just restricted to humans but their harmful effects, such as abnormal growth, have also been seen in animals and plants. According to Dr. W. Löscher of the Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy of the Veterinary School of Hannover in Germany, dairy cows that were kept in close proximity to a TV and cell phone tower for two years had a reduction in milk production along with increased health problems and behavioral abnormalities. In an experiment, one cow with abnormal behavior was taken away from the antenna and the behavior subsided within five days.
When the cow was brought back near the antenna, the symptoms returned.
The electromagnetic waves emitted by mobile phone towers and cell phones can pose a threat to honey bees, a study published in India have concluded. An experiment conducted in the southern state of Kerala found that a sudden fall in the bee population was caused by towers installed across the state by cell phone companies to increase their network. The electromagnetic waves emitted by the towers crippled the "navigational skills" of the worker bees that go out to collect nectar from flowers to sustain bee colonies, said Dr. Sainuddin Pattazhy, who conducted the study, the Press Trust of India news agency reported. He found that when a cell phone was kept near a beehive, the worker bees were unable to return, leaving the hives with only the queens and eggs and resulting in the collapse of the colony within ten days.
According to a study done by Raman K R scientist who has done research on the subject, "There are two effects in such cases-thermal and non-thermal. A person will fall prey to a thermal effect due to radiation only if he is close to the tower." Being exposed to the thermal effect could cause fatigue, cataracts and reduced mental concentration. This largely occurs to the amount of heat that is generated due to radiation.
Then there is the non-thermal effect, which affects people who are at a distance from the tower. The illeffects of a non-thermal effect are cell membrane permeability. This, according to experts, is also caused due to the heat generated through radiation.
The present study of mine is done on the basis of a two years’ survey done on the study group of 400 persons (including teenagers, pregnant ladies and senior citizens) from Meerut, Moradabad, Dehradun, Gazhiabad and Delhi. For this the population density residing in the radius of about 400-500 meters from the cell phone towers was chosen. All of these people were given a ready made questionnaire, seeking the details of the cell phone towers, whether the consent was taken from them and they were ever informed about the possible hazards of non ionizing radiations of radio frequency before the installation of cell phone towers, their over all health status or changes observed if any in recent times after the masts have come up in their vicinity.
After collecting, following up and analyzing the feedbacks gathered from the study group the following conclusions were inferred and discussed in the paper. (1).75% of the cell phone companies are installing their towers well above the specified radiation power levels recommended by ICNIRP. The specified radiation power level is 600 micro watts per sq. meter but companies are installing towers up to about twelve times above this limit. (2).Majority of the masts is not following the civil construction norms for earth quack proof installations. (3).79% people complained of loss of sound sleep, 10% developed insomnia, 54% had reported of suffering from headache, fatigue and general weakness, 71% were found of having unusual mood swing, mental disturbance and anxiety including students had noticed in the reduction of their mental concentration, 54% complained that they became more prone to seasonal diseases, developed respiratory problems and blurred vision, 13% mentioned of joint pain and 5% were found suffering from skin allergy and itching. It was also noticed in this study that most of the complaints noticed by the persons were found reduced remarkably or illuminated permanently when they moved away from the area of cell phone towers for more than two weeks or so and when they came back near the antenna, the symptoms again returned.
KEY WORDS----Mobile phone towers, Electromagnetic Radiation, Radiofrequency, Health Hazards of Non Ionizing Radiation, and International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection.
REFERENCES—
1. Microwave and Radio Frequency Radiation Exposure, San Francisco Medicine, Vol. 74, No 3, March 2001
2. Mobiles Risk to children, Daily Mail (U.K.), May 11, 2000
3. Radiofrequency Radiation Health Studies, Wireless Antenna Site Consumer Information Package, Sage Associates, Montecito, CA, 2000, www. sageassocciates.net
4. Tower concerns should be health, not aesthetics, Burlington Free Press, January 12, 2001
5. Selected and Extensive Bibliographies on Electromagnetic Fields and Health, Bridlewood Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs) Information Service, compiled by: Richard W. Woodley, revised 1999,
www.wave-guide.org/archives/bridlewood/biblio.html
6. Reported Biological Effects from Radiofrequency Non-Ionizing Radiation, www.waveguide.org/library/studies.html
7. Some Reported Biological Effects from Radiofrequency Radiation, Sage Associates, 2000 at
www.sageassociates.net/rfchartreportbio-sample.pdf, and Reference List for Some Reported Biological Effects from Radiofrequency Radiation (RFR), Sage Associates, August 2000, at www.sageassociates.net/Bibliography-sample.pdf
8. A Cellular Phone Tower on Ossining High School? includes extensive reference to scientific papers and government documents citing adverse health effects from cell tower radiation, www.cyburban.com/~lplachta/safeweb2.htm
9. Cell Phones: Invisible Hazards in the Wireless Age: An Insider's Alarming Discoveries About Cancer and Genetic Damage, Dr. George Carlo and Martin Schram, Carroll & Graf, ©2001
10. International Conference on Cell Tower Siting, by Monica Kauppi, No Place to Hide, September 2000, Resolution presented June 2000 and signed by 19 of 23 speakers, including Dr. Carl Blackman of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
11. Ibid, endnote 5.
12. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Evaluation of the Potential Carcinogenicity of Electromagnetic Fields, External Review Draft, No. EPA/600/6-90/005B, October 1990.
13. Becker, Robert O., & Gary Seldon, The Body Electric: Electromagnetism and the Foundation of Life,
William Morrow and Company, Inc., New York, NY, 1985
14. Becker, Robert O., Cross Currents: The Perils of Electropollution, The Promise of Electromedicine, Jeremy P. Tarcher Inc., Los Angeles, CA, 336 pp., 1990.
15. The Physiological and Environmental Effects of Non-ionising Electromagnetic Radiation, Dr. Gerard Hyland, presented to European Parliament's Industry, Trade, Research and Energy Committee, July 11, 2001.
16. FCC takes look at 'antenna farm', Denver Post, October 30, 1998
17. Town May Order Company to Remove Cellular Tower, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, March 20, 2000
18. Cellular Tower Zoning, Siting, Leasing and Franchising: Federal Developments and Municipal Interests, by Varnum, Riddering, Schmidt, Howlett Attorneys at Law, presented to International Municipal Lawyers Association, September 2001,
19. Plan Wireless Newsletter, Kreines & Kreines, Inc., at www.planwireless.com/index.htm
20. U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, SPRINT SPECTRUM v WILLOTH , (Corrected Opinion, August Term 1998) , Docket No. 98-7442
21. Government of India – Department of Telecommunications: Network status June 2008. Available at: http://www.dot.gov.in/network/2008/Network%20Status_June_08.pdf [Last accessed October 16, 2008]
22. Draft guidelines for complying with limits for human exposure to electromagnetic fields (base station antennas and mobile Telephones/radio terminals). Telecommunications Engineering Centre, India. Available at: http://www.tec.gov.in/guidelines/Draft_
EMF_Health_Guidelines_Feb_2007.pdf [Last accessed October 16, 2008]
23. United States Federal Communications Commission (US FCC) safety guidelines. Available at: http://www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety/rf-faqs.html [Last accessed October 16, 2008]
24. International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines for electromagnetic fields. Available at: http://www.icnirp.de/PubEMF.htm [Last accessed October 16, 2008]
25. Hardell L, Carlberg M, Söderqvist F, Hansson Mild K. Meta-analysis of long-term mobile phone use and the association with brain tumours.Int J Oncol 2008;32(5):1097-103.
26. Röösli M. Radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure and nonspecific symptoms of ill health: a systematic review. Environ Res 2008; 107(2):277-87
27. Tandogan I, Temizhan A, Yetkin E, Guray Y, Ileri M, Duru E, et al.The effects of mobile phones on pacemaker function. Int J Cardiol 2005;103(1):51-8.
28. Djeridane Y, Touitou Y, de Seze R. Influence of electromagnetic fields emitted by GSM-900 cellular telephones on the circadian patterns of gonadal, adrenal and pituitary hormones in men. Radiat Res 2008; 169(3):337-43.
29. Yan JG, Agresti M, Bruce T, Yan YH, Granlund A, Matloub HS. Effects of cellular phone emissions on sperm motility in rats. Fertil Steril 2007;88(4):957-64.
30. Hutter HP, Moshammer H, Wallner P, Kundi M. Subjective symptoms,sleeping problems, and cognitive performance in subjects living near mobile phone base stations. Occup Environ Med 2006; 63(5):307-13.
31. Lajunen HR, Keski-Rahkonen A, Pulkkinen L, Rose RJ, Rissanen A, Kaprio J. Are computer and cell phone use associated with body mass index and overweight? A population study among twin adolescents.BMC Public Health 2007; 7(147):24.
32. Beck KH, Yan F, Wang MQ. Cell phone users, reported crash risk, unsafe driving behaviors and dispositions: a survey of motorists in Maryland.J Safety Res 2007; 38(6):683-8.
33. Hietanen M, Sibakov V. Electromagnetic interference from GSM and TETRA phones with lifesupport medical devices. Ann Ist Super Sanita 2007;43(3):204-7.
In our building two different Mobil Companies towers has been instralled 5years ago. Since then my Mygrain pain has started frequently, to the extent twice in one month. My wife also is facing various problem relating to bone. I want to file a PIL at Kolkata High Court against Mobil Towers and am looking for like minded people to start protest on the issue.
ReplyDeleteSohan Jaiswal, Kolkata
welcome... I am fighting my own crusade against liiegal towers since 2008..I have written n nos of mail to various authorities. no result... we need press along with us... contact me over mail... and let us do something positive together.. my mail id is tapasdas.alm@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteThank you for the info. It sounds pretty user friendly. I guess I’ll pick one up for fun. thank u
ReplyDeleteCell Phones Australia