The exposure limits for the population with regard to mobile phone base stations were set in this country by the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) in 1993, a government and industry sponsored quango. These ‘safety' levels are now reduced in line with the International Committee on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) levels.

Neither of these organisations recognises the non-thermal (i.e. non heating) effects of microwave radiation.

ICNIRP qualifies this because:

i) Literature in this area is complicated

ii) Reported effects are poorly established

iii) Relevance of effects on humans is uncertain (G.J.Hyland)

The term ‘safety' levels must therefore be viewed somewhat sceptically. Above these levels the government organisations agree on the dangers. Below these limits they cannot be sure - it is yet unknown.

Despite this persistence to ignore non-thermal effects many research papers conclude to their damaging effects.

Click on any of the topics below to view the associated research:

Government Research

Effects of GSM on sleep

Verum Foundation- a non-profit organisation for research into effects of the environment on human health- UMTS is 10 times more damaging to genes than GSM radiation

Study from Dept Of Psychology at Essex University and comments from Dr George Carlo

Neurobehavioural effects among inhabitants around mobile phone base stations

Problems in subjects living near base stations- latest Vienna research

Swedish research on mobile phone frequencies

Independent Health Summary by GRAM

Electromagnetic Radiation and Epilepsy (article supplied by TETRAwatch)

The story of an eminent scientist in this field, Prof Henry Lai's Story

Study on the Feasibility of Epidemiological Studies on Health Effects of Mobile Telephone Base Stations

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WHY TO APPLY THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE AGAINST MOBILE PHONE BASE STATIONS.

R. Santini, National Institute of Applied Sciences (INSA) - Bâtiment Louis Pasteur - 69621 Villeurbanne (France).

Several arguments can be advanced for applying immediately the precautionary principle to counter the biological effects of cellular phone base stations.

1. Microwave bio effects are known and referenced for more than 40 years: Chronic exposure to microwaves is responsible for the appearance of the microwave syndrome, also called radio frequency sickness, which has been described since the 1960's by researches of Eastern countries. It is characterized by - a debility syndrome (fatigue, irritability, headaches, ...) - a cardiovascular dysfunction syndrome (bradycardia, tachycardia, ...) - a brain dysfunction syndrome (insomnia, concentration difficulties, ...).

2. Exposure to a mobile cellular telephone generates biological effects: Studies give evidence to a relation ship between exposure (number and duration of phone calls) and the increase in complaints such as headaches, fatigue, feeling of warmth on the ear, feeling of discomfort, ... [1, 2], disturbances to the permeability of the blood-brain barrier [3].

3. Biological effects are reported by people living in the vicinity of mobile phone base stations: Two studies at least [4, 5] have shown that people living in the vicinity of cellular phone base stations are suffering of microwave syndrome pathologies in relation with their age, their sex and the level of their exposure to microwave power density.

4. Some countries have adopted low exposure limits for their population: In place of 450 and 900 microWatts/cm2 (41 and 58 Volts/m) allowed in USA and in Europe for the level of people exposition to 900 and 1800 megahertz, Italy adopt 10 microWatts/cm2 (6.1 Volts/m), Luxembourg 3 Volts/m and in Austria the Salzburg resolution recommends 0.6 Volts/m.

5. Sensitivity to microwaves is not the same for all: In 1995 the National Institute of Research and Safety (INRS) concluded after a French Air Force epidemiological study: "These exists indisputably an individual sensitivity to the effects of radio frequencies. Undergoing the same exposure, certain individuals can present with clinical disturbances and others not." [6]. It is equally apparent that children are more vulnerable that adults, due to their developing nervous system and a more intense absorption of electromagnetic energy by their tissues. According to the International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA) this individual sensitivity to radio frequencies would have a genetic basis.

6. Extremely low frequencies (ELF) are present in the mobile telephone signal: It is well known that ELF, like microwaves, have also biological effects at very low values (0.2 to 0.4 microTesla for the ELF magnetic field), values which are found in the mobile telephone signal.

Conclusion: With regard to the preceding, it is advisable from now on to apply the precautionary principle to counter the biological effects of mobile phone base stations. In accordance with the precautionary principle, base stations will not be sited at less than 300 meters from populated places. Antennas will be carefully orientated so that the principal high frequency radiation lobe is not directed toward places (schools, hospitals, senior citizen centres, ...) with vulnerable people. This prudent avoidance measure must be applied equally to residential areas reached by microwave beams since certain of occupants can be "electro sensitive". Regular measurement of high frequency power densities must be made at different times of day and various times of the year. In base station environments, people living in the vicinity should not be exposed to a microwave power density above 0.1 microWatts/cm2 (0.6 Volts/m).

References: [1] Sandström M, Wilen J, Oftedal G, Mild KH. (2001) Occup Med 51: 25-35. [2] Santini R, Seigne M, Bonhomme-Faivre L et coll. (2002) Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine 21: 81-88. [3] Salford LG, Brun A, Eberhardt JL, Persson BR. (1993) Bioelectrochem Bioenergetics 30: 293-301. [4] Santini R, Santini P, Le Ruz P, Danze JM, Seigne M. (2003) Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine 22: 41-49. [5] Navarro EA, Segura J, Portolés M, Gomez-Perretta C. (2003) Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine 22: 161-169. [6] INRS Editions. ED 785. (1995) 134 pages.

Article Taken from - Communication at the Bioelectromagnetics Society 26th Meeting....Washington, D.C. USA - June 2004 - Poster P-A 145 Abstract Book : Pages 293-294.

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Non-thermal DNA breakage by mobile-phone radiation (1800 MHz) in human fibroblasts and in transformed GFSH-R17 rat granulosa cells in vitro.

Diem E, Schwarz C, Adlkofer F, Jahn O, Rudiger H.

Division of Occupational Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, Vienna 1090, Austria.

Cultured human diploid fibroblasts and cultured rat granulosa cells were exposed to intermittent and continuous radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) used in mobile phones, with different specific absorption rates (SAR) and different mobile-phone modulations. DNA strand breaks were determined by means of the alkaline and neutral comet assay. RF-EMF exposure (1800 MHz; SAR 1.2 or 2 W/kg; different modulations; during 4, 16 and 24h; intermittent 5 min on/10 min off or continuous wave) induced DNA single- and double-strand breaks. Effects occurred after 16 h exposure in both cell types and after different mobile-phone modulations. The intermittent exposure showed a stronger effect in the comet assay than continuous exposure. Therefore we conclude that the induced DNA damage cannot be based on thermal effects.

PMID: 15869902 [PubMed - in process]

(extracted from NCBI website)