NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2005
WELCOME - Electrohypersensitivity (EHS) and The Long Silence from The Government
Welcome to the December Newsletter of the EM Radiation Research Trust. We hope you like the new logo designed by Paul O’Connor and Mark Harland. It highlights the worldwide nature of the issue.
It seems a long time since July 20th when Westminster last gave serious time to the issue of Electromagnetic Radiation and the problems of Electrohypersensitivity (EHS). It is even longer since Trustee Dr Ian Gibson MP and Alan Meyer met with Minister for Housing Yvette Cooper MP on 27th June and our ‘Seven Pillars’ were presented to her. The long silence has been deafening from the ODPM - no response and no updated guidance to Local Authorities on planning do’s and don’ts where the public, including EHS sufferers, school governors, hospital patients and staff are concerned about EM Radiation…where does the Government stand in its implementation of the Precautionary Principle as advocated in Sir William Stewart’s report published in January 2005?
Now it may be that they were waiting for the following:-
Publication of Dr Neil Irvine’s Report
“The Definition, Epidemiology and Management of Electrosensitivity”
www.hpa.org.uk/radiation/publications/hpa_rpd_reports/index.htm on 3rd November 2005. The report confirms the prevalence of electrical sensitivity has not been measured in the UK.
This report, which found that for some, the symptoms were real and could have a major impact on the lives of sufferers, even to the extent of forcing them to give up their homes and jobs and move to remote areas.
A Voluntary Move by the Industry
To take on board a less ‘in your face’ attitude to sensitive areas of particular public concern where some consensus could be reached with communities on the siting of masts/equipment. Read about Vodafone’s Cassiopeia Project and the Trust response following Westminster Meeting 12/10/05.
The Result of the Conservative Party lengthy Leadership Election
We congratulate the new leader David Cameron on his appointment. Cameron in his first speech appeared to support a less adversarial Westminster political stance where parties have a common aim and paying more attention to local constituency voices from an electorate increasingly disenchanted with centralist imposition from Whitehall.
He also seems to be giving an impetus to environmental policy issues over the next 18 months.
Congratulations to Trustee Andrew Mitchell on his continuing appointment under David Cameron to International Development.
Electrohypersensitivity is surely an issue for all parties. That is why we have cross party support in the Trust from Dr Ian Gibson MP and Andrew Mitchell MP and Mark Oaten MP as well as in the European Parliament from Dr Caroline Lucas MEP.
Trustee Eileen O’Connor’s submission On 5th December to World Health Organisation following Irvine Report.
Eileen has submitted the attached paper to Mike Repacholi, Head of The World Health Organisation. This rehearses key issues for that organisation to review.
Trustee Eileen O’Connor’s award
On 12th December as one of Birmingham’s Citizens of the Year, Eileen was awarded for her prodigious campaigning for greater clarity, changes in planning policy, and more research and attention to health issues from electromagnetic radiation, particularly on carcinogenic factors impacting on groups and communities.
Trustees Brian Stein and Eileen O’Connor’s meeting with The Secretary of State for Health
Meeting with Patricia Hewitt MP on 6th January 2006 when the case for recognition and further research on electrohypersensitivity will again be put to the Minister whose department ultimately may have to ‘pick up the tab’ for additional health costs.
Brian Stein pictured in the Daily Telegraph on 4th November put it this way; “The one thing the scientists and authorities don’t want to do is talk to people like me who are affected. If they did they might find a way to prove that the condition is real.”
At least Patricia Hewitt is talking. She might even direct the under spending Medical Research Council and Professor Colin Blakemore to approve a grant from its £52 million 2004/05 under spend! towards such a study and direct it also towards working out ways and technologies of preventing or lessening the impact of EM Radiation on sufferers. After all over 2 million people in the UK could be affected.
Sir William Stewart could even oversee the results and follow up on his January 2005 report!
The Essex University study is just not enough.
The 24th February 2006 Second Reading - The Telecommunications Masts (Planning Control) Bill
The second reading in the House of Commons of The Telecommunications Masts (Planning Control) Bill introducing various measures to acknowledge the concerns over the potential effects of telecommunications masts and equipment in relation to schools and medical facilities and to impose requirements on operators applying for planning permission when seeking to erect and install such fixtures and equipment.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmbills/026/2006026.pdf
WLAN Networks in Schools
Letter from Dr Gerd Oberfeld MD commenting ‘The official advice of the Public Health Department of the Salzburg Region is not to use WLAN and DECT in Schools or Kindergardens’ and subsequent correspondence from Prof Olle Johansson
2005 - What should happen in 2006
Spiked/O2 Debate
Phil Willis MP, Chair of the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee supported by our
Trustee Dr Ian Gibson MP, commented in the Spiked/O2 debate last month: http://www.spiked-online.com/Printable/0000000CAE1F.htm on mobile phones and health as follows: “I have a relatively intelligent electorate, concerned about the arrogant way in which a number of mobile phone companies set about installing masts with a minimum of local consultation - despite the ‘10 commitments’ of the mobile phone companies, and despite the pleas of government for greater pre-application consultation. In the absence of a strong government campaign actually to make clear what the science is, where research is being carried out and what sensible precautions people can take - particularly with young children and the use of mobile phones - then it's inevitable that some of the more exaggerated claims about health risks from mobile phones and masts will in fact take precedence.”
Ian Gibson agrees with the Stewart Committee's conclusion 'absolutely': “I think the government's going to come out with something on that eventually - in other words, that health is something in terms of planning that should be taken into consideration. There's enough indication that radiation does cause biological effects - that was the point, without being able to say there was no effect whatsoever. There was some biological effect, but there's no effect on people's health as such.”
For Ian Gibson, the confusion about mobile phones and health comes primarily from mobile operators: “It's deliberately so by the companies”, he says. “The government hasn't helped, and it's in liaison with the companies. It's part of a smokescreen that's set up.”
Both Ian Gibson and Phil Willis attended a Westminster meeting on 12th October 2005 arranged by the Trust with Vodafone’s team led by Nick Greer, Head of National Acquisition and Environment, when the Cassiopea project was discussed and a way toward suggested by the Chairman for Independent Monitoring through Brian Egerton’s New Spectrum Analyser.
Cassiopea does surely need independent scrutiny to make the whole exercise have some validity other than being perceived as self justification by Vodafone.
There has to be greater patency and openness on the part of companies to overcome public suspicions and to abate the risks to these susceptible in the community.
The Trust is not seeking to crush the mobile communications industry but merely to make it recognise its responsibilities to communities when rolling out that technology and to act accordingly. This Government should lead rather than sit on its hands and do nothing.
Irvine Report - Research into devices combating Electrohypersensitivity
www.hpa.org.uk/radiation/publications/hpa_rpd_reports/index.htm
We feel the Irvine Report should be followed up by urgent independent research into ways of ascertaining the extent of UK Electrosensitivity and way in which the condition may be combated including developing mechanisms/devices to protect those affected.
As one sufferer commented to the Trust following Irvine’s publication:
“British scientists and the general public – unlike Sweden – are woefully uninformed, ignorant of the true facts and blasé about the very real effects of low level electromagnetic radiation from a variety of sources!”
The Courts in Sweden
The Swedish Environment High Court has ruled in 2005 (2005-10-12 case no: M 7485-04) that mobile masts and aerials constitute an environmentally dangerous activity according to the Environment Charter and will be required to follow precepts of that chapter.
Environmental Court of Appeal established that an activity can be environmentally dangerous even if it is not dangerous for the environment. It is sufficient that the activity can mean a risk for harm to the environment, in order to be considered a environmentally dangerous activity in the Environment chapter’s sense. No actual effect needs to occur. It is enough if there is a risk for effect. Although the risk for harmful health effects caused by the radiation from mobile masts is small, it must be considered a risk for impact on the environment.
The Environmental Court of Appeal has thus laid down the law, that mobile masts for 3G are a environmentally dangerous activity according to the Environment chapter. It should be pointed out that the installation and use of mobile masts and aerials are not a condition duly activity, according to the chapter.
Could we see a more liberal approach from the Courts in the UK?
Dutch NGO’s 11th October 2005 - Urge Europe to install Cellphone antennas far away from Dwellings (see Latest Research)
The NGOs (Non Governmental Organisations) are represented by the 'Platform Gezondheid en Milieu', the Dutch Platform for Health and Environment (1). Though the brochure (2) is dated September 2005, but released only in October. 'Do not install masts at or near sensitive places such as nurseries, schools, hospitals and homes for the elderly. Avoid antenna forests created by providers on top of inhabited buildings' says the leaflet. 'The scope of the investigation should include children and adults who think they are susceptible to the harmful effects of electromagnetic radiation, as well as to the cumulative effects of radiation of different sources.' Though the brochure focuses on GSM and UMTS (3G) antennas, the other sources of radio frequency radiation (DECT, WIFI, WLAN, TETRA, DVB-T and many others) are implicated in the recommendation 'Map the different sources of radiation'.
Liverpool Matters
SEFTON – Buckley Hill – Joe Benton MP
Eileen O’Connor met with Sefton MP Joe Benton and local Councillors to discuss the health difficulties showing up in the Buckley Hill area near a mast and Mr Benton is setting up a meeting with all Merseyside MP’s to alert them to the dangers of indiscriminate mast sitings and to review hot spots.
Click here to read the full story.
Claire Curtis-Thomas MP / Liverpool Scrutiny Committee
Eileen O’Connor will be meeting her local Crosby MP Claire Curtis-Thomas on 20th January 2006 to press for Government action. She will also be giving evidence to the Liverpool Scrutiny Committee on 23rd January.
Childwall - Car Breakdowns?
A 70ft telephone mast near the M62 at Childwall, Liverpool is being blamed for the breakdown of cars that use radio wave technology in their ignition, alarm and immobiliser systems. Again there are fears amongst residents about mast safety, though Orange argue the emissions are within Health & Safety Guidelines.
Electromagnetic Fields Discussion Group - Sir William Stewart - 2nd March 2006
The Chairman and Eileen O’Connor have accepted a personal invitation from Sir William Stewart and The Health Projection Agency to join the EMF DG (full time). The Group aims to provide a forum for discussions for discussions between HPA staff and representatives from environmentally interested organisations about questions connected with exposures to electromagnetic fields (EMFs). It will cover issues concerned with exposures to both radio frequencies and power frequencies.
Both Eileen and Michael look forward to making an active contribution to The Group and hope to progress the funding and implementation of necessary research.
Trust Meeting
The next Trust meeting will be on 25th January 2006 at 2pm in Westminster.
The Trust wishes all our Newsletter readers (wherever they may be) and campaigners for an improved safety environment round masts and power lines and for more independent research a Peaceful Christmas and a New Year that hopefully will bring from January onwards a greater responsibility towards and insight into the facts behind electromagnetic radiation and its effects on people.
Michael J Bell
Chairman
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