The
report has been prepared by 29 authors from 10 countries; ten researchers have
medical degrees (MDs), twenty-one have PhDs, three have MsC, MA or MPHs. RF
color charts can be downloaded as well as 4 links with summaries of hundreds of
studies done between 1990 and 2012 on the “free radical damage from both RFR
(radio frequency radiation) and ELF (extremely low frequency) and a set
specific to electro-sensitivity.” (www.bioinitiative.org/report/research-summaries/)
Lennart
Hardell, MD from Orebro University, Sweden, said, “There is a consistent
pattern of increased risk for glioma, a malignant brain tumor, and acoustic
neuroma, with use of mobile and cordless phones.” Acoustic neuroma is a slow growing benign
tumor of the vestibular cochlear nerve that connects the ear to the brain. As
it grows, it can damage other nerves. “Epidemiological evidence shows that
radiofrequency should be classified as a human carcinogen.”
The
topics explored, as evidenced by the abstracts, include damage to DNA and
genes, changes in memory, learning, behavior, attention, sleep disruption,
insomnia, heat sensitivity, cell damage, cancer, benign tumors, and
neurological impairment and diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Human subjects as
well as animals and birds were used.
At
least a dozen studies connect cell phone radiation to sperm damage. The DNA of
sperm may be harmed, misshapen, and fertility in men may be impaired even by a
cell phone kept in a pocket or on a belt. Laptop computers and wireless
Internet connection can also damage DNA in sperm.
“The
existing FCC/IEE and ICNIRP (International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation
Protection) public safety limits and reference levels are not adequate to
protect public health. Based on strong evidence for vulnerable biology in
autism, EMF/RFR (electromagnetic fields/radio frequency radiation) can
plausibly increase autism risk and symptoms.”
Martha
Herbert, MD, PhD, believes that in people with autism disorders, children,
people who are planning to have a baby, during pregnancy, we should minimize
wireless and EMF (electromagnetic field) exposures. Pregnant women who use
laptops and cell phones are not aware that such wireless devices may alter the brain
development of the fetus and may cause miscarriage. Children and adolescents
may be adversely affected by wireless classrooms.
David
O. Carpenter, MD, co-editor of the 2012 Report said, “There is now much more
evidence of risks to health affecting billions of people world-wide. The status
quo is not acceptable in light of evidence for harm.” New safety standards are
urgently needed for protection against EMF and wireless exposures present
everywhere in daily life.
Smart
meters use radio signals to communicate via RFR (radio frequency radiation) and
are similar to those in a cell phone. Smart meters (advanced metering systems)
pulse information several times per minute to the utility company on the electricity
demand and usage of someone’s home. Microwave ovens, radar, Wi-Fi devices also
emit RFR.
I
have read the findings of the abstracts in the four links of the Bioinitiative
2012 Report and chose some that I found particularly interesting.
Landgrebe
M. et al concluded in a study in 2008 that “data indicate that tinnitus is
associated with subjective electromagnetic hypersensitivity.” The study adds
that “significant cognitive and neurobiological alterations point to a higher
genuine individual vulnerability of electromagnetic hypersensitive patients.”
(Landgrebe M. et al. Cognitive and neurobiological alterations in
electromagnetic hypersensitive patients: results of a case-control study.
Psychol. Med. 38 (12): 1781-1791, 2008)
EMF
exposure alters melatonin, behavior, growth, and reproduction in males kestrels
(falco sparverius). EMF exposure is a “possible human carcinogen and associated
with some neurodegenerative diseases. Oxidative stress contributes to cancer,
neurodegenerative diseases, and immune disorders. (Fernie KJ, Bird DM. Evidence
of oxidative stress in American kestrels exposed to electromagnetic fields.
Environ. Res. 86 (2): 198-207, 2001)
Extremely
low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs) affect DNA integrity in human
cells. (Focke F, Schuermann D, Kuster N, Schaer P. DNA fragmentation in human
fibroblasts under extremely low frequency field exposure. Mutat. Res. 683
(1-2): 74-83, 2010)
J.
Frahm said that the “interaction of extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic
fields (MF) of 50 Hz with cells can induce alterations in various cell
physiological processes.”
Al
Garip and Z. Akan reported that “It is by now accepted that extremely low
frequency electromagnetic fields ELF-EMF (0-300 Hz) affect biological systems
although the mechanism has not been elucidated yet.” (Garip Al, Akan Z. Effect
of ELF-EMF on number of apoptotic cells; correlation with reactive oxygen
species and HSP. Act Biol. Hung. 61 (2): 158-167, 2010)
Agawam
A. et al found that “radiofrequency electromagnetic waves (RF-EMW) from cell
phones may lead to stress in human semen. We speculate that keeping the cell
phone in a trouser pocket in talk mode may negatively affect spermatozoa and
impair male fertility.” (Agawam A, Desai NR, Maker K, Varghese A, Moored R,
Sabanegh E, Sharma R. Effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic waves (RF-EMW)
from cellular phones on human ejaculated semen: an in vitro study. Fertil.
Steril. 92 (4): 1318-1325, 2009)
Atasoy’s
findings raise questions about the safety of radiofrequency exposure from Wi-Fi
Internet access devices for growing organisms of reproductive age, with a
potential effect on both fertility and the integrity of sperm cells. (Atasoy
HI, Gunal MY, Atasoy P, Elgun S, Bugdayci G. Immunohistopathologic
demonstration of deleterious effects on growing rats testes of radiofrequency
waves emitted from conventional Wi-Fi devices. J. Pediatr. Urol. March 30,
2012)
Martin
and Goodman found that electromagnetic fields (EMF) in both extremely low
frequency (ELF) and radio frequency (RF) ranges activate the cellular stress
response, increasing levels of stress proteins. In the RF range DNA strands
break down. To protect living cells, “EMF safety limits must be changed from
the current thermal standard based on energy, to a standard based on biological
responses that occur long before the threshold for thermal changes.” (Martin B,
Goodman R. Electromagnetic fields stress living cells. Pathophysiology 16,
71-78, 2009)
For
reasons of space, I constructed a short list of radiation effects without
citations. They can be found under the four links of abstracts on the
Bioinitiative 2012 website. (www.bioinitiative.org)
-
Most
mobile phones emit 900 MHz of radiation that is mainly absorbed by the external
organs.
-
Static
magnetic fields (SMF) effect genetic mutation and necrosis.
-
Electromagnetic
field (EMF) radiation has been found to induce arterial dilation.
-
It
is generally accepted that electromagnetic fields (EMF) can exert biological
effect but the mechanism by which EMF elicits responses are still unknown.
-
Childhood
leukemia has been the only cancer consistently reported in epidemiological
studies as associated with ELF MFs.
-
Increasing
production of free radicals in organisms is one of the putative mechanisms by
which an extremely low frequency magnetic field (ELF-MF) may affect biological
systems.
-
There
is a relation between the exposure of SMF to ELF-EMF and the oxidative stress
through distressing redox balance leading to physiological disturbances.
-
“Epidemiological
studies have suggested that extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (EMF-MF) are
associated with an increased incidence of cancer. Studies using in vitro
systems have reported mixed results for the effects of ELF-MF alone, and the
World Health Organization (WHO) Research Agenda published in 2007 suggested
that high priority research should include an evaluation of the co-carcinogenic
effects of ELF-MF exposure using in vitro models.”
While
Americans have the option to pick what appliances they surround themselves
with, they do not have much choice when it comes to power lines and electrical
wiring, cell towers, and smart meters (advanced metering systems).
All
across the country utility companies are in a hurry to install smart meters and
connect everyone to the smart grid. This move is supposed to save energy,
reduce consumption, reduce the cost per kilowatt hour, and deliver energy more
expediently to all customers, none of which is actually true. Supply is
curtailed, costs have skyrocketed in some states, people’s homes are
electronically searched without a warrant, their usage information and patterns
of consumption are sold to third parties, while customers are suffering adverse
health effects from radiation. The smart meters are expedient, of course, for
the utility companies, their financial gain, and for the environmentalists who
control our lives in the name of saving the planet. And the smart grid is a
sitting duck to the next solar flare or cyber-attack.
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