Renowned Scientists Issue Wake-up Call on EMF and RF Radiation Hazards

An international working group of renowned scientists, researchers and public health policy professionals (The BioInitiative Working Group) has released its report on electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and health. It raises serious concerns about the safety of existing public limits that regulate how much EMF is allowable from power lines, cell phones, and many other sources of EMF exposure in daily life.The report documents scientific evidence raising worries about health impacts including childhood leukemia (from power lines and other electrical exposures), brain tumors and acoustic neuromas (from cell and cordless phones) and Alzheimer's disease. There is evidence that EMFs are a risk factor for both childhood and adult cancers. EMFs from such sources as electric power lines, interior wiring and grounding of buildings and appliances are linked to increased risks for childhood leukemia and may set the stage for adult cancers later in life.

The BioInitiative Report (http://www.bioinitiative.org) will be released on Friday, August 31, 2007 documents the scientific evidence that power line EMF exposure is responsible for hundreds of new cases of childhood leukemia every year in the United States and around the world.

Wireless technologies that rely on radiofrequency radiation (RF) to send emails and voice communication are thousands of times stronger than levels reported to cause sleep disorders, headaches, problems with memory and concentration and other adverse physical symptoms.

Public health expert and co-editor of the report, Dr. David O. Carpenter, director, Institute for Health and the Environment at the University of Albany, New York states:

"This report stands as a wake-up call that long-term exposure to some kinds of EMFs may cause serious health effects. Good public health planning is needed now to prevent cancers and neurological diseases linked to exposure to power lines and other sources of EMFs. We need to educate the public and our decision makers that business as usual is unacceptable."

Co-editor Cindy Sage of Sage Associates asserts:

"Public health and EMF policy experts have now given their opinion of the weight of evidence. The existing FCC and international limits for public and occupational exposure to EMFs and RF radiation are not protective of public health."

New public safety limits and limits on further deployment of risky technologies are warranted based on the total weight of evidence.

More information on the BioInitiative Working Group is available at http://www.bioinitiative.org.