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Panorama report raises Wi-Fi alarm
Link: Panorama report raises Wi-Fi alarm
Filed under: Wireless News, Mobile News
An investigation by the BBC’s Panorama programme found that Wi-Fi networks in schools can give off a radiation signal three times stronger than that of a typical mobile phone mast.
Researchers for programme visited a comprehensive school in Norwich and measured the strength of a radiation signal from a classroom Wi-Fi laptop, then compared the findings with a signal from a mobile phone mast.
Although current Government advice recommends that phone masts are not sited near schools, without consultation with parents and the school, the advice does not extend to Wi-Fi networks in classrooms which could potentially place children at a greater risk.
Children are believed to be more vulnerable to radio frequency radiation emissions than adults because their skulls are thinner and still developing.
The MP for Norwich North, Mr Ian Gibson, was interviewed for the program and said there should be an independent investigation in the effects of WiFi on people’s health.
Although the readings taken in the Norwich classroom were 600 times below the government’s radiation safety limits, the program is expected increase debate over the wisdom of exposing young children to the technology without further assessment of possible health risks.
The government takes the view that there is no health risk from WiFi, an opinion that is supported by the World Health Organisation.
Oh that’s all right then. The emissions are 600 times lower than government guidelines. But wait. Lets examine these (ICNIRP) guidelines.
The ICNIRP international guidelines, trumpeted by government as providing protection to the general public from microwave radiation emissions, were introduced in 1992 in the technology’s infancy. They were introduced not by scientists, but by technicians. They completely ignored researching the most damaging effects to the human body of these radiation emissions, i.e. measuring the biological, vibrational effects on human DNA and damage to cells. They only researched the thermal (heating) effects. This absurdity is all that stands between us and the risk of life threatening or chronic disease. These (ICNIRP) guidelines as ‘protection’ are equivalent to a fireguard in front of a defective gas fire that is emitting carbon monoxide - it might stop you getting burned but you might not be alive to care!
But again, how come the “independant” WHO support these guidelines. The WHO Radiation Committee on EMF consists of 8 mobile phone operator representatives! The Head of this “independent” Committee was Mike Repacholi. He was interviewed in the programme and was unsurprisingly dismissive of the health risks. Oh, by the way, has just resigned under a cloud when it was recently revealed that he was pocketing $150,000 a year for “expenses” from guess who? The mobile operators!
Comment by J Elliott — May 23, 2007 @ 3:28 pm