Radiation Research Newsletter June 2005
Radiation Research Newsletter June 2005
Welcome & Introduction
With the UK General Election behind us the Trust has been looking at aspects of Mast Radiation from the recent research papers from Austria, Germany and Sweden and welcomes comments from our increasing subscribers/petition support base. The fact that the Trust is recognised as a real facilitator of research and information on the thorny topic of electromagnetic radiation and hypersensitivity, is shown in the Brussels meetings with John Ryan the EU’s Head of Health Information Unit and DG Research Officials.
Helping focus our attention on the issue are the following statements on our website from an ex microwave engineer in the North of England and a Chartered Engineer in Gloucestershire;
* “This is an issue of major public concern and a potential time bomb. I speak as an ex-microwave engineer who understands the complexities of energy.”
* “I am particularly concerned about the frequency being used for the third generation of mobile phones. It is so close to the cooking frequency of microwaves ovens which operate at 2.45GHz. The third generation mobile phone system operates at 2.2GHz-2.4GHz – too close for comfort as far as I am concerned. I have worked in the electronics/defence industry for over 20 years and have a great unease about the whole third generation of mobile communications infrastructure set up.
I am not a scare monger, I am a qualified engineer having an honours degree in Electrical Electronic Engineering, I am also a Chartered Engineer and I do understand the implications of electromagnetic radiation. Over exposure by humans to this sort of radiation causes cancer and at a high levels of power, thermal effects – burns. So who knows what state our bodies will be in after 10-20 years exposure to this electromagnetic radiation?”
The comment in 12 th May’s Western Morning News from our main sponsors Ecoflow Plc’s Chief Executive Paul Markland is also significant; “I personally believe there’s a problem with mobile phones. I was a merchant seaman but I always tried to avoid being near radar scanners so to me it seems illogical holding a mobile phone to your head.” Hence our following response to see moves forward from the Stewart Report.
We are delighted at the re-election of our three Westminster Trustees MP’s, Andrew Gibson, Mark Oaten and Dr Ian Gibson.
New Trustee
We also welcome Brian Stein, Chief Executive of Food Group Samworth Brothers as a new Trustee. He has strong Cornish connections – Ginsters is a Samworth brand. Through over-use of a mobile phone over some 15 years Brian has seriously become affected by Electro hypersensitivity. His office is free of all screens, faxes, etc. and his mobile phone days ended some 4 years ago. The Trust is now looking to concentrate on its advancing aims with help from this Senior Captain of Industry.
Stewart Report II - Trust follow up with ‘Seven Pillar of Wisdom’
Having developed our ‘Seven Pillars’ as a strategy to take the Stewart Report forward, these were presented by myself and Eileen O’Connor to the Head of Planning Policy ODPM on 11 th May and later sent to the New Minister for Planning, Yvette Cooper, from whom a response is currently awaited. Indications are that the Trust’s proposals have been regarded as very constructive. Trustee Dr Ian Gibson with Solicitor Alan Meyer are due to meet Yvette Cooper on 15 th June.
The need for planning applications for all new masts to have full disclosure of Emission Strengths/Directions and a Public Register of all mast sites with proper control by an Independent Regulator is surely paramount – ‘Sitefinder’ is clearly inadequate as is OFCOM’s audit process. The Public across the UK and Ireland have little confidence in the present industry dominated regime. Sir William Stewart rightly continues to advocate the ‘Precautionary Principle’ but to implement it, the NRPB is in an untenable position. No sanctions are available for covert mast changes without planning permission, and the industry voluntary code is often ignored.
European Commission - 27 th May 2005 - with 16 th June Follow-up
Trustees Eileen O’Connor, Michael Bell and Dr Caroline Lucas MEP attended meetings on 27 th May in Brussels at the Commission with John Ryan, Head of Health Information DG Sance, and later that day with DG Research Officials. The Trust also funded Brussels attendances by leading scientists Dr Gerd Oberfeld of Salzburg, Austria and Professor Johannsen of Sweden – where electro sensitivity is recognised as a disability – to back the Trust.
John Ryan has called for a further meeting with Eileen and Gerd on 16 th June to consider possible EU sponsored research on the subject. This follows Dr Oberfeld’s report published 27 th April that radiation from a base station 80 metres away causes significant changes of the electrical currents in the brains of electro sensitive people. We hope the Commission will back funding for research on the issue through the Trust. It is a key one for public health which is Mr Ryan’s area of responsibility at the Commission.
Warnings on Mobile Phone Packaging
Sadly the topic of packaging warnings for children’s use on mobile phones is not in Mr Ryan’s remit.
See article “ Security Comes at a Price ” - Newcastle Evening
http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/eveningchronicle/features/tm_objectid=15427881&method=full&siteid=50081&headline=security-that-comes-at-a-price-name_page.html
Chronicle 21 st April for our concerns as voiced by Sir William Stewart and others.
Latest Research - Summary
We have given details on ‘ Latest Research ’ of current research findings from Austria, Germany and Sweden. We believe Gerd Oberfeld of Salzburg, findings require funding for follow up research backed by the EU. http://www.radiationresearch.org/research.htm
Overhead Power Lines
The Leukaemia risk to children born close to overhead power lines published in the British Medical Journal this month may be a statistical quirk according some sceptics. We certainly hope so but Professor Denis Henshaw and others are continuing to voice concerns on the risks of living adjacent to such lines.
See article - " Leukaemia risk 70pc higher for children close to power lines " - Daily Telegraph 3/6/05
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/main.jhtml?xml=/health/2005/06/08/npow03.xml&sSheet=/health/2005/06/08/ixhmain.html
Spectrum Analyser
As a result of our Liverpool meeting last year and with help from the Trust, electronics specialist Brian Egerton is launching this summer a spectrum analyser and related instruments to measure the strengths and directions from all electromagnetic radiation sources. With the recent British Medical Journal Report on overhead power lines (June 2003), which mirrors the mast issue, this should be a major benefit to the public, particularly if mortgage lenders are beginning to instruct surveyors to discourage people from buying houses within 75 metres of mobile phone masts.
Addenbrooke’s Hospital
It seems incredible that Addenbrooke’s Hospital has the gall to collect around £100,000 per annum from mobile phone companies for masts sited on its premises! Just try using a mobile phone there!
Thanks again Ecoflow Plc
We’re delighted at Paul Markland’s appreciation of the Trust’s work in the Western Morning News of 12 th May. Our sincere thanks are due to Ecoflow Plc and its distributors for continuing to support with their donations the work of the Trust in trying to solve one of the most controversial health issues affecting the public today.We need more sponsorship from like-minded sources.
Diary Dates - 16 th June 2005
The next Midlands Planning Aid meeting on Mobile Phone Masts is on 16 th June at 55 Temple Row, Birmingham at 5.45pm. Call Sandra Newton, WMPAS, to register: 0121 766 8044.
The next Trust meeting will be on 19 th July at Portcullis House, Westminster.
Michael J Bell
Chairman
Welcome & Introduction
With the UK General Election behind us the Trust has been looking at aspects of Mast Radiation from the recent research papers from Austria, Germany and Sweden and welcomes comments from our increasing subscribers/petition support base. The fact that the Trust is recognised as a real facilitator of research and information on the thorny topic of electromagnetic radiation and hypersensitivity, is shown in the Brussels meetings with John Ryan the EU’s Head of Health Information Unit and DG Research Officials.
Helping focus our attention on the issue are the following statements on our website from an ex microwave engineer in the North of England and a Chartered Engineer in Gloucestershire;
* “This is an issue of major public concern and a potential time bomb. I speak as an ex-microwave engineer who understands the complexities of energy.”
* “I am particularly concerned about the frequency being used for the third generation of mobile phones. It is so close to the cooking frequency of microwaves ovens which operate at 2.45GHz. The third generation mobile phone system operates at 2.2GHz-2.4GHz – too close for comfort as far as I am concerned. I have worked in the electronics/defence industry for over 20 years and have a great unease about the whole third generation of mobile communications infrastructure set up.
I am not a scare monger, I am a qualified engineer having an honours degree in Electrical Electronic Engineering, I am also a Chartered Engineer and I do understand the implications of electromagnetic radiation. Over exposure by humans to this sort of radiation causes cancer and at a high levels of power, thermal effects – burns. So who knows what state our bodies will be in after 10-20 years exposure to this electromagnetic radiation?”
The comment in 12 th May’s Western Morning News from our main sponsors Ecoflow Plc’s Chief Executive Paul Markland is also significant; “I personally believe there’s a problem with mobile phones. I was a merchant seaman but I always tried to avoid being near radar scanners so to me it seems illogical holding a mobile phone to your head.” Hence our following response to see moves forward from the Stewart Report.
We are delighted at the re-election of our three Westminster Trustees MP’s, Andrew Gibson, Mark Oaten and Dr Ian Gibson.
New Trustee
We also welcome Brian Stein, Chief Executive of Food Group Samworth Brothers as a new Trustee. He has strong Cornish connections – Ginsters is a Samworth brand. Through over-use of a mobile phone over some 15 years Brian has seriously become affected by Electro hypersensitivity. His office is free of all screens, faxes, etc. and his mobile phone days ended some 4 years ago. The Trust is now looking to concentrate on its advancing aims with help from this Senior Captain of Industry.
Stewart Report II - Trust follow up with ‘Seven Pillar of Wisdom’
Having developed our ‘Seven Pillars’ as a strategy to take the Stewart Report forward, these were presented by myself and Eileen O’Connor to the Head of Planning Policy ODPM on 11 th May and later sent to the New Minister for Planning, Yvette Cooper, from whom a response is currently awaited. Indications are that the Trust’s proposals have been regarded as very constructive. Trustee Dr Ian Gibson with Solicitor Alan Meyer are due to meet Yvette Cooper on 15 th June.
The need for planning applications for all new masts to have full disclosure of Emission Strengths/Directions and a Public Register of all mast sites with proper control by an Independent Regulator is surely paramount – ‘Sitefinder’ is clearly inadequate as is OFCOM’s audit process. The Public across the UK and Ireland have little confidence in the present industry dominated regime. Sir William Stewart rightly continues to advocate the ‘Precautionary Principle’ but to implement it, the NRPB is in an untenable position. No sanctions are available for covert mast changes without planning permission, and the industry voluntary code is often ignored.
European Commission - 27 th May 2005 - with 16 th June Follow-up
Trustees Eileen O’Connor, Michael Bell and Dr Caroline Lucas MEP attended meetings on 27 th May in Brussels at the Commission with John Ryan, Head of Health Information DG Sance, and later that day with DG Research Officials. The Trust also funded Brussels attendances by leading scientists Dr Gerd Oberfeld of Salzburg, Austria and Professor Johannsen of Sweden – where electro sensitivity is recognised as a disability – to back the Trust.
John Ryan has called for a further meeting with Eileen and Gerd on 16 th June to consider possible EU sponsored research on the subject. This follows Dr Oberfeld’s report published 27 th April that radiation from a base station 80 metres away causes significant changes of the electrical currents in the brains of electro sensitive people. We hope the Commission will back funding for research on the issue through the Trust. It is a key one for public health which is Mr Ryan’s area of responsibility at the Commission.
Warnings on Mobile Phone Packaging
Sadly the topic of packaging warnings for children’s use on mobile phones is not in Mr Ryan’s remit.
See article “ Security Comes at a Price ” - Newcastle Evening
http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/eveningchronicle/features/tm_objectid=15427881&method=full&siteid=50081&headline=security-that-comes-at-a-price-name_page.html
Chronicle 21 st April for our concerns as voiced by Sir William Stewart and others.
Latest Research - Summary
We have given details on ‘ Latest Research ’ of current research findings from Austria, Germany and Sweden. We believe Gerd Oberfeld of Salzburg, findings require funding for follow up research backed by the EU. http://www.radiationresearch.org/research.htm
Overhead Power Lines
The Leukaemia risk to children born close to overhead power lines published in the British Medical Journal this month may be a statistical quirk according some sceptics. We certainly hope so but Professor Denis Henshaw and others are continuing to voice concerns on the risks of living adjacent to such lines.
See article - " Leukaemia risk 70pc higher for children close to power lines " - Daily Telegraph 3/6/05
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/main.jhtml?xml=/health/2005/06/08/npow03.xml&sSheet=/health/2005/06/08/ixhmain.html
Spectrum Analyser
As a result of our Liverpool meeting last year and with help from the Trust, electronics specialist Brian Egerton is launching this summer a spectrum analyser and related instruments to measure the strengths and directions from all electromagnetic radiation sources. With the recent British Medical Journal Report on overhead power lines (June 2003), which mirrors the mast issue, this should be a major benefit to the public, particularly if mortgage lenders are beginning to instruct surveyors to discourage people from buying houses within 75 metres of mobile phone masts.
Addenbrooke’s Hospital
It seems incredible that Addenbrooke’s Hospital has the gall to collect around £100,000 per annum from mobile phone companies for masts sited on its premises! Just try using a mobile phone there!
Thanks again Ecoflow Plc
We’re delighted at Paul Markland’s appreciation of the Trust’s work in the Western Morning News of 12 th May. Our sincere thanks are due to Ecoflow Plc and its distributors for continuing to support with their donations the work of the Trust in trying to solve one of the most controversial health issues affecting the public today.We need more sponsorship from like-minded sources.
Diary Dates - 16 th June 2005
The next Midlands Planning Aid meeting on Mobile Phone Masts is on 16 th June at 55 Temple Row, Birmingham at 5.45pm. Call Sandra Newton, WMPAS, to register: 0121 766 8044.
The next Trust meeting will be on 19 th July at Portcullis House, Westminster.
Michael J Bell
Chairman
Starmail - 10. Jun, 18:36
