I know I have been talking about EMF (Electromagnetic fields) and EMR (Electromagnetic radiation) exposure a lot recently (here & here), and maybe I’m starting to sound like I’m obsessed by the whole thing… but here’s an update on my earlier posts that I think you will find interesting.

The EU European Environment Agency (EEA) has prepared a report entitled BioInitiative Report: A Rationale for a Biologically-based Public Exposure Standard for Electromagnetic Fields (ELF and RF). This report is important because it comes from the EU’s top environmental agency and carries a great deal of authority. The report looks at the two most common forms of EMF we are exposed to on a regular basis: extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF) from electrical and electronic appliances and electrical power lines; radio frequency radiation (RF) from wireless devices such as WI-Fi devices, cell phones, and their masts.

The EEA is calling for urgent and immediate action to reduce people’s exposure to ELF and RF radiation. The EEA is suggesting that any delay could lead to the kind of health crisis caused in the past by asbestos, smoking and lead in petrol. The biggest obstacle in getting any kind of reduction in the legal safe limits of ELF and RF levels is that public exposure levels are based solely on the thermal effect of the radiation, that is, the harmful effects of cells and tissue being heated by the radiation. But, over the last few decades it has been shown in studies that much lower levels of ELF and RF radiation can and do cause biological effects, some of which are harmful. This is something that has been largely ignored by the governmental regulatory bodies. – The Independent

Some of the key findings of the report are:

• There may be no lower limit at which exposure to ELF and RF affects people
• There is little doubt that exposure to ELF causes childhood leukemia
• People who have used a cell phone for ten years or more have higher rates of malignant brain tumor and acoustic neuromas
• The current standard for exposure to the emissions of cell phones and cordless phones is not safe considering studies reporting long-term brain tumor and acoustic neuroma risks
• Studies of human breast cancer cells and some animal studies show that ELF is likely to be a risk factor for breast cancer
• There is strong evidence that long term exposure to ELF is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease

The effects of long-term exposure to wireless technologies… and from whole-body exposure to RF transmissions from cell towers and antennas is simply not known yet with certainty. However, the body of evidence at hand suggests that bioeffects and health impacts can and do occur at exquisitely low exposure levels: levels that can be thousands of times below public safety limits.

The report goes on to conclude for ELF exposure: “new ELF limits are warranted based on a public health analysis of the overall existing scientific evidence.” And for RF exposure: “… wireless technologies that chronically expose people to pulsed RF at levels reported to cause bioeffects, which in turn, could reasonably be presumed to lead to serious health impacts, is of public health concern... preventative action is warranted to reduce or minimize RF exposures to the public.”

So there you have it, our exposure to ELF and RF radiation is damaging our health, it is now in an official EU document. Whether EU governments act on this report is another question, but there is nothing stopping us as individual’s acting on this report and doing what we can to reduce our own and our children’s exposure to harmful radiation.