Not far from here, a battle has been raging against the forces of modernity. Concerned residents of a local hamlet have been holding round the clock guard, and more recently hiring security guards, to prevent the re-erection of a 3G telephone mast. The previous 22 metre tall mast was felled “mysteriously” on Bonfire night.
There is a perception that since the mast was put in place, that villagers have been struck down by various afflictions. Perhaps it is best put by the Conservative Member of Parliament, Andrew Mitchell reported in the Birmingham Post:
“Wishaw is a small hamlet in my constituency. Five ladies have developed breast cancer.
“There is one case of prostate cancer, one of bladder cancer and one of lung cancer, and there are three cases of pre-cancerous cervical cells.
“One person, aged 51, who has motor neurone disease, has also had a massive tumour removed from the top of his spine. Others have developed benign lumps, and there are also cases of electro-sensitivity.”
He added: “Eighteen houses surround the mast, at a range of up to 500 metres, and 77 per cent of the hamlet has illnesses which are believed by those who live there to be the result of radiation from the mast.”
Let’s make this clear. A mast, in place for seven years at the time the first concerns by residents were raised, is thought to be the cause of several conditions. Yet, all of these conditions can have other causes which are documented and proven. Just because it may appear to people that there is a cluster, does not prove there is a causal relationship with the mast. Clusters of cases can occur purely by chance, it would be a strange and disturbing situation if cancers were spread in a totally even geographical distribution. As the BBC put it, when you randonly toss a coin, you “commonly get a run of five or even six, sometimes seven or eight.” heads or tales in a row. A cluster means little, without some evidence of causality.
In fact current evidence suggests that mobile phones are safe, and that masts are even less risky – since emissions are much lower. The most recent report on the issue was published by the Advisory Group on Non-Ionising Radiation in January. They said on the subject:
The biological evidence suggests that RF fields do not cause mutation or initiate or promote tumour formation, and the epidemiological data overall do not suggest causal associations between exposures to RF fields, in particular from mobile phone use, and the risk of cancer. Exposure levels from living near phone bases station are extremely low, and the overall evidence indicates they ate unlikely to pose a risk to health.
Those opposing the re-erection of the mast accuse Orange of paying lip service to public concerns. I’m not sure what other response they could have given. If we accept the view that there is a health risk, despite the lack of evidence, where does that leave us? Are we to ignore and hold back every technological development on this basis?
The BMJ has an interesting review on a book entitled Cellular Phones, Public Fears, and a Culture of Precaution :
Burgess traces the mobile phone issue from a few obscure objections and court cases in the United States to a global phenomenon, involving health and environmental risk policies that are strongly supported by both scientists and governments. While each country has had a specific response, Burgess’s study of mobile phones contains a general and worrying message of small or non-existent risk being emphasised to advance social policy and influence the direction of scientific research.
The brains of consumers using mobile phones are safe. The real danger is to our minds as scientists pursue phantom risks to support unnecessary “healthy living” policies.
This is already happening. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in American recommends that anyone concerned about the possible health effects of magnetic fields may do the following to reduce exposure:
- Increase the space between a person and devices that may emit magnetic fields.
- Avoid standing too close to computers, microwave ovens, or televisions.
- Reduce the time of exposure to possible magnetic fields by turning off devices such as electric blankets when not in use.
- Avoid keeping such devices as electric alarm clocks too close to the bed.
- Discourage children from playing near high power lines or transformers.
- Avoid activities near magnetic field sources.
Let’s put it more simply. Unplug your computer and go and live in a cave.
Given that I am currently baking my brain with a mobile phone, a wireless network, a bluetooth adaptor, and a bedside alarm clock my time on this earth is surely limited. The last quote should go to a Mr Whelan, who has been investigating phone masts with a £75 electronic meter. His startling conclusions?
“People who live near mobile phone masts are being systematically and biologically mutilated.”
“We have a right to live in society without fear for our health.”
Well that’s the controversy on phone masts settled then, but do others in society not have a right to have access to new technologies, when no evidence is available that they cause harm?
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I read somewhere a tale about when Stephenson first tested his Rocket steam engine, the local scientific expert warned darkly that the human body would be crushed by the pressures induced by travelling at speeds over 30mph. Stephenson recklessly, selfishly, and irresponsibly ignored him.
I guess there were no litigation lawyers around then, or people would have been queueing up complaining of crushing sensations after a brief rail journey.
Remember Leif Salford and colleagues at Lund University in Sweden who published data showing for the first time an unambiguous link between microwave radiation emitted by GSM mobile phones. It might also be useful to recall good old Socrates: “Know thy enemy.” One of our enemies has been, and still is, straightforward ignorance.