I have long understood that much like with many other products on the market today, the safety testing and consumer advice relating to the health effects of mobile phone and WIFI technology is definitely not all it should be. The WHO and other research bodies have classified microwave comms technology as 'possibly carcinogenic' and other studies have shown that DNA damage can result from it's use. Let's look at how to best be protected...
First, a couple of quotes:
"Studies of people have shown that both ELF and RF exposures result in an increased risk of cancer, and that this occurs at intensities that are too low to cause tissue heating. Unfortunately, all of our exposure standards are based on the false assumption that there are no hazardous effects at intensities that do not cause tissue heating. Based on the existing science, many public health experts believe it is possible we will face an epidemic of cancers in the future resulting from uncontrolled use of cell phones and increased population exposure to WiFi and other wireless devices. Thus it is important that all of us, and especially children, restrict our use of cell phones, limit exposure to background levels of Wi-Fi, and that government and industry discover ways in which to allow use of wireless devices without such elevated risk of serious disease. We need to educate decision-makers that ‘business as usual’ is unacceptable. The importance of this public health issue can not be underestimated.”
Source: Dr. David Carpenter, School of Public Health, Albany, New York University
. The World Health Organization (WHO) has already listed cell phones as a Class 2 B Carcinogen “possibly carcinogenic to humans”—in the same category as lead, engine exhaust, DDT, and jet fuel. Studies in Europe show that people who used cell phone heavily for over ten years have a doubled risk of brain cancer, and those who begin using cell phones as teenagers have a four to five times higher chance of being diagnosed with brain cancer.
Source: EH Trust
When I was 19 I sold some of the early mobile phones as part of my job in an electronics shop and I had zero idea that they were a health risk of any kind. Once I learned (about 10 years ago) that their testing had been extremely poor and that, in fact, it was quite widely known in some fields that their use can trigger cancer and genetic damage, I actually decided to smash mine with a hammer!
Since then I have not owned my own phone, though I did inherit an old one from my Mother when she passed away. Since my trip to London though, I am more aware than ever that some kind of mobile device would really make my life easier when travelling and so I have been looking around at what the options are if I want to use such a device while also being as safe as possible.
My first question was:
What are the safe levels for Microwave radiation?
As it turns out, just as with other health issues where people are making lots of money from products that 'might' be dangerous - there is disagreement and controversy.
Different groups have claimed that wildly different levels of exposure are safe and/or dangerous.
However, one of the largest ever studies into this topic (the largest I have seen) is the 2012 Bioinitiative Report -
The BioInitiative 2012 Report has been prepared by 29 authors from ten countries, ten holding medical degrees (MDs), 21 PhDs, and three MsC, MA or MPHs. Among the authors are three former presidents of the Bioelectromagnetics Society, and five full members of BEMS.
Source: Bioinitiative Report
Their report is massive and covers a wide array of studies - far too much for me to read or share here.. However, in summation -
For RF radiation the 2007 Report recommended a limit of 0.1 μW/cm2 ( 0.61 Volts/meter) for outdoor exposure. The 2012 report recommends a precautionary level of 0.0003 μW/cm2 to 0.0006 μW/cm2*. For magnetic fields the 2012 Report recommends a limit of 1 mG.
(* Expressed in volts per meter this equates to approximately 0.03 V/m – 0.05 V/m.)
Source: ElectricSense
These figures are massively lower than the 'safe levels' adopted by governments (usually having been heavily influenced by manufacturers) and so the vast majority of our devices operate with far higher levels of emissions than this report advises us is safe!
This probably means that there is no device available that is truly safe and I will just have to do the best I can or not us them at all. The problem with not using them at all is that in social settings I am surrounded by people using them and so there may not be much point in me not using them too .. I will be covered in radiation from all around anyway!
The US FCC uses a measurement system called SAR to define the maximum levels of emissions produced by devices when they are using all of their frequencies in order to ensure that their own maximum safety threshold is not being exceeded. Unfortunately though, as the FCC's own website points out:
The SAR value used for FCC approval does not account for the multitude of measurements taken during the testing. Moreover, cell phones constantly vary their power to operate at the minimum power necessary for communications; operation at maximum power occurs infrequently. Consequently, cell phones cannot be reliably compared for their overall exposure characteristics on the basis of a single SAR value for several reasons
So SAR is basically only a rough guide, but is not a real world measurement of actual exposure we are likely to encounter with each device.
With that in mind, my next question was:
What type of device is safest out of a mobile phone and WIFI enabled Tablet PC?
I thought that maybe the WIFI devices were safer since WIFI doesn't travel as far as the energy waves travel from cellphone masts - however, I know better than to guess so I thought I would do some basic research. I initially asked around in some electrosensitivity forums on facebook, but found that the responses I received were inadequate. People generally thought that cellphones were worse than WIFI devices, but did not provide substantive evidence of that.
I recalled that I had saved some videos of a high end computational analysis of the energy absorption into humans that resulted from tablet use, mobile phone use and laptop use. As it turns out, from the data presented here, all of the devices appear to be emitting levels of energy and vibration that are above the 'totally safe' level of xxx and also above the 'potentially problematic' level of xxx
Video source: EHTrust
So it appears that quite possibly, the important issue is not so much which category of device is used, but which specific model of device is used, since not all models emit the same level of radiation.
However, since the proximity of the device to the user is relevant and since phone users might be tempted to hold the phone to their head (and laptop users might use the device near their genitals) it seems logical to me to conclude that on average, a tablet might be the best option and possibly one that only uses WIFI and not cellphone technology might be better.
So with this simplistic conclusion to go on with - which tablets emit the least amount of radiation?
Tablets With the Lowest Level of Microwave Radiation Output
Here I have hit a brick wall since:
- SAR ratings are typically only available for smartphones and not tablets.
- SAR ratings are said to be mostly useless anyway.
So there appears to be literally no industry accepted standard for accurately relaying the relative safety levels of both smart phones and other WIFI devices.. And yet, if we go to youtube we can see various videos of people using scanners to compare the outputs of differnet devices.
If we as individuals can demonstrate the output of devices at home in a useful way, then whey don't the government 'safety' teams do the same and to a higher standard?
I'll leave you to ponder that!
So What Will I Do?
I am in no rush to buy a tablet, although one would be useful for testing webpages - so I am still thinking of buying one in the near future. I need to find a way to reliably test the output of the devices without having to buy a costly scanner - so I might actually rent one and go on a tour of the various shops near me to find out first hand what devices are potentially least hazardous!
How about you? Do you have any experience with this issue? It would be great if you would let us know in the comments..
Stay tuned for more soon!
Wishing you well,
Ura Soul
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