Tall, cellular antennas on school roofs will be a less common sight in Vancouver, BC, thanks to a groundbreaking decision by the Vancouver School Board (VSB).

The Board has banned new cellular antennas from school lands. “There is no conclusive evidence that the installation of cellular antennas on or adjacent to schools is safe,” the motion read. It was passed by the Board on February 8, 2005, becoming the first of its kind in Canada.

This action reflects rising concern about electromagnetic fields (EMFs) - spaces influenced by electricity. If you plug in a lamp, for example, the cord has an energy field around it. Turn on that lamp and a magnetic field is produced as electricity moves through the cord.

EMFs Are All Around Us

At a lamp’s low electric frequency, these two fields can be measured separately. At higher frequencies, though, electric and magnetic fields combine to produce electromagnetic radiation. A lamp shuts off if you pull the plug, but television signals continue to radiate outward even after you’ve turned off the power.

Cellphone antennas emit such a high frequency radiation that the VSB has also voted against their installation on lands within 305 metres (1,000 feet) of Vancouver schools.

“We are electromagnetic beings,” explains Milt Bowling, president of the Clean Energy Foundation and chair of the Health Action Network Society’s EMF Task Force (hans.org). “That’s why we’re tested with electrocardiograms and electroencephalograms. Anything with an electromagnetic field will interact with us. Where we get into problems is when our bodies face man-made EMFs. Our bodies can’t rely on evolutionary experience to deal with them properly.”

Links to Cancer

“Research shows higher magnetic fields are associated with greater risk of [childhood] leukemia,” says Dr. Madga Havas, an environmental scientist at Trent University, Ontario. “Other studies report a slight increase in female breast cancer; a large increase in male breast cancer for occupational exposure; an increase in brain tumours above 10 milli-gauss (mG, the unit for measuring strength of a magnetic field); an increased incidence of miscarriages above 16 mG; and an increased incidence of Lou Gehrig’s disease [amyotrophic lateral sclerosis].”

At the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, Professor Olle Johansson is studying electromagnetic hypersensitivity, a recognized condition affecting three percent of Swedes. Symptoms include skin problems, fatigue, and headaches.

What Levels are Safe?

As the damning evidence continues to mount, several countries have lowered EMF exposure guidelines. Switzerland and Sweden say children’s exposure should be less than three mG; for adults, less than 10 mG. Italy and Israel have also reduced their exposure guidelines, but Canada’s, says Dr. Havas, “are among the worst in the world at 833 mG for public exposure and 4,167 for occupational exposure.”

Plus, these exposure levels in Health Canada’s Safety Code 6 are based on thermal effects only. In other words, if a radiating device doesn’t heat body tissue temperature by one degree centigrade in six minutes, then there’s no (perceived) problem.

Vancouver writer Michelle Hancock is especially interested in health and environmental politics. She can be reached through editorial@alive.com.

Source: alive #274, August 2005