Evidence

Scientific research into the potential biological, health and environmental effects of radiofrequency (RF) radiation dates back at least as far as the development of radar during World War II. Much of the initial research in the United States was conducted by the U.S. military and remains classified. Since the 1940s, thousands of scientific studies have been undertaken worldwide into the subject. Based on the consensus that has emerged thus far from this research, national and international RF radiation protective standards are presently based almost exclusively on so-called ‘thermal’ effects of RF radiation, i.e., effects caused by power levels high enough to heat living issue, as in a microwave oven. The debate at present among scientists is the nature and extent of so-called ‘non-thermal’ effects of RF radiation, i.e., effects caused by low-intensity exposures to RF radiation used by cellular phone networks, WiFi, Bluetooth, and other similar technologies. As the evidence cited below indicates, these non-thermal biological effects do take place; the question is whether and how they will translate into adverse health and environmental effects today and in the years to come.

Health and environmental effects of radiofrequency (RF) radiation:

~ U.S. Supreme Court(pdf)
This amicus brief filed with the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of Healthy Schools Network, Inc. provides citations (beginning on page 5) of relevant scientific studies dealing with biological and health effects of radiofrequency radiation. A few representative examples of specific studies are provided below.

~ Verum Foundation REFLEX Report (pdf)
Summarizes the findings of 12 research groups in 7 European countries, including genotoxic effects of radiofrequency radiation-induced DNA breakage.

~Survey Study of People Living in the Vicinity of Cellular Phone Base Stations(pdf)
Santini et al., Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 41-49,
2003.

~ Subjective Symptoms, Sleeping Problems, and Cognitive Performance in Subjects Living Near Mobile Base Stations (pdf)

~ Nerve Cell Damage in Mammalian Brain after Exposure to Microwaves from GSM Mobile Phones,
Salford, et al., Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 111, No. 7, June 2003
Hutter et al., Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 2006; 63; 307-313

~ Source of Funding and Results of Studies of Health Effects of Mobile Phone Use: Systematic Review of Experimental Studies,
Huss, et al., Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 115, No. 1, January 2007

~ Biological Effects of Radiofrequency Radiation from Wireless Transmission Towers (pdf)
Dr. Henry Lai, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

~ International Conference on Cell Tower Siting (Salzburg, Austria. June 7-8, 2000. pdf )
Proceedings of an international conference of leading scientists and experts from the fields of technical science, bioscience, medicine, and public health discussing public policy in response to proliferation of cellular base stations and towers.

~ Probable health effects associated with mobile base stations (Dr. Neil Cherry, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand. June 8th, 2000.)

Radiofrequency Radiation

Radiofrequency (RF) radiation is defined as the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum ranging from 10 kilohertz (10,000 cycles per second) to 300 gigahertz (300 billion cycles per second). AM and FM radio, broadcast television, cellular phones and WiFi are all examples of technologies that utilize RF radiation. Cellular networks in the United States typically operate in the 800 megahertz (800 million cycles per second) or 1,900 megahertz range, whereas WiFi most commonly operates at 2.45 gigahertz. As the articles collected below discuss, health and environmental concerns are raised both by the power level or intensity of RF radiation emissions, as well as by the characteristics of the signal itself (e.g., its frequency, modulations, and pulses).

The basis for INAFU's actions:

~Health and Environmental Effects of Radiofrequency (RF) Radiation by Mark Longwood

~How Exposure to Base-Station Radiation can Adversely Affect Humans by G.J. Hyland

~ Physics and Biology of Mobile Telephony by G.J. Hyland

~Benevento Resolution (pdf)
Scientists from around the world speak to the accumulating evidence suggesting adverse health effects from exposures to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and call for following the Precautionary Principle with regard to wireless technologies.

~International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF)
The union representing fire fighters in the U.S. and Canada opposes the use of fire stations as base stations for antennas and towers and for the conduction of cell phone transmissions until such installations are proven not to be hazardous to the health of their members.