Mast Sanity is calling for an immediate halt on future Wi-fi installations in schools and the removal of all current school Wi-fi installations with a switch back to wired systems.

We call for the application of the precautionary principle. If Wi-fi is found to be harmful -“ as evidence^[0] in many schools suggests - then we will have sacrificed a generation of children who are currently continually subjected to the microwave radiation it emits. Irreversible damage may be done.

Mast Sanity Spokesperson Yasmin Skelt^[1], said "The mad clamour for new technology has raced ahead of legislation and public health concerns. As Professor Lawrie Challis, who heads the committee on mobile phone research^[2], stated "Children are much more sensitive than adults to a number of other dangers" the law should protect children from unproven technology."

"Professor Alan Preece has stated regarding Wi-fi "No one is really aware of what we are dealing with. The Department of Trade and Industry needs to take the lead and do some investigation"^[3]. I absolutely agree but the few regulations are a mess. The DTI, Ofcom^[4] and Ruth Kelly should act now"

"Seven years ago the Becta^[5] Study which was never published was carried out when wireless systems were first being installed in schools. The report raised health and safety questions and reported that some engineers complained of headaches at the end of the working days. Becta deferred to the Health Protection Agency^[6] on health and safety issues. Well seven years have gone by and we are still waiting for the HPA to announce on what it is going to do."^[7]

The intensity of radiation received from Wi-fi access points inside a school will be the same or higher than in the main beam from a Mobile Phone Mast situated outside a school.

Both the Stewart Report^[8] and the newly discovered German ECOLOG report^[10] ( sponsored by T-Mobile) recommended that the beam of maximum intensity of base stations ( Mobile Phone Masts) should not fall on ANY part of a school. This was reiterated in the DfES guidelines^[9]. And in the case of the ECOLOG report that emission levels should be 1000 times lower than currently allowed " especially in areas of sensitivity such as schools.

Yasmin went on to say, "It is a diabolical situation where the Government will put in guidelines to protect the outside of a school but refuses to even acknowledge a potential but marked risk and positively encourages the mass roll-out of an unnecessary system. Blair might be going but Brown is inheriting a potential public health nightmare."

Thus Wi-fi should be banned in schools.

END

*** Late Addition ***

Dr. Andrew Goldworthy of Imperial College London is inviting concerned people to contact their MPs - "Who was responsible for the decision not to warn education authorities of the possible dangers of genetic damage from Wi-Fi radiation?"

Notes and References ....

Notes and References:

0. There are now many cases of health problems triggered by Wi-Fi installations in school and elsewhere, for example John Fox (Teacher) , Robert Thinker (Home Owner) , Michael Bevington (Teacher) , Tony (Resident in flat) , Kate Figes (Author) , Ryan Warne (Furniture Worker) , Poppy Rhodes (Journalist) , David Dean (Councillor, London) , Sarah Dacre (former TV Executive) , Brian Stein (Chief Executive) , As previously reported by Mast Sanity and the Times Educational Supplement recently in a BECTA report from 2000, but never published, "some engineers complained of headaches at the end of the working days". In the Independent on Sunday (13/05/2007) published a letter from yet another sufferer entitled "Wi-Fi headache" it went on to say "I have worked in an IT environment for 20 years, suffering little more than the odd trip-up on trailing cables ("Scientists demand inquiry over Wi-Fi", 29 April). My organisation has used wireless routers on and off for a year. As soon as the device is booted up I sense a searing head pain that can last several hours. Using a mobile also causes headaches. My home network is wired." from David Williams, SALE, CHESHIRE . Additionally, members of Mast Sanity know of several other examples where people have been made ill by the presence of Wi-fi and have recovered afterwards. i. A neighbour always ill in various ways over a long period of time whilst wi-fi was in the house recovered soon after it was turned off. ii. Family friend, also over a long period, often had a migraine when sat by the wi-fi router - he recovered when wi-fi was removed. iii. An ex-colleague who could not stand to stay in his office when wi-fi was introduced - had to give up his work there - his reaction was so severe that he is now electrosensitive and has to avoid all other forms of microwave emissions. iv. Another member under took a straw poll of parents and children leaving local school with wi-fi - 1/3 of children were described as often having headaches, migraines, sleep problems, nose bleeds and mouth ulcers. None of these symptoms occurred before Wi-fi was installed, and all are commonly associated with findings from research into other comparable forms of microwave radiation. Also everyone who is registered with the charity electrosensitivity will also not be able to go near Wi-fi.

1. Yasmin Skelt was one of the first members of the public to challenge the government's planning policy in the now classic case that is often quoted in planning inquiries - Yasmin Skelt v First Secretary of State and Three Rivers District Council and Orange PCS Limited.

2. Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programme (MTHR) - http://www.mthr.org.uk/index.htm

3. Independent on Sunday - 29/4/07 - "Scientists demand inquiry over Wi-fi" - http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/article2494225.ece

4. Ofcom is the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries, with responsibilities across television, radio, telecommunications and wireless communications services. http://www.ofcom.org.uk/

5. Becta - http://www.becta.org.uk/

6. Health Protection Agency -HPA - Radiation Protection Division - http://www.hpa.org.uk/radiation/default.htm

7. Times Education Supplement 30 March 2007 Report by Jonathan Milne http://www.tes.co.uk

8. Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones Report - "The Stewart Report" http://www.iegmp.org.uk/ The Stewart Report[8] S1.42 recommended that.....'the beam of greatest RF intensity' from a [Mobile Phone Mast] macrocell base station sited within or near the grounds of a school should not be permitted to fall on any part of the school's grounds or buildings without agreement from the school and parents'......