Dear Delegate,

In this conference you will be tempted by wireless hand held devices that emit the same type of microwave radiation that mobile phones and mobile phone masts do.

We would like to inform you of the health risks associated with these technologies, because no one in the conference will. (We offered a speaker to go along, but he was politely declined.)

We are not against devices that send and receive their signals via cables or are signal-free.

What we are highly concerned about are the remote devices such as Wi-fi enabled laptops, blackberries, etc. which send and receive signals carried using microwave radiation.  These devices emit radiation constantly whilst they are switched on, in the same way as a mobile phone mast or mobile phone.

The resulting radiation intensity inside a classroom will be the same order of magnitude as if there were a phone mast outside the school (directed towards the school).

Not only has this technology never been proved to be safe, but there are 1000's of scientific papers pointing to serious adverse health and neurological effects as a result of exposure.

Learning occurs when brain cells are able to freely communicate with each other. Research now shows that Wi-fi signals can disrupt inter-cellular communication^[1] and impede learning.

Wired and pluggable devices can be used virtually risk-free, as were demonstrated at HHL07 in the form of the digimemo USB and espresso SD Card devices.

Facts to Consider:

^·          Philip Parkin, General Secretary of Teachers' Union Voice said "The proliferation of wireless networks could be having serious implications for the health of some staff and pupils without the cause being recognised." ^[10]

^·          The Public Health Dept of the Salzburg Government has issued advice not to use WLAN (Wi-Fi) in schools and nurseries. ^[11]

^·          The Frankfurt Local Education Authority and the Bavarian Parliament  banned wireless networks in schools ^[12]

^·          The French National Library has dismantled Wi-Fi along with 3 other Paris libraries as their staff suffered adverse effects on installation, such as headaches, dizziness, nausea. ^[13]

^·          The USA Progressive Librarians Guild Statement on Wi-Fi in Libraries and the Precautionary Principle - Amongst other things, they recommend adopting alternatives to wireless technology especially in children's sections of libraries. ^[14]

^·          The Russian Health Department says children under 18 should not use mobiles at all. ^[15]

^·          Motor and psychological functions of school children living in the area of the Skrunda Radio Location Station (RLS), using microwave signals, in Latvia - In 1999 it was reported that children living in front of the RLS had less developed memory and attention than other children ^[16]

^·          A New report reveals severe violations of workers' rights in Asian mobile phone factories ^[17]

With adult and even teenage adoption of mobile phones at saturation point, children - with their less-developed and more vulnerable bodies - are being targeted by companies such as T-Mobile (who are heavily involved in HHL08) as an easy way of increasing sales and hence their revenue.

We hope that the content of this leaflet is useful and that it persuades you to put the safety of pupils and staff first and to keep all your hand held devices and networks wired.

References

[1] http://www.w-a-r-t.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/2007_carlo_ jersey_evidence_health2.pdf (P48) Dr. George Carlo evidence to States of Jersey Health, Social Services and Housing Sub-Panel Telephone Mast Review 26th February 2007.

[2] Ecolog Report - Mobile Telecommunications and Health - Review of the Current Scientific Research in view of Precautionary Health Protection, Ecolog-Institute April 2000 - sponsored by T-Mobil (Translated from German into English by Andrea Klein 2007) - http://www.hese-project.org/hese-uk/en/niemr/ecologsum.php

[3] The Bioinitiative Report - http://www.bioinitiative.org

[4]  Joining the Dots - Overview of Public Health Trends in Australia - http://www.mastsanity.org/index.php?option= com_content&task=view&id=169&Itemid=1

[5] ,[6] The Government's expert group on mobile phones recommendation, from the Department of Health Leaflet: Mobile phones and health - Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones Report "The Stewart Report" http://www.iegmp.org.uk/  - Department of Health Leaflet: Mobile phones and health

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4123979

N.B. The Department of Education Guidelines and the Stewart Report state that "... the beam of greatest  RF [i.e. microwave] intensity ...should not be permitted to fall on any part of the school grounds or buildings without agreement from the school and parents".

[7] The German government is already advising its citizens to use wired internet connections instead of Wi-Fi, and landlines instead of mobile phones - http://www.hese-project.org/hese-uk/en/niemr/bundesregierung.php

[8] Europe's top environmental watchdog is calling for immediate action to reduce exposure to radiation from Wi-Fi, mobile phones and their masts. It suggests that delay could lead to a health crisis similar to those caused by asbestos, smoking and lead in petrol.

Professor Jacqueline McGlade, the EEA's executive director, said yesterday: "Recent research and reviews on the long-term effects of radiations from mobile telecommunications suggest that it would be prudent for health authorities to recommend actions to reduce exposures, especially to vulnerable groups, such as children." - http://www.eea.europa.eu/highlights/radiation-risk-from-everyday-devices-assessed and http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10463870

[9] Panorama "Wi-Fi: a warning signal" Transcript - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/6683969.stm

[10] Voice the Union Statement - http://www.voicetheunion.org.uk/index.cfm/page/_sections.contentdetail.cfm/navid/11/parentid/0/_sa/17/id/278

[11] Salzburg Statement - http://www.buergerwelle.de/pdf/wlan_dect_in_schools_and_kindergardens.pdf

[12] Frankfurt LEA -  http://omega.twoday.net/stories/3974159/

[13] French libraries -  http://www.next-up.org/pdf/FranceNationalLibraryGivesUpWiFi07042008.pdf

[14] USA Libraries - http://www.libr.org/plg/wifiresolution.php

[15] Russia Health Dept - http://www.brain-surgery.us/RNCNIRP2008.pdf

[16] Latvia Children - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V78-3VWF8W2-D&_user=10&_coverDate=02%2F02%2F1996&_rdoc=1&_fmt=summary&_orig=browse&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=6b5c7db617f2ac5f55722daf3714519f