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11 September 2018

Top 20 Facts On 5G: What You Need To Know About 5G Wireless And “Small” Cells

Top 20 Facts On 5G: What You Need To Know About 5G Wireless And “Small” Cells
Environmental Health Trust, September 2018

What You Need To Know About 5G Wireless And “Small” Cells
20 Facts About 5G


Download a PDF of this information on a two page EHT Factsheet on 5G and Health. The factsheet is hyperlinked (blue text) to research and sources. It is a great resource for policymakers.

Nationwide, communities are being told by wireless companies that it is necessary to build “small cell” wireless facilities in neighborhoods on streetlight and utility poles in order to offer 5G, a new technology that will connect the Internet of Things (IoT). At the local, state, and federal level, new legislation and new zoning aim to streamline the installation of these 5G “small cell” antennas in public rights-of-way.

1. 5G “small cell antennas are to be placed in neighborhoods everywhere.



  • Street lights
  • Trashcans
  • Utility poles
  • Bus stops
  • Sides of buildings

2. The radiation from small cells is not small.

Wireless antennas emit microwaves — non-ionizing radiofrequency radiation — and essentially function as cell towers. Each installation can have over a thousand antennas that are transmitting simultaneously. Examples of how small cells are not small include: 
 
  • They increase electromagnetic radiation near homes.
  • They have refrigerator-sized (and larger) equipment cabinets.
  • Property values drop after a cell tower is built near homes.
  • Taller and wider poles are needed for the antennas.
  • Fixtures weigh hundreds of pounds.

NO. They are not the size of pizza boxes. The cabinets – called “street furniture” by industry to make it sound warm and cozy- which house the electronics for each antenna can be larger than a refrigerator. Most neighborhood light poles are not strong enough to hold the 5G equipment so they will be replaced by much taller wider poles with antennas and 6 ft buzzing boxes. This is called “hardening” the poles. In Montgomery County as an example, neighborhood, the slim 14 ft light poles will be replaced with hefty 24 ft towers with 300 pound antennas and 6 ft buzzing boxes.

3. Millions of small cells are to be built in front yards in the name of 5G.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) estimates and is supporting that millions of these wireless transmitters will be built in our rights-of-way, directly in front of our homes.

4. 5G will add an extra layer — not replace — our current wireless technology.

5G will utilize current 3G and 4G wireless frequencies already in use and also add even more radiation. Higher frequency — submillimeter and millimeter waves — will be used in 5G in order to transmit data at superfast speeds.

5. Community authority is being overruled at every level.

Communities are being stripped of their right to make decisions about this new technology. ”Streamlining” means almost automatic approval. Public notice and public hearings are being eliminated. Even if every homeowner on the block opposes the antennas on their street, the opposition will be disregarded with new regulations moving forward at the federal and state level. .

6. Cell phone companies have confirmed that 5G “small” cell towers do not need to be placed every hundred feet (despite industry statements that densely placed small cells are needed in close vicinity to homes).

Verizon’s CEO, Lowell McAdam stated on camera that 4G and 5G antennas will work from 3,000 feet away on Macro Towers. This statement proves that Verizon DOES NOT need to place 5G small cells in residential areas every 500 to 1,000 feet.

“When [Verizon] went out in these 11 [5G test] markets, we tested for well over a year, so we could see every part of foliage and every storm that went through. We have now busted the myth that [5G frequencies] have to be line-of-sight — they do not. We busted the myth that foliage will shut [5G] down . . . that does not happen. And the 200 feet from a home? We are now designing the network for over 2,000 feet from transmitter to receiver, which has a huge impact on our capital need going forward. Those myths have disappeared.”

-Lowell McAdam, CEO of Verizon

“[Verizon 5G] is really high frequency [28,000 MHz and 39,000 MHz], so everybody thinks it doesn’t go very far, but it’s a really big pipe and so that’s what allows you to gain the super fast speeds . . We’re 3,000 feet away from our radio node. the cool thing about this is that we did not move the radio node. . . here even 3,000 feet away, we’re still getting 1,000 [Megabits per second] speeds . . . So now we’ve driven about 1/3 of a mile away [1,760 feet] from the radio node. we are still getting very good speeds even though we have foliage in between [800 Megabits per second].”

-Jason L., Verizon Field Engineer

7. Scientists worldwide are calling for a halt to the 5G Roll-out.

Scientists from all over the world have issued a declaration calling for a moratorium on the increase of 5G cell antennas citing human health effects and impacts to wildlife.

“We recommend a moratorium on the roll-out of the fifth generation, 5G, for telecommunication until potential hazards for human health and the environment have been fully investigated by scientists independent from industry…RF-EMF has been proven to be harmful for humans and the environment.”

— The 5G Scientific Appeal (An Appeal signed by more than 250 scientists and doctors from 35 countries)
Read the 2017 Scientific Appeal on 5G To the European Commission
Read the EMF Scientist Appeal published in the International Journal of Oncology.
Read Letters From Dozens of Scientists on Health Risks of 5G

8. Cumulative daily radiation exposure is associated with serious health effects.

“Effects include increased cancer risk, cellular stress, increase in harmful free radicals, genetic damages, structural and functional changes of the reproductive system, learning and memory deficits, neurological disorders, and negative impacts on general well-being.” – EMF Scientific Appeal

The public is unaware that peer reviewed, published science indicates that exposures to wireless radiation can increase cancer risk, alter brain development and damage sperm. This radiation is also associated with headaches, hormone changes, memory problems and sleep problems.

Most people are also unaware that wireless technology was never tested for long-term safety decades ago when the technology was first introduced. Children are more vulnerable to this radiation and that the accumulated scientific evidence shows harmful effects.

“There is a substantial body of evidence that this technology is harmful to humans and the environment. The 5G millimeter wave is known to heat the eyes, skin and testes… Of particular concern are the most vulnerable among us — the unborn, children, the infirm, the elderly and the disabled. It is also expected that populations of bees and birds will drastically decline.”

Letter from oncologist Lennart Hardell MD & Colleagues

“A growing body of scientific literature documents evidence of nonthermal cellular damage from non-ionizing wireless radiation used in telecommunications. This RF EMR has been shown to cause an array of adverse effects on DNA integrity, cellular membranes, gene expression, protein synthesis, neuronal function, the blood brain barrier, melatonin production, sperm damage and immune dysfunction”. –Dr. Cindy Russell 2018 paper entitled “5 G wireless telecommunications expansion: Public health and environmental implications.”

Read more published research studies.

9. Scientists state that wireless radiation is a human carcinogen.

Several researchers have published their opinion in multiple papers that cellular radiation- radiofrequency radiation (the type that cell towers emit) is a human carcinogen based on the current body of science. In 2018, the US National Toxicology Program study peer review scientists concluded “clear evidence of cancer” from cellular radiation exposure in the largest US animal study ever done on the issue. Examples of this published research includes:

Miller et al., “Cancer Epidemiology Update, following the 2011 IARC Evaluation of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields (Monograph 102)” Environmental Research
Peleg M, Nativ O, Richter ED. Radio frequency radiation-related cancer: assessing causation in the occupational/military setting. Environmental Research Vol 163, 2018, pp 123–133.
Hardell, L. and M. Carlberg. Using the Hill viewpoints from 1965 for evaluating strengths of evidence of the risk for brain tumors associated with use of mobile and cordless phones. Rev Environ Health 28:97-106, 2013.
Evaluation of Mobile Phone and Cordless Phone Use and Glioma Risk Using the Bradford Hill Viewpoints from 1965 on Association or Causation. Carlberg M et al. Biomed Res Int. (2017)

10. Antennas near homes decrease property values.
Studies show property values drop up to 20% on homes near cell towers. Would you buy a home with a mini cell tower in the yard?

Read research studies that show decreased property value from cell towers near homes.

11. Experts state that 5G Small Cell Wireless streaming bills do not make financial sense.

The California Department of Finance rejected California’s 5G small cell wireless infrastructure bill S. 649 stating that, “Finance opposes this bill… this bill goes too far by usurping city and county zoning authority for infrastructure development, and it potentially imposes reimbursable, state-mandated costs on cities and counties.”

12. Microwave antennas in front yards present several worker and public safety issues.
Unions have already filed comments that workers were injured, unaware they were working near transmitting antennas. How will HVAC workers, window washers, and tree cutters be protected? The heavy large equipment cabinets mounted on poles along our sidewalks also present new hazards. Cars run into utility poles, often, what then? US Department of Labor letters and reports of cell tower health and safety issues.

13. Fiber is the solution and the safe alternative.
Worldwide, many regions are investing in wired fiber optic connections which are are safer, faster, more reliable, provide greater capacity, and are more cyber-secure. Read “Re-Inventing Wires: The Future of Landlines and Networks,” by the National Institute for Science, Law & Public Policy

14. Wireless Companies warn investors of risks but neglect to inform consumers and neighbors living near towers.

Crown Castle (a company building small cell infrastructure throughout the USA) has a statement in their 2016 10-K Annual Report that says: “If radio frequency emissions from wireless handsets or equipment on our wireless infrastructure are demonstrated to cause negative health effects, potential future claims could adversely affect our operations, costs or revenues… We currently do not maintain any significant insurance with respect to these matters.”

Read similar warnings from Crown Castle, Verizon and other wireless companies in their Annual Reports.

15. Antennas near our homes will affect our sleep.
Wireless radiation alters sleep patterns in replicated research in both animals and humans. For example, an animal study found an hour of exposure to RFR caused a one-hour delay for rats to drift into REM or deep sleep. Human studies have found exposure reduces REM sleep, alters the EEG signal and results in altered performance.

16. Cellular Radiation Negatively Impacts Birds and Bees

Published research finds the frequencies impact wildlife. For example studies have found that the radiation alter bird navigation and disturb honeybee colonies. Research on EMF and Bees. Research on Wildlife

17. US Cities and Entire Countries are voting to halt 5G
Petaluma and Mill Valley California have voted on policies to halt 5G. Petaluma City Council voted to prohibited small cell installation on city-owned light poles and other city-owned street furniture and established a 500-foot setback from a small cell to any residence.
Read “California City blocks 5G deployments over cancer concerns
Read “Petaluma 360: Petaluma sets cell phone tower policy”

Many countries such as China, India, Poland, Russia, Italy and Switzerland have far more protective and stricter radiation limits than do we in the United States. These more protective radiation limits will not allow the full deployment of 5G because the increased 5G radiation would exceed these governments allowable levels of radiation. These countries are causing a lot of a headaches for the global telecommunications industry, which has in response launched large-scale public relations efforts to do away with these restrictions. However many countries are holding firm to their limits. For example, in 2018, the Swiss Parliament rejected (22 to 21 votes) loosening the limits for non-ionizing radiation.

18. The FCC is not monitoring radiation exposures from cell installations and many cell towers are in violation of the radiation limits.

The Wall Street Journal did an investigative report in 2014 examining over 5,000 cell antennas sites and found that 1 in 10 sites violated the rules during safety audits for carriers and local municipalities “underscoring a safety lapse,” yet the FCC has issued just two citations to cell carriers since 1996 because “the FCC says it lacks resources to monitor each antenna.” A CBS Atlanta investigation also found radiation excesses up to 400 percent of the limit close up to the antennas on rooftop posing serious health risks especially to any worker coming on the roof.
Read “Cellphone Boom Spurs Antenna-Safety Worries: Many Sites Violate Rules Aimed at Protecting Workers From Excessive Radio-Frequency Radiation.” Wall Street Journal
Failure to follow cellular antenna regulations raises safety issues” CBS ATLANTA, Nov 17, 2014

19. The American Academy of Pediatrics is one of many medical organizations that is calling for federal action to protect children. For example, the American Academy of Pediatrics webpage on Cell Towers states:

“An Egyptian study confirmed concerns that living nearby mobile phone base stations increased the risk for developing:

  • Headaches
  • Memory problems
  • Dizziness
  • Depression
  • Sleep problems”

In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), our largest organization of children’s doctors, has repeatedly written the US government that current regulations on cellular radiation are outdated and non protective for children and pregnant women.

“Children are not little adults and are disproportionately impacted by all environmental exposures, including cell phone radiation. Current FCC standards do not account for the unique vulnerability and use patterns specific to pregnant women and children. It is essential that any new standard for cell phones or other wireless devices be based on protecting the youngest and most vulnerable populations to ensure they are safeguarded throughout their lifetimes.”

2013 AAP Letter to the FCC and FDA calling for a review of RF guidelines 8/29/2013

See a list of action and statements by medical organizations here.

20. Firefighters fought hard to oppose 5G small cells in California
The International Association of Firefighters has officially opposed cell towers on their stations since 2004 after a study found neurological damage in firefighters with antennas on their station.

In 2017, when 5G “small cells were coming to California via a 5G streamlining bill (SB649), firefighter organizations came out in strong opposition to the bill and cited the many peer-reviewed studies. They requested that 5G towers not be installed on firehouses. They were successful and SB649 was amended to exempt their stations from the deployment due to their health concerns.

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