Switzerland: Horror at Higher Cell Phone Radiation Exposure Limits

Two workers at a cell phone antennas.  The capacity of individual
transmitters may be increased.  This is stirring up resistance.
(Photo:  Keystone/ AP/ Frank Augstein/ icon)

On 25 February 2015, the Swiss Federal Council adopted a report detailing options to deal with the increase in mobile phone traffic.  One of  these is to raise the limit values of installations from 4-6 to 10 volts per meter.  Following is a summary of an article published in 20minutes.

Horror at higher cell phone radiation exposure limits
20min.ch, 27 February 2015

The Swiss mobile network is virtually unusable. The Federal Council concludes that there should be a relaxation of radiation protection limits, 

But opponents want to prevent this.   A number of Swiss Parliamentarians are against stronger radiation.

SVP National Councillor Andrea Geissbühler says that making long calls is not good, especially for children. "Diseases and brain damage cannot be excluded."

SP National Councillor Margret Kiener Nellen says she will oppose any increase.  There are electrosensitive people, but still no studies on the long-term damage of the previous generation of mobile phones. Children are using cell phones and we know little about possible health effects.



Professor Michael Hässig from the Zurich veterinary hospital has investigated the effects of mobile phone radiation on cows in a study. He says: "I am against raising the limit."  This is because we do not yet know the exact impact of new technologies and because "non-energy influences such as pulsation and resonance phenomena have been too little studied.

Yvonne Gilli, National Councillor of the Green Party and a member of the association Doctors for environmental protection aefu , says the Aefu is vigorously against a relaxation of limits.  This would be contrary to the Swiss environmental protection legislation on precautionary limits. According to Yvonne Gilli, the population is "exposed to a gigantic trial".  Mobile phone radiation according to the World Health Organization is "possibly carcinogenic". As a family doctor, she could not give the all-clear.

"Without communication, no prosperity"

It is not certain whether critical voices predominate in Parliament and the public. After an increase in the transmission capacity by a factor of 3.5, the radiation exposure in Switzerland would still be lower than in most neighboring countries: Currently, the Swiss limit is about ten times lower than in Germany or Austria. "First, there is still no evidence of the harmful effects of mobile phone radiation," says FDP National Councillor Christian Wasserfallen,  Increased value limits would provide better mobile coverage.

FDP National Councillor Ruedi Noser says: "If we want to maintain prosperity in Switzerland, we need communication. And it has to be efficient . He warns:" If we do not go there with time, wealth is lost.  Negative health effects of mobile antennas have not been detected.

Original article in German:
http://www.20min.ch/schweiz/news/story/Entsetzen-ueber-hoehere-Handystrahlen-Grenzwerte-14164764