Switzerland: 5G Before the Judges

5G before the judges
by Aline Andrey, Evénement, 27 Apr 2022 - translation

The Federal Court will decide on two pioneering appeals against the implementation of 5G in Switzerland. Explanations 

© Thierry Porchet

Two antennas in the canton of Fribourg are the subject of appeals to the Federal Court (TF) filed by Stop5G Glâne and individuals with their lawyer Raphaël Mahaim, who is also a Green National Councillor. A pioneering approach, because in other cantons, such as Vaud and Geneva, the moratoria decreed in 2019, have slowed down the procedures (they have since been lifted). Two or three procedures before the TF have also been launched from the German-speaking part of Switzerland. The High Court is expected to issue its judgements in a few months and this will have a significant impact in all cantons on the implementation of 5G antennas.
For the time being, the 3000 or so oppositions filed by citizens are following their course, except in a few cantons such as Fribourg and Berne, which have decided to wait for the decision of the Federal Court. "In some places, permits are issued; in others, when there is resistance in the municipalities, there is a refusal. In these cases, it is then the operators who appeal. I am following several cases that will soon be before the Cantonal Court, certainly, also arriving at the TF", explains Raphael Mahaim.

Belgium Says No to 5G mmWave Down South

Belgium says no to 5G mmWave down south
Written by Mary Lennighan, telecoms.com, 25 April 2022

The government of Belgium’s Wallonia region has given the go-ahead for an increase in radiation limits for 5G, but is sticking to its guns on health concerns about millimetre wave.

The powers that be are not scaremongering on mmWave as such. It’s just that the science is lacking, they say. That is, there isn’t enough hard information on the impact of mmWave on health, therefore they have opted for what they term “the principle of precaution.”

The regional government hasn’t exactly thrown caution to the wind on radiation standards either.

It confirmed on Friday that, based on the recommendations of an expert panel, the limit on the emissions from radio masts using 900 MHz frequencies will be set at 9.2 volts per meter per operator, up a maximum of double that, or 18.4 V/m, if multiple operators are using the same site. With shared mast usage being pretty much a given for 5G in most places, that second figure is the important one here.

EWG letter published in JAMA Oncology: “Evidence Base on the Potential Carcinogenicity of Radiofrequency Radiation”

EWG letter published in JAMA Oncology: “Evidence Base on the Potential Carcinogenicity of Radiofrequency Radiation”

By Olga Naidenko, Ph.D. (EWG), Environmental Working Group, 21 April 2022

Recent research points to the cancer risks caused by radiofrequency radiation from wireless communication devices, EWG says in a letter this week to JAMA Oncology’s editor.

We’ve worried for decades about the harm caused by exposure to radiofrequency radiation. Now technological advances are leaping well ahead of government assessments of these risks: New communication devices have moved much faster than government agencies’ capacity to assess their potential health risks.

EMFs, Calcium and Alzheimer's

EMFs, calcium and Alzheimer's
Bentham Science Publishers, miragenews.com, 26 April 2022

(Read the published article by Prof. Martin Hall here: https://www.eurekaselect.com/article/120618 )

For almost a quarter of a century, researchers have been studying and publishing on the effect of calcium on Alzheimer’s Disease. Research has led to the development of the calcium hypothesis of Alzheimer’s disease, which argues that Alzheimer’s is caused by excessive intracellular calcium.

Calcium causes changes to the brain

Calcium build-up in cells results in diverse range of changes in the brain. There are two significant changes that develop conditions for Alzheimer’s disease.

Specific increases in the amyloid precursor protein, BACE1 and amyloid beta protein aggregates

Less specific neurodegenerative changes including hyperphosphorylated tau protein and neurofibrillary tangles, cell death produced by apoptosis or by destructive autophagy, synaptic dysfunction produced by changes in neuronal structures required for synapsis between brain neurons, oxidative stress and inflammation.

United States: Request for Investigation of Conflicts of Interest at the FDA re. Dr. Jeffrey Shuren on Cell Phone Radiation

REQUEST FOR INVESTIGATION OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AT THE FDA RE DR. JEFFREY SHUREN ON CELL PHONE RADIATION
Environmental Health Trust,  Apr 18, 2022

EHT is sharing a recent request to the FDA for an investigation related to possible conflicts of interest at the FDA, specifically in regards to FDA’s Dr. Shuren who provided false safety assurances to the FCC in regards to cell phone and wireless radiation.

Please note this is not EHT’s email. We are only sharing the information. EHT has also itself filed a major petition regarding FDA’s misleading information on cell phone radiation.

Request for Investigation of Malfeasance and Conflicts of Interest at the FDA made; in addition to a Petition of the FDA Requesting a Declaration of Imminent Hazard in regards to the Safety of Exposure to Non-ionizing Radiation in Dec 2021.

“Dr. Shuren’s family benefits from a billion-dollar telecom practice in the Arnold & Porter law firm where his wife is a partner. Most alarming was this quote from the law firm’s website: “We played a lead role in every transaction undertaken by AT&T (formerly SBC) since the passage of the 1996 Telecommunications Act…”

United States: Pittsfield, MA: An "Emergency" Cease and Desist Order Sent to Verizon

 Environmental Health Trust, 15 April 2022

An "Emergency" Cease and Desist Order Sent to Verizon

The Pittsfield Massachusetts City Board of Health sent a Emergency “Cease & Desist” order to Verizon “to protect the public health” after over a year of research investigating the numerous reports of physical health issues by families living in the neighborhood near the tower after the tower became operational in 2020. The order has been received and a copy to be released to the public. Read the Board of Health order here. Watch excerpts from the April 6, 2022 Board of Health Meeting where they voted to send the finalized order. “The evidence presented to the Board includes well over one thousand peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies which consistently find that pulsed and modulated RFR has bio-effects and can lead to short- and long-term adverse health effects in humans…Credible, independent peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies show profoundly deleterious effects on human health, including but not limited to: neurological and dermatological effects; increased risk of cancer and brain tumors; DNA damage; oxidative stress; immune dysfunction; cognitive processing effects; altered brain development, sleep and memory disturbances, ADHD, abnormal behavior, sperm dysfunction, and damage to the blood-brain barrier.”

France : Collective action against the ANSES public consultation on 5G

Collective action against the ANSES public consultation on 5G
Equipe Phonegate 15 Apr 2022

Five associations* that participated in the public consultation opened by ANSES on the expert report and the associated opinion published on April 20, 2021 on “Population exposure to electromagnetic fields associated with the deployment of 5G communication technology and the related health effects” have sent an informal appeal to Mr. Roger Genet, Director General of the agency on April 12, 2022.

They intend, by this means, to challenge the decision of the agency to refuse to publish and take into account the comments they filed on this occasion, which has resulted in particular in the irregularity of the expert report and the opinion of ANSES, published on February 17, 2022.

Swiss government reports backs measures on 5G antennas, fibre expansion

Swiss govt reports backs measures on 5G antennas, fibre expansion

Telecompaper, 13 April 2022

The Swiss government is supporting high-performance networks with adaptive mobile antennas for 5G in combination with a targeted expansion of fibre-optic networks, while at the same time protecting the population from radiation from antennas, according to a report by the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) in partnership with the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) and approved by the government. The report said the use of adaptive antennas on the 5G network partially reduces exposure to radiation, simultaneously increasing network capacity by a factor of ten compared with 4G.

The use of adaptive antennas is allowed in Switzerland under current rules. As a result, the operators estimate that fewer new antennas will be required for the expansion of the 5G network than initially assumed, at 7,500 instead of 26,500. The costs will also be significantly lower at CHF 3.2 billion instead of CHF 7.7 billion. The report shows that the number of antennas required depends mainly on the volume of data that will be transmitted.

Towards a high-bandwidth society in Switzerland with 5G and fibre optics

Since the press release and report have been globally distributed, we invite readers to consider the following comments from one of Switzerland's leading activist organizations, defending the rights and health of citizens.

The Federal press release says nothing except being an hymn to 5G and fiber optics for a broadband society for Switzerland. Without indicating that fiber optics only increases electromagnetic pollution if people do not cable their devices.It also states, "In addition, the conditions are in place to effectively protect the population from radiation from antennas." These are the conclusions of a report that the Federal Council approved at its meeting on April 13, 2022. The headlong rush of our authorities continues without considering the alarm signals of leading scientists and the calls for caution of the population. Only the powerful lobbies are being listened to.  

(5G Moratoire pour la Suisse : https://5gmoratoirepourlasuisse.ch/

Switzerland with 5G and fibre optics
Federal Council, 13 April 2022

Bern, 13.04.2022 - Switzerland is on the path to becoming a high-bandwidth society thanks to a combination of dense, high-performance networks with adaptive 5G antennas and a carefully planned expansion of fibre optics. At the same time, the conditions are in place to effectively protect the population from radiation from antennas. These are the conclusions of a report adopted by the Federal Council at its meeting on 13 April. It advises against the creation of a single mobile network on account of the considerable legal and economic risks.

The complete text is available in German, French and Italian. Please click on a language in the navigation menu via the link below.

https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start/documentation/media-releases/media-releases-federal-council.msg-id-87987.html

The report is in English:

Assessment of varied mobile network topologies on human exposure, mobile communication quality and sustainability

Open access report: https://bit.ly/Deruyck2021

Address for enquiries

Federal Office of Communications OFCOM
Media Service
+41 58 460 55 50, media@bakom.admin.ch

Scientists Reject "Million Woman" Oxford Cell Phone Cancer Study as Fatally Flawed

SCIENTISTS REJECT “MILLION WOMAN” OXFORD CELL PHONE CANCER STUDY AS FATALLY FLAWED
Environmental Health Trust, 6 April 2022

Scientists Dispute “Million Woman” Cell Phone Cancer Study as Flawed

Most women in study used cell phones for under 30 minutes a week. Study did not assess wireless radiation exposures from wireless phones.

WASHINGTON, April 5, 2022—A powerful group of scientists, including epidemiologists and physicians and Environmental Health Trust experts, have convened to dispute a study on U.K. women recently published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute that concluded cell phone use did not increase cancer risk. The group asserts that the study of older women – the majority of whom used the cell phone for under 30 minutes a week- provides false safety assurances regarding cell phones and cancer. The scientists are highlighting serious issues in the Oxford study which they say is “fatally flawed and designed in a way that cannot evaluate cell phone cancer risk.” The scientists note that numerous human and animal studies have found associations between cell phone radiation and cancer and they recommend the public reduce exposures to cell phone and other wireless radiation, especially children.

French Court strips SpaceX’s Starlink spectrum license after legal challenge from health & environmental groups

French Court strips SpaceX’s Starlink spectrum license after legal challenge from health & environmental groups
by Dan Swinhoe, datacenterdynamics.com, 8 April 2022

Court rules in favor of anti-5G groups, arguing licenses were issued without public consultation

SpaceX’s Starlink service has lost its authorization to use spectrum in France after being challenged in court by two associations.

First reported by the Register, the Conseil d'Etat court this week ruled to revoke Starlink’s license to use two frequency bands in the country.

In the ruling, the court granted an annulment of the spectrum use requested by PRIARTEM and Agir pour l'environnement. The rights groups were granted this, the ruling said, because of a lack of public consultation.

“The contested decision of ARCEP, which aims to authorize the company Starlink Internet Services Limited... is likely to have a significant impact on the market for the provision of broadband Internet access and to affect the interests of end-users. Therefore, by taking this decision without having first consulted the public, ARCEP disregarded the provisions of V of Article L. 32-1 of the Post and Electronic Communications Code,” the decision reads.