[Press Release] Phonegate : A new victory in our fight for transparency against ANFR

[Press Release] Phonegate : A new victory in our fight for transparency against ANFR
by Marc Arazi, arazi.fr, 9 March 2018

The National Frequencies Agency (ANFR), in a press release appearing March 8, 2018, announced the publication on its site data.anfr.fr the complete reports of controls conducted on 442 mobile phones tested between 2012 and 2017.

In the fight for transparency, it is a new victory against ANFR which, using multiple arguments, has repeatedly refused to make public these data that are essential to the health and safety of mobile phone users. For Dr. Marc Arazi who launched the alert on this new health and industrial scandal: “This is an important major victory but now the French and European people must be fully informed and governments must take measures of protection, in particular, ordering the removal of mobile phones that exceed the thresholds in contact with the body. The inertia of Ministers Nicolas Hulot and Agnès Buzyn is no longer acceptable. »

Radiofrequency Exposure Limits: FCC's Ongoing Proceedings Addressing Human Exposure to Radiofrequency Fields

This is the third entry of three regarding the FCC’s ongoing proceedings to address human exposure to radio-frequency (RF) fields. Below are links to Parts One and Two.

RF Exposure Limits–Signs of the Times—Part One

RF Signs of the Times—Part Two

Osure RF Signs of the Times—Part Three

Thursday, March 1, 2018

by Michael T. N. Fitch, Senior Counsel, natlawreview.com, 1st March 2018

This third entry on the FCC’s ongoing review of RF exposure limits highlights the Notice of Inquiry that focuses on possible changes to the current RF exposure limits.

The NOI reiterates that the current exposure limits were adopted in 1996 and while expressing confidence in these limits, the NOI observes that intervening research studies, the ubiquity of device adoption, advances in technology, and developments in international standards support updating the record on RF exposure limits. Accordingly, the NOI seeks comment on whether the current exposure limits should be changed, and the costs and benefits of any suggested changes. The FCC explains its “intent is to adequately protect the public without imposing an undue burden on industry.” It adds that its goal “is to open a science-based examination of the efficacy, currency, and adequacy of the Commission’s exposure limits for RF electromagnetic fields.”

Do I Need to Worry About Radiation From WiFi and Bluetooth Devices?

Do I Need to Worry About Radiation From WiFi and Bluetooth Devices?
by Catherine Roberts, consumerreports.org, 1st March 2018

What’s known about the potential risk from routers and wireless headphones

Recent research has resurfaced concerns among scientists about a potential link between cell-phone radiation and cancer. But that research—a 10-year, $25 million government study in rodents—left a lot of key questions unanswered. That includes how relevant the findings are to newer wireless technologies such as Bluetooth and WiFi that have become widespread since the study was designed in the early 2000s.

Like cell phones, routers use radio frequency (RF) energy—a form of electromagnetic radiation—to bring wireless internet to your computer, TV, and other devices. Bluetooth headphones and speakers also rely on RF signals to play music. Smartwatches use RF to connect to your phone. And any WiFi-connected smart devices in your home also receive and transmit data using this type of energy. Do you need to worry about any of that?

Switzerland: "Do Not Prematurely Increase Limit Values": Commentary by "Beobachter" Editor-in-Chief, Andres Büchi

"Switzerland has often distinguished itself by being a
little more cautious and thoughtful than other countries." -
Observer editor-in-chief Andres Büchi.  Photo: Paul Seewer

"Do not prematurely increase limit values"

BY ANDRES BÜCHI, beobachter.ch, 

Updated 1st March 2018 (translation)

On March 5, the Council of States decides on a requested increase in precautionary limits for mobile communications.  It should set a clear signal against these plans. A commentary by Andres Büchi.

In Switzerland, strict precautionary limits for mobile phone radiation apply today to places with particularly sensitive use (OMEN) in international comparison. The economy, telecom companies and the Federal Council now recommend easing these so-called investment limits in order to create more capacity and to enable the 5G mobile communications standard for the "Internet of Things".

This is easily possible without endangering the population, it is argued. Finally, the significantly higher WHO emission limit values, which must be adhered to absolutely and everywhere for health reasons, still apply.

Parliament of Canada: Standing Committee on Health: Minutes on Wireless Radiation, 23 April 2015: Presentation by Dr. Anthony Miller

RE-POSTED (3 March 2018)
As an epidemiologist who has done a great deal of work on breast cancer, one of the most concerning factors that have come to light is a series of case reports, starting with some reports from California... In all, there are now seven case reports of women who developed unusual breast cancers in the exact position where they kept cellphones in their bras. These are unusual tumours. They're multifocal, which means they occur in several places. They seem to mirror where the cellphone was being kept. The radiation from the cellphone seems to have increased in these women the risk, which they presumably already had, of developing breast cancer. They were all relatively young women. This is a most unusual occurrence that must concern us greatly. : 
Dr. Anthony Miller

Parliament of Canada
H.E.S.A. committee minutes on wireless radiation, Standing Committee on Health, 23 April 2015

Dr. Anthony Miller (Professor Emeritus, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, As an Individual):

 Mr. Chair, members of the committee, thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to present on Health Canada's review of the evidence for Safety Code 6, which I believe has led to unsafe conclusions.

I am a physician and epidemiologist specializing in cancer etiology, prevention, and screening. I have performed research on ionizing radiation and cancer, electromagnetic fields and cancer, and other aspects of cancer causation. I have served on many committees assessing the carcinogenicity of various exposures, including working groups of the International Agency for Research on Cancer, commonly known as IARC, of which Canada is a member. I was the first Canadian member of their scientific council.

Which Smartphones Emit The Most Radiation? [Infographic]

Our comment: The amount of radiation emitted by smartphones (SAR or Specific Absorption Rate) claimed by manufacturers and even authorities like the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection is not a realistic measure of safety.  Manufacturers test their phones at a certain distance from the body, NOT the actual way in which we use them:  held next to the skin, in the hand, in a pocket or bra. A French physician, Dr. Marc Arazi, has uncovered this serious industrial and health scandal, explained in our previous post.  See also under the label "Phonegate" on this blog.

Which Smartphones Emit The Most Radiation? [Infographic]
by Niall McCarthy, Contributor, Forbes, 1st March 2018

Today, people are never far from their smartphones, whether it's in their hand during their commute, lying in their pocket at work, pressed to their ear to make a call or resting on their bedside table at night. Questions have been raised about whether our close proximity to smartphones might be damaging our health. While there is no conclusive scientific research yet on the impact of cellphone radiation, people who want to weigh up the possible risks should take a glance at the following infographic.

From Dieselgate to Phonegate

From Dieselgate to Phonegate
2 March 2018 - See also arazi.fr

The Tribune de Genève recently published an article on banning diesel cars in cities in Germany.  Pollution prematurely kills 13,000 persons in Germany.  Health priority:  Hamburg, Stuttgart and Munich affirm that they have no other choice.  In the city of BMW, the ban of motors not having the Euro 6 standard, that is, 300,000 vehicles, is foreseen.  "I see no other alternative.  The level of pollution is becoming terrifying", says the mayor of Munich, Dieter Reiter.  "The health of citizens takes precedence."

Many media, particularly in Switzerland, continue to ignore Phonegate, an industrial and health scandal similar to that of Dieselgate.  When will the sale of mobile phones whose SAR values exceed the European regulatory standard of 2 W/kg be banned?  These are not being tested at 0 mm distance from the body.  Most consumers use or keep mobile phones against the skin (in the hand, in a pocket or bra).  When will the use of mobile phones by young children be banned?  When will the public health authorities issue stricter warnings about cell phone risks?

National Toxicology Program: Extracts from Transcript of Telephone Press Conference Given by NTP Scientist Dr. John Bucher on 2 February 2018

National Toxicology Program (NTP) Draft Conclusions for Radiofrequency Radiation Studies in Rats and Mice

Extracts from Transcript of Telephone Press Conference given by Dr. John Bucher, 2 February 2018

...

Maggie Fox (NBC): I’m wondering if you can characterize if there’s much new that you’ve learned since 2016. I remember the last time we asked you if you in particular had changed your cellphone use and I would like to ask you that again. Have you changed your cellphone use or what you recommend to your family based on these findings? Thanks.

John Bucher: So in finishing these studies, we have evaluated the entirety of the tissues. We have come up with a number of what we were terming equivocal findings but in general, the only positive finding that we’d really been able to have confidence in I think is the malignant schwannomas in the heart, which is what we described in the 2016 report. I think that it’s important to be able to put all of the content or all of the findings in the report in the context of understanding what happened across the entire body of animals throughout the experiment. So we’ve done that. We’re reasonably sure we understand what’s going on in these studies at this point and the reports that you can see on the web outline the full findings. That said, I think that the reports don’t go much further than what we have reported earlier and I have not changed the way I use the cellphone, no.

Ryan Knutson (Wall Street Journal):  Great. Thanks. Just quickly, just a follow up on that previous reporter’s question. Did you recommend anything for your family whether that’s change...

John Bucher: So the first question was have I recommended changes to my children? No, I have not recommended changes to my children in the way that you… 

Ryan Knutson: Changes like tell them to use the headset or anything like that or just you don’t tell them to do anything? 

John Bucher: I have not really addressed that issue with them.

High Exposure to Radiofrequency Radiation Linked to Tumor Activity in Male Rats: NIEHS News Release on NTP Study

High Exposure to Radiofrequency Radiation Linked to Tumor Activity in Male Rats
News Release, NIEHS (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences), 2 February 2018

RE-POSTED With links to audio recording and transcript of telephone press conference given by NTP senior scientist, Dr. John Bucher on 2 February 2018.

See next post for extracts from the transcript.

High exposure to radiofrequency radiation (RFR) in rodents resulted in tumors in tissues surrounding nerves in the hearts of male rats, but not female rats or any mice, according to draft studies from the National Toxicology Program (NTP). The exposure levels used in the studies were equal to and higher than the highest level permitted for local tissue exposure in cell phone emissions today. Cell phones typically emit lower levels of RFR than the maximum level allowed. NTP’s draft conclusions were released today as two technical reports, one for rat studies and one for mouse studies. NTP will hold an external expert review of its complete findings from these rodent studies March 26-28.

Switzerland: 5G Health Risk?

5G Health Risk?
by Helwi Braunmiller, srf.ch, 23 February 2018 (Translation)

Troubling mobile phone antennas. Is easing the radiation limits toying with the health of the population?

IMAGO

Surf faster than before, completely open up new technological possibilities: 5G is the promise of salvation that is supposed to protect against overloading the mobile networks. But the current mobile infrastructure in Switzerland is not enough for this. In other words, in order to meet the increasing demands, transmission towers must be allowed to emit more radiation than before - and therefore the applicable limit values ​​would have to be relaxed.

A technological leap forward - but with risks and undesirable effects for the population?

Visible enemy - the mobile phone antenna

When it comes to electromagnetic radiation, the fears are widespread - especially as far as mobile phone antennas are concerned. The large, visible systems disconcert us more than the small smartphones that most of us have in our pockets. Wrong: "If the connection is of poor quality, the mobile phone held to the ear radiates the body locally up to 100,000 times more than is typically done by antennas," says environmental epidemiologist Martin Röösli from Basel. 90 to 95 percent of our radiation exposure is generated by cell phones or tablets, only five to ten percent comes from so-called environmental radiation. Everybody is in control of most radiation exposure. The rule of thumb is: Mobile devices as far away from the body as possible.

Ambiguous study situation plus 5G as a new unknown