Mobile Phone Hazards 'not Credible'
Illawarra Mercury
Friday December 23, 2005
CONTRARY to the claims in a recent reader's letter (December 16), there is no credible scientific evidence of health effects from living or working near a mobile phone base station.
However, the industry takes the concerns of the community seriously.Potential human health impacts of radio frequency energy have been studied in great detail over the past 50 years. This has resulted in a large body of scientific literature in this field - covering laboratory, clinical and epidemiological research.Comprehensive reviews of over 2200 research publications, including more than 410 studies specifically on mobile phones, by governments and health authorities continue to find there is no substantiated scientific evidence of health effects.The World Health Organisation's most recent advice states:"None of the recent reviews have concluded that exposure to the RF (radio frequency) fields from mobile phones and their base stations cause any adverse health consequences."In response to concerns the Australian mobile phone industry, in conjunction with local councils, community groups, the unions and the government, has developed a code of practice which covers the siting of mobile phone base stations. The code requires mobile phone carriers to take a precautionary approach. They must:Have written procedures for site selection; improve notification and community consultation procedures; design and operate base stations with the objective of minimising electromagnetic emissions; and, provide Federal Health Department electromagnetic emission reports.- TANYA STOIANOFF,Executive Director,Mobile Carriers Forum.
© 2005 Illawarra Mercury
