New letter to British Columbia's Public Health Officer

New letter to British Columbia's Public Health Officer 

who speaks out about the "safety" of Wi-Fi in schools when the World Health Organization has classified it a 2b "possible human" carcinogen. Wi-Fi remains a leading cause of EHS in children . . . guess who else has EHS? Many of our firefighters, the strongest of the strong. How long will the medical "professionals" take money from telecom to say "Nothing is wrong!" when thousands of non-industry studies say the opposite? This letter applies to ALL forms of wireless in ALL countries. May we learn the lesson before it is too late . . . 

August 27, 2012

Dear Dr. Kendall:

I sent an email to you on Friday, but failed in include other members of your Canadian leadership, all of whom must share our concerns for the health and safety of children not only in British Columbia, but everywhere. I made you aware of some very significant developments in Israel. Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman has implored the Education Minister of Israel, Gideon Sa'ar, to immediately suspend installation of wireless internet in schools due to the well documented hazards of RF - EMF. It is my strong belief that Canada should be doing the same, as should my own country, the United States, and all countries around the world.

In May of 2011, the IARC committee of the World Health Organization declared, 29 to 1, after careful perusal of the science, that all types of radiation within the radiofrequency part of the electromagnetic spectrum should be declared a 2b "possible human" carcinogen. Wi-Fi is included in that classification. Children are much more vulnerable than adults. You are exposing them to cumulative radiation by having Wi-Fi in the schools. You know you can hardwire their computers and it will be infinitely safer. Since my email to you of August 24th, it has been brought to my attention that you, interestingly, has publicly discounted the significance of the IARC classification of everything on the spectrum of RF - EMF as a 2b "possible human" carcinogen. Perhaps I received incorrect information? It is hard for me to believe you would discount IARC's decision and redefine it in your own terms, but just in case you truly made such a statement, I will address that before the close of my letter.

Cancer is a concern, of course, but even greater is the neurological concern, because the brain is the first major organ of the body to be adversely affected by RF - EMF, and the long-term and even short-term effects are potentially devastating. Cognition can be impaired, reaction-time slowed, and impulse control delayed.

I organized a brain study of firefighters, men who are considered to be the strongest of the strong among us, in California in 2004. They had been exposed to a cell tower beaming across their working/sleeping quarters for 5+ years. The study was conducted by Gunnar Heuser, MD, PhD, an expert in the field of neurotoxicology. Each of the men who had their brains scanned showed a hyper-excitability of the neurons, or brain cells. This is considered to be a precursor to early cell death and potentially early onset Parkinson's, ALS, and Alzheimer's. Now, 8 years later, two of the men have had psychotic breaks with reality and all are suffering from memory impairment. All the men tested in 2004 had tremors, and some were still in their 20's.

Let me tell you more about some of the symptoms these brave firefighters -- again, the strongest of the strong among us and perhaps the least likely to admit pain and discomfort or disability -- have complained of since the cell towers were activated: 

• mental confusion and difficulty concentrating 
• lack of focus and motivation
• memory loss
• mood swings including depression, anger
• sleep disruption and lack of alertness
• chronic headaches
• vertigo
• ringing in the ears

These are the same symptoms many children and adults complain of in Wi-Fi environments. Both the firefighters adversely effected by the RFR from the cell towers and those children and adults adversely effected by RFR from Wi-Fi are experiencing classic symptoms of EHS or electro-hypersensitivity. They are all sensitive or sickened -- the latter term perhaps being more appropriate -- by radiofrequency (microwave) radiation. Let me be extremely clear to you and to all: EHS is a collection of neurological symptoms, originating in the brain, and many are measurable using objective testing. Immunological symptoms may be present as well, as the central nervous system and immune system overlap significantly.

In an attempt to protect the firefighters from the cell towers targeted for their stations, I wrote the original version of Resolution 15 which was passed by an 80% margin at the International Association of Firefighters convention in Boston in 2004. I was proud to be joined by four others as co-authors, including two Canadians, Assistant Fire Chief Joe Foster and Dr. Magda Havas of Trent University, and two Americans, Janet Newton, Director of the EMR Policy Institute and Lt. Ron Cronin of the Boston Fire Department. Resolution 15 calls for further study and a moratorium on placement of cell towers on firestations in the US & Canada (attached), yet you radiate children in schools?

These invisible waves are microwaves, Dr. Kendall. "Radio waves" is a lovely euphemism. Please do not continue to expose young children to microwave radiation throughout their formative years.

What you are doing by ignoring the IARC/WHO warning is putting young, developing children at great risk. If you choose to look away at this time when there are literally thousands of non-industry funded studies showing the dangers of RFR, you will -- metaphorically speaking -- have blood on your hands.

As to the IARC warning, it is indeed a serious one. Also in the 2b "possible human" carcinogen classification are DDT, diesel exhaust, and Chlordane among hundreds of other neurotoxins and possibly carcinogenic-to-human toxins. Yet you allow Wi-Fi in your schools and think nothing of it? Would you allow DDT or Chlordane to be misted throughout the classrooms all day, 5 days a week, or diesel exhaust to be ventilated into the classrooms from the garages that house the school buses? 

Perhaps you think the IARC warning only applies to cell phones. If you think this, you are not alone. That is why Dr. Robert A Baan, Head of the IARC Monographs, offered the following letter for clarification. Here is the text of his reply, which clearly includes Wi-Fi in the 2b classification [The bolding and underlining of Wi-Fi is mine]:

From Dr. Baan:

The IARC Working Group classified "Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields" (RF-EMF) as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B). The information that formed the main basis for this evaluation was found in epidemiological studies on cell-phone use, where a slightly increased risk for glioma (a malignant form of brain cancer) and acoustic neuroma (a non-cancerous type) was reported among heavy users.

There were some indications of increased cancer among radar-maintenance workers (occupational exposure), but no reliable data from studies among, e.g., people living close to base-station antennas, radio/TV towers, etc (environmental exposure).

Although the key information came from mobile telephone use, the Working Group considered that the three types of exposure entail basically the same type of radiation, and decided to make an overall evaluation on RF-EMF, covering the whole radiofrequency region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

In support of this, information from studies with experimental animals showed that effects on cancer incidence and cancer latency were seen with exposures to different frequencies within the RF region.

So the classification 2B, possibly carcinogenic, holds for all types of radiation within the radiofrequency part of the electromagnetic spectrum, including the radiation emitted by base-station antennas, radio/TV towers, radar, Wi-Fi, smart meters, etc.

An important point is the radiation level. The exposure from cellular phones (personal exposure) is substantially higher and much more focused (usually on the brain) than exposures from radio/tv towers, antennas, or Wi-Fi.

I hope this is useful.

Thank you for your interest in our work.

Sincerely yours,

Robert A Baan PhD
The IARC Monographs
IARC, Lyon, FRANCE

At your request, Dr. Kendall, I would be more than happy to send relevant medical studies. You may speak more loudly through your silence if you choose not to learn more about this intensely germane issue.

I would like to ask, for the record, if you receive any campaign contributions, contributions toward governmental or private programs, or gifts -- monetary or otherwise -- from the telecommunications industry or any entity that has any connection to them?

Thank you for your time and careful consideration.

Kind Regards,

Susan Foster

SUSAN FOSTER, MSW
Advisor, Radiation Research Trust, UK
Member, International EMF Alliance
Honorary Firefighter, San Diego Fire Department
Rancho Santa Fe, California 92091
susan.foster04@gmail.com

cc: Michael de Jong, Minister of Health
George Abbott, Minister of Education
Premier Christy Clark
Leader Adrian Dix