AMA adopts guidance to reduce harm from high intensity street lights

JUNE 14, 2016

CHICAGO — Strong arguments exist for overhauling the lighting systems on U.S. roadways with light emitting diodes (LED), but conversions to improper LED technology can have adverse consequences. In response, physicians at the Annual Meeting of the American Medical Association (AMA) today adopted guidance for communities on selecting among LED lighting options to minimize potential harmful human and environmental effects. 

Converting conventional street light to energy efficient LED lighting leads to cost and energy savings, and a lower reliance on fossil-based fuels. Approximately 10 percent of existing U.S. street lighting has been converted to solid state LED technology, with efforts underway to accelerate this conversion. 

"Despite the energy efficiency benefits, some LED lights are harmful when used as street lighting," AMA Board Member Maya A. Babu, M.D., M.B.A. 

"The new AMA guidance encourages proper attention to optimal design and engineering features when converting to LED lighting that minimize detrimental health and environmental effects." 

High-intensity LED lighting designs emit a large amount of blue light that appears white to the naked eye and create worse nighttime glare than conventional lighting. 

Discomfort and disability from intense, blue-rich LED lighting can decrease visual acuity and safety, resulting in concerns and creating a road hazard. In addition to its impact on drivers, blue-rich LED streetlights operate at a wavelength that most adversely suppresses melatonin during night. 

It is estimated that white LED lamps have five times greater impact on circadian sleep rhythms than conventional street lamps. 

Recent large surveys found that brighter residential nighttime lighting is associated with reduced sleep times, dissatisfaction with sleep quality, excessive sleepiness, impaired daytime functioning and obesity. 

The detrimental effects of high-intensity LED lighting are not limited to humans. Excessive outdoor lighting disrupts many species that need a dark environment. For instance, poorly designed LED lighting disorients some bird, insect, turtle and fish species, and U.S. national parks have adopted optimal lighting designs and practices that minimize the effects of light pollution on the environment. Recognizing the detrimental effects of poorly-designed, high-intensity LED lighting, the AMA encourages communities to minimize and control blue-rich environmental lighting by using the lowest emission of blue light possible to reduce glare. The AMA recommends an intensity threshold for optimal LED lighting that minimizes blue-rich light. 

The AMA also recommends all LED lighting should be properly shielded to minimize glare and detrimental human health and environmental effects, and consideration should be given to utilize the ability of LED lighting to be dimmed for off-peak time periods. 

The guidance adopted today by grassroots physicians who comprise the AMA's policy-making body strengthens the AMA's policy stand against light pollution and public awareness of the adverse health and environmental effects of pervasive nighttime lighting. 

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AMA and American Academy of Pediatrics Both Have Warned Screens Can Cause Obesity, Insomnia, Anxiety, Depression in Teens

By B.N. Frank

For anyone who still thinks kids “glued” to screens is cute or normal, on November 17, 2017, The American Medical Association (AMA) posted a press release warning about teens being harmed by screen use:

This increased use of devices such as tablets and phones is being associated with an uptick in harmful effects, including obesity, sleep problems, depression and anxiety.

Recently, medical experts even started warning this was causing some to grow “horns” on the back of their heads.  That’s not cute or normal at all. 

Unfortunately, parents as well as public schools are still starting kids younger than teens on screens despite past and present warnings.  

Since 2012, the American Academy of Pediatrics has been warning about kids’ use of technology AND their exposure to its Electromagnetic Fields aka “Electrosmog” (Bluetooth, cell phone radiation and WiFi).  Research has proven that kids are more vulnerable to exposure.  In fact, there is still no “safe” level that has been scientifically determined for children or pregnant women.  Many experts also warn that blue light from screens causes all kinds of issues including insomnia and blindness.

Exposure is cumulative and everyone is affected differently.  Of course, if your kid is perfectly fine right now, you may not be concerned.  But if you are concerned, Environmental Health Trust is one of many organizations that provide a plethora of information about this on their websites.  Here are some highlights about the American Academy of Pediatrics warnings about cell phones, cell towers, and WiFi:

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the largest US medical association of pediatricians and pediatric specialists, recommends that the US government tighten wireless exposure limits and that the public reduce children’s exposure to cell phones and other devices that emit wireless radiation. The AAP also cautions that cell tower radiation is linked to headaches, sleep problems and depression in scientific research studies.  

The AAP issued the following cell phone safety tips on their webpage Healthy Children Webpage on Cell Phones. They  specifically recommend to reduce exposure to wireless radiation:

Council on Environmental Health Executive Committee in the AAPs press release on the NTP Study Results.

Click here to go to the American Academy Of Pediatrics Webpage on Cell Towers and Electromagnetic Fields 

The official position of the AAP is documented in three letters they sent to government officials. The letters describe children’s unique vulnerability to wireless radiation and call on the federal government to review and tighten radiation standards for wireless devices in order to protect pregnant women and children’s health. In 2012, the AAP sent a letter in support of the newly proposed federal legislation referred to as the Cell Phone Right to Know Act. In 2012, the AAP wrote a letter to the Federal Communications Commission calling for it to open up a review of radiofrequency limits. In 2013, after the FCC opened up “Reassessment of Exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields Limits and Policies” the AAP submitted a letter with their official comment.

In 2012, the AAP published Pediatric Environmental Health, the AAP Textbook of Children’s Environmental Health and Chapter 41 is about Electromagnetic Fields. The AAP website HealthyChild.org informs the public about cell phone and wireless radiation and cell tower radiation. In 2016, the AAP issued a press release about the carcinogenic findings from the NIH National Toxicology Program Studies and issued new recommendations with 10 ways to reduce children’s exposure to wireless radiation.

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