Briarcliff Heights Community Action Group

So what do our neighbors the CDC say about cell towers, anyway?  Not much at all, as it seems.  It’s interesting to see that the CDC publicly available information addresses CELL PHONE use (intermittent exposure to RF at your own choosing) but not CELL TOWER radiation (24/7 exposure to RF you can’t escape).  However, even the CDC notes that even cell phone exposure is a possible health risk and there needs to be more research.  Read the CDC posting here.  Do you have other research we don’t know about from the CDC?  Please send it to us.

FROM THE CDC WEBSITE:

What is RF?

RF stands for “radiofrequency” energy or radiation. Electromagnetic radiation consists of waves of electric and magnetic energy moving together (radiating) through space. Radio waves and microwaves released by transmitting antennas are one form of electromagnetic energy. Often the terms “electromagnetic field” or “radiofrequency field” are used to indicate the presence of electromagnetic or RF energy.

What is non ionizing radiation?

RF fields are non ionizing radiation. Non ionizing radiation has lower energy and longer wavelength than ionizing radiation. It is not strong enough to change the structure of atoms it contacts but may be strong enough to heat tissue. Examples include radio waves, microwaves, visible light, and infrared.

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Does using a cell phone cause health problems? Can using one cause cancer?

In the last 15 years, hundreds of new research studies have investigated whether health problems can be linked to cell phone use. Some of these studies have suggested the possibility that long-term, high cell phone use may be linked to certain types of brain cancer. These studies do not establish this link definitively. Scientists will need to conduct more studies to learn more about this possible risk. Studies have also addressed the risk of injury to drivers and to pedestrians using cell phones; other activities of daily living may also be associated with increased risk of injury when using a cell phone.

In addition to investigating the association between cell phone use and cancer, many researchers including the World Health Organization are studying other health effects. These include the potential development of benign tumors of the nerve connecting the ear and the brain (acoustic neuroma) as well as effects on the eyes, sleep and memory problems, and headaches. Information about the WHO study can be found at http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/pr/2010/pdfs/pr200_E.pdf .

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reported one other potential health effect. Studies have shown that when some cellular phones are placed very close to implanted cardiac pacemakers they can interfere with the pacemaker’s normal delivery of pulses. For most digital phones and pacemakers now in use, this does not have an effect if the phone is more than about six inches from the implanted pacemaker. Thus using the phone in the normal talking position would not disturb the operation of these pacemakers.