NV Energy: Science Versus Hyperbole on Smart Meters.

July 19, 2011 - PRLog -- NV Energy is refusing to disclose safety testing, if any, associated with their deployment of Sensus Smart Meters.  NVE Stop Smart Meters wants public answers to the international scientific community concerns about the health risks associated with these meters. Why are they hiding safety information? The public has the inherent right to know what they are being exposed to.

Part 1 of 2.

“Wireless communication is now being implemented in our daily life in a very fast way. At the same time, it is becoming more and more obvious that the exposure to electromagnetic fields not only may induce acute thermal effects to living organisms, but also non-thermal effects, the latter often after longer exposures. This has been demonstrated in a very large number of studies and includes cellular DNA-damage, disruptions and alterations of cellular functions like increases in intracellular stimulatory pathways and calcium handling, disruption of tissue structures like the blood-brain barrier, impact on vessel and immune functions, and loss of fertility. Whereas scientists can observe and reproduce these effects in controlled laboratory experiments, epidemiological and ecological data derived from long-term exposures reflect in well-designed case-control studies the link all the way from molecular and cellular effects to the living organism up to the induction and proliferation of diseases observed in humans. It should be noted that we are not the only species at jeopardy, practically all animals and plants may be at stake. Although epidemiological and ecological investigations as such never demonstrate causative effects, due to the vast number of confounders, they confirm the relevance of the controlled observations in the laboratories.”  - Olle Johansson, Assoc. Prof., The Experimental Dermatology Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute &  Professor, The Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

“The symptoms following exposure to radio frequency radiation were labeled radiowave sickness and were first reported for those occupationally exposed in the former Soviet Union. These same symptoms are now referred to as electrohypersensitivity (EHS) and are experienced by a growing fraction of the population. They include . . .“. . . headache, eyestrain and tearing, fatigue and weakness, vertigo, sleeplessness at night and drowsiness during the day, moodiness, irritability, hypochondria, paranoia, either nervous tension or mental depression and memory impairment. After longer periods of exposure, additional complaints may include sluggishness, inability to make decisions, loss of hair, pain in muscles and in the heart region, breathlessness, sexual problems and even a decrease in lactation in nursing mothers. Clinically observed effects in persons voicing these complaints include trembling of the eyelids, fingers and tongue, increased perspiration of the extremities, [and] rashes . . .” (Massey, 1979).
1.5 In addition to sensitive people, Switzerland also identifies Places of Sensitive Use (German acronym is OMEN). These places include: living rooms; classrooms and kindergartens; hospitals and nursing homes; permanent jobs (where people spend more than 2.5 days per week); and playgrounds. For these OMEN sites, the Swiss government recommends that greater precaution be taken for long-term exposure to weak radiation. In these places, radiation from wireless microwave base stations (such as cordless phones or WLAN/WiFi) may exceed radiation from nearby cell phone base stations and hence these devices must generate emissions as low as possible. For more information visit http://www.bag.admin.ch/themen/strahlung/00053/index.html...

Technology specific standards are definitely needed for Smart meters as well as cordless phones, DECT baby monitors, wireless routers, and all of the other devices that emit radio frequency radiation. Massey, in a report published by Duke Law Journal in 1979, identifies nine variables that need to be considered when determining the impact of microwave radiation. These are “power density, intensity and relative phase of all field components, specific frequency ranges, waveform characteristics, exposure regimes, specific occupations, level of control over exposed populations, individual differences (age, sex, health, specific predisposing factors) and presence of other environmental stressors.” The current FCC guidelines do NOT take these into consideration.” -Technical Response Team. Date: October 12, 2010 From: Magda Havas, BSc, PhD

“1. Life on the planet earth has evolved in the absence of such nonionizing radiation and accumulating evidence suggests that no defence mechanisms have been evolved. Therefore there is no reference point for “safely limits”.
2. All other devices mentioned in the report (mobile phones, microwave ovens, etc.) can be deliberately used at a safe situation (i.e. hands free utilization for mobile phone, keep safe distances from the microwave oven or the Wi-Fi when in use).
3. Even if other wireless devices emit radiation in the same area, this does not mean that more can be installed with less radiation emission simply because there is strong evidence: a) for no threshold health limit, b) for cumulative health effects.
4. It is not true (as mentioned in the report) that there is no evidence for mechanism on non-thermal. ROS formation is more and more shown to be a key first response cascading all rest effects (DNA damage, tumour formation, memory deficits, fatigue, sleep disorders, etc.).
5. The argument that "more and more wireless devices will be used in daily life" is not and cannot be taken as obligatory. Who can support that the constitution, any constitution of any country should allow installations to take place (as the one with Smart Meters) against the rights for health of the citizens.
6. The safety guidelines by ICNIRP are 12 years old, this by itself, after an enormous accumulation of research data implies that…”
- Professor Lukas H. Margaritis, National and Kapodistrian, University of Athens, Faculty of Biology, Department of Cell Biology & Biophysics, Electromagnetic Biology Laboratory

Continued tomorrow with a statement from Elihu D Richter MD, MPH (Assoc Professor), Hebrew University-Hadassah, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Unit of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, a Medical Epidemiologist  Chairman of the Ethics and Philosophy Committee of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology and a member of the Collegium Ramazzini.