Everything You Wanted to Know about Cell Phone Radiation

BERKELEY, Calif. - Nov. 20, 2013 - PRLog -- In response to the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) request for input regarding its radiofrequency radiation regulations adopted in 1996, individuals and organizations submitted thousands of documents, testimonials, research papers and scientific publications that are now available to the media and to the public.

These documents reveal what we know about wireless radiation health effects, and why we need to strengthen regulations and provide precautionary warnings to the public.

Although fifteen countries have issued precautionary health warnings about cell phone radiation and recommendations on how to reduce risks, the wireless industry in the U.S. has opposed precautionary warnings and wants to weaken our radiation standards instead of strengthen them.

In all, there were 904 submissions to the FCC between June 24, 2012 and November 18, 2013 when the submission period ended.

To assist investigative journalists, researchers and activists, I have created a table of contents for this valuable archive about cell phone radiation and its health effects, and cell phone testing procedures and regulatory standards.

The table organizes the submissions by constituency: (1) professionals, health scientists and engineers; (2) consumer, environmental and health organizations; (3) municipalities; (4) wireless industry corporations and organizations; and (5) miscellaneous other.  The table is archived on my Electromagnetic Radiation Safety web site at:

http://www.saferemr.com/2013/11/everything-you-wanted-to-....

Electrosmog illness

Many individuals not indexed in the table submitted written testimony documenting adverse health effects from exposure to radiofrequency radiation. This condition has been called electrosensitivity or electromagnetic hypersensitivity and is recognized as a functional impairment in Sweden. Perhaps, it is more appropriately called electrosmog illness.

The cities of Boston and Philadelphia in their joint submission to the FCC on November 18 accused the FCC and Federal health agencies of negligence for failing to investigate whether electrosensitive persons are harmed by cell phone radiation:

"The FCC admits its own lack of expertise in the field. But the overlap of federal agency responsibilities for RF radiation protection and the merely advisory status of the Radiofrequency Interagency Work Group often leaves leadership unclear and encourages a pass-the-buck attitude ...

The 1999-2000 judicial challenge to the FCC’s 1996 rules never reached the issue of “electrosensitivity” as a cognizable disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act. (“ADA”) Here again, an agency responsible for ADA implementation acknowledges that the impairment may be disabling but has promised merely further inquiry. After more than a decade, that investigation remains unopened. The dockets here have been updated with massive additional evidence of the crippling effects of RF radiation on an admitted minority – but a suffering minority – of U.S. citizens. The FCC and its sister regulatory agencies share responsibility for adherence to the ADA and should replace promises with serious attention to a serious medical problem. This is one area where the FCC could lead in advice to electrosensitive persons about prudent avoidance."   http://bit.ly/1jmPs4N (http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2F1jm...)

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Joel M. Moskowitz, Ph.D.
School of Public Health
University of California, Berkeley