EMFs AND HEALTH

What You Need To Know

What are EMFs (Electromagnetic Fields)?

            -Produced by power lines

            -Two types of fields – electrical and magnetic

            -Electric field depends on voltage and is always present when the line is switched on

            -Magnetic field is caused by flow and can vary greatly depending on usage

            -Electric fields are stopped by most building materials, 
               but magnetic fields pennetrate most materials as if they weren’t there

            -When cables are buried the electrical field is zero.  The magnetic field is higher right

               over the trench, but dissipates rapidly

            -Most experts agree that potential health risks are primarily related to magnetic fields

RESEARCH

Summary from Bioinitiative Report 2007   http://www.bioinitiative.org/report/docs/section_1.pdf

First study – 1974, published 1979 – by Dr. Nancy Wertheimer and Ed Leeper.  Children who had died from cancer were 2 to 3 times more likely to have lived within 40 m (131 ft) of power lines than other children studied.

1988 – Denver and 1991 – Los Angeles – significant associations between living near power lines and childhood cancer

1989 – Dept of Energy – “It has now become generally accepted that there are, indeed, biological effects due to field exposure.”

1990 – EPA recommended that EMFs be classified as a Class B carcinogen – a “probable human carcinogen” and join the ranks of formaldehyde, DDT, dioxins, and PCB’s.

Utility, military and other lobbyists came down hard on the EPA

Final revision did not include that classification, but did add the following explanation –

“Several studies showing leukemia, lymphoma, and cancer of the nervous system in children exposed to EMFs, supported by similar findings in adults in several occupational studies also involving electrical power frequency exposures, show a consistent pattern of response that suggest a causal link.”

Even earlier, Brodeur reported employees working in the American Embassy in Russia were exposed to EMF when Russians bombarded the embassy with these fields to see if behavior would change.

Then the employees were exposed to even higher intensity fields from equipment the Americans used to jam the Russian transmitters.  The employees were never informed, but nearly all of them ultimately died of cancer.

1992 – Sweden and 1993 – Mexico – increased leukemia incidence for children living near transmission lines.

1993 – Denmark – association for incidence of all childhood cancers.

2000 – Ahlbom and Greenland separately published large meta-analyses, that both found significant doubling in leukemia rates associated with exposure to EMFs of over 0.4 and 0.3 microT (microTesla – a unit of measurement of EMF), respectively.

2001 – a Working Group of the National Institute of Environmental Health and Science with the support of the EMF Research and Public Information Dissemination Program classified EMF as a Group 2B “possible carcinogen”.  The full International Agency for Research on Cancer validated that classification that same year.  Most governments restrict human access to substances similarly classified.

The World Health Organization in an Oct, 2001 Fact Sheet recommends that power line “siting decisions should also consider ways to reduce peoples’ exposure in addition to considering aesthetics and people’s sensibilities.”

2002 – California Dept of Health Sciences Evaluation – 9 year, $7 million project – “EMFs can cause (underlining added) some degree of increased risk of childhood leukemia, adult brain cancer, Lou Gehrig’s disease, and miscarriage.”  Also “EMFs may cause suicide and adult leukemia.  This was an important study because it uses as a standard causation rather than association.

Washington State Dept of Health – Their report suggests EMF is a key cause of the four-fold increase in the incidence of childhood leukemia between 1920 and 1960.  “The most remarkable feature of childhood leukemia has been the development of a childhood peak of incidence at ages two through four…Worldwide, the emergence of this peak tracks electrification.  Even today, places without electrification do not show this peak.”

United Kingdom’s National Radiological Protection Board may reduce its limits for EMF exposures.  New reports suggest that the NRPB will require homes to be at least 150 meters (approx 450 ft) away from power lines.

2002 – Dr. Paul Vailleneuve, Univ of Ottowa – those exposed to 0.6 microT EMF increased by a factor of 12 their odds of developing an aggressive brain tumor known as glioblastoma multiforme.

2005 – Draper – pooled data from 1962-1995 – 29,081 matched case-control pairs (9700 for leukemia) – 70% increase in childhood leukemia for those living within 200m (656 ft) of an overhead transmission line and a 23% increase for those living between 200m and 600m (1969 ft).  (Data came from England and Scotland where the highest voltage lines are 400 kV)

St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital – one of the first questions asked of new cancer patients – “Do you live near a power line?”

2003 – reports that the European Union plans to limit power line magnetic field emissions.  Switzerland has already limited them to 1.0 microT and Spain has declared such emissions to violate human rights.

Lloyds of London is now refusing insurance coverage to power generating companies against damage to workers’ and consumers’ health.

Dr. David Carpenter, Dean at the School of Public Health, State University of New York believes it is likely that up to 30% of childhood cancers come from exposure to EMFs.

EPA warns – “There is reason for concern.”

Martin Halper, EPA’s Director of Analysis and Support says, “I have never seen a set of epidemiological studies that remotely approached the weight of evidence that we’re seeing with EMFs.  Clearly there is something there.”

Northwest Energy and PBS&J hired epidemiologist expert on EMF exposure, Mike Silva.  In personal communication to me he said, “There is a small but real increase in risk for childhood leukemia associated with EMF exposure.  I would not try to convince you otherwise.”  I asked him if he had children at home and he said that he had one teenager still at home.  I asked if he’d be willing to live near a power line.  His reply, “No, and I won’t let my children use cell phones either.  As far as I’m concerned we don’t know enough yet about the effects of EMF on developing humans.”

SUMMARY

Evidence points towards an association between exposure to EMFs and childhood leukemia, adult leukemia, adult brain cancer, neurodegenerative diseases (Lou Gehrig’s), miscarriage, and clinical depression.

At least one large study found a doubling in risk for Alzheimer’s disease.

EMFs may cause DNA breakage and immune system malfunction

EMFs interfere with pacemaker function and the use of defibrillators.

May be related to chronic fatigue, headaches, and reproductive dysfunction.

POWER COMPANY ARGUMENTS

Because most of the studies are epidemiological (identifying a disease and tracking backward to identify the cause), there is not 100% proof the EMFs are the cause.  I might point out, though, that the weight of numbers would favor that EMFs are heavily implicated.  At the very least, there is not 100% proof that EMFs are not the cause.

There was bias in how the studies were done to weight the results to show EMFs were a problem.  Recently, a team of independent researchers reviewed a large number of studies and found if anything, the original researchers claimed less association with EMFs than they might have.

Manipulation of statistics to alter the outcomes of studies.  Again, the independent researchers looked at the design and analysis of studies and found no manipulation of statistics.

Lack of a proven pathway for the effect of EMFs on human tissue.  Recently two studies have shown potential pathways for how EMFs might alter human tissue to produce disease.  One involves interfering with the body’s ability to recognize and dispose of pre-cancerous cells (apoptosis).  The other shows a direct effect of EMF on a strain of cells used in lab studies similar to the effect seen by known carcinogens.

Lack of laboratory proof.  See the above studies

Business decision – The power companies find themselves in a similar position to that of the tobacco companies.  If the power companies ever admitted that EMFs could, indeed, cause health problems, they would expose themselves to massive liability.  Of necessity, they must minimize any potential health effects to protect their business.  You will not, however, hear power company officials say that there is no problem.  Their favored reply is that the research is inconclusive.  From the point of view of an individual, particularly one with children or grandchildren, even a very small risk is too much.

Public good – Because providing power to the masses is seen as serving the public good, it somehow becomes acceptable to sacrifice a smaller number of people either financially, emotionally, or physically.

IT’S UP TO US TO PROTECT OURSELVES AND OUR CHILDREN! 

Our goal is to move MSTI and future utilities from private land corridors to public land corridors.

PUBLIC Utilities should be on PUBLIC Land