A concerned Penangite has just sent me this article from the Independent in the UK:
EU watchdog calls for urgent action on Wi-Fi radiation
By Geoffrey Lean, Environment Editor
Sunday, 16 September 2007Europe’s top environmental watchdog is calling for immediate action to reduce exposure to radiation from Wi-Fi, mobile phones and their masts. It suggests that delay could lead to a health crisis similar to those caused by asbestos, smoking and lead in petrol.
The warning, from the EU’s European Environment Agency (EEA) follows an international scientific review which concluded that safety limits set for the radiation are “thousands of times too lenient”, and an official British report last week which concluded that it could not rule out the development of cancers from using mobile phones.
Professor Jacqueline McGlade, the EEA’s executive director, said yesterday: “Recent research and reviews on the long-term effects of radiations from mobile telecommunications suggest that it would be prudent for health authorities to recommend actions to reduce exposures, especially to vulnerable groups, such as children.”
The EEA’s initiative will increase pressure on governments and public health bodies to take precautionary action over the electromagnetic radiation from rapidly expanding new technologies. The German government is already advising its citizens to use wired internet connections instead of Wi-Fi and landlines instead of mobile phones.
The scientific review, produced by the international BioInitiative Working Group of leading scientists and public health and policy experts, says the “explosion of new sources has created unprecedented levels of artificial electromagnetic fields that now cover all but remote areas of the habitable space on Earth”, causing “long-term and cumulative exposure” to “massively increased” radiation that “has no precedent in human history”.
It says “corrections are needed in the way we accept, test and deploy” the technologies “in order to avert public health problems of a global nature”.
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To those who raised objection to the Wi-fi project, I think the safest thing for them to do is to dig a 6 ft hole and jump into it,
that is the safest!!!
Come on, we are on the 21 century, be realistic and sensible otheriwse please pack and live in the jungle, fresh air and greenery, no risk no exposure of radiation whatsoever. Happy?
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Get real! Do you honestly think we are finally getting something for free? I don’t.
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Actually, thirdworldpeople have the privilege of learning from their counterparts in developed countries and not repeat mistakes.
Tapi sayang nya, we have thirdworld mentality cos we are thirdworld people mah, so we just follow blindfolded.
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Just open it to public debate not thru cyberspace. Surely Aliran can handle this with Penang state govern to support and get to the bottom of this issue. Real or otherwise, the end state is to find out the benefits against other issues in particular health threats.
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The whole of S’pore’s been wired up for what, the last 5 years at least?
We haven’t heard of any cases of wifi radiation spontaneous brain combustion, frazzled ear-lobes and fried cochlear, burn-out injuries, deaths or increase in cancer etc have we?
Or does the CAP have another motive? Perhaps they think there should be no competition to Telekom.
Set the right safety standards and maintain regular checks and enforcement and all should go well. After all, radio waves were discoverd over a hundred years ago and started the communication revolution – God’s gift to mankind!!
http://donplaypuks.blogspot.com
http://donplaypuks
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Hey Anil,
Years ago – I think in the late nineties – there were already studies around saying that mobile phones were not as ‘tame’ as we’d been led to believe. Apparently, hands-free stuff makes it worse. And their towers? Yikes!
But the phone companies came out with their counter studies.So which to believe? Use with caution, I guess.
And now, these new concerns about Wifi. Thirdworldpeople has a good point: before jumping on the bandwagon, we should at least learn from those who’ve been at this longer – and so don’t make the same mistakes.
Yes, I really would like to pack and live in the jungle
but your wifi thingies will be all over the place, and I still wouldn’t be safe.
There is no need to rush into this, surely? Or is the PKR government determined to ‘show’ it can deliver on at least some of the stuff it’s talked about?!
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Tobacco industry had duped governments and unsuspecting public for decades with all their scientific research. One thing we can learned from this experience is that supportive scientific studies can be bought for a price. Very few scientists could resist the lure of research grant – that’s their rice bowl and path to fame and fortune.
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We all die one way or another
No matter what you want to say
Do many surveys and study groups
We die when our times arrive
Embrace technologies
The signs of living in time
Atmosphere now full of many ills
You name it – smog, pollution, acid rain
Even without Wifi………….
We know our times are fixed……..
So why worry unnecessary?
Go and take it enjoy your life
We all scared to die
It is written we would have to go
One way or another; no second guessing
Just don’t be a fool living under the coconut shell
When The Lord asks you
Have you enjoyed your life on Earth?
What will you say?
Dear Lord I don’t………
I am scared of death
I want to live in the jungle
Yet the progress beating me to it
So if I don’t do anything
So if I don’t contribute any
I still die………
The Lord says
Yes it is
But you have enjoyed it while you are there?
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Let us do whatever is right
To right all that are clearly wrong
The least we can do is to shed the light
To help the blind see and the weak be strong
(C) Samuel Goh Kim Eng – 260908
http://MotivationInMotion.blogspot.com
Fri. 26th Sept. 2008.
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If we still don’t make any step to improve our facilities in order increase our competitiveness in this era of knowledge economy, I believe that very soon in the future, we will concern about whether we could make enough money to survive than being killed by the radiation.
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Can one article tell the stories?
I did a Google, there are more recent report than this… there are way more articles… some say yes, some say no…
And why everyone just selectively posted those which sided to their own arguments?
My marine conservation class told me, the problem with information explode is that everyone can go out there picking information that suits themselves, while deliberately dismiss the others… The conflict of interests is always there…
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And by the way, I do think that the CM should consult on experts, and not just Google… actually not just CM, best if the journalists can help doing so too…
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Hi Hoyohoyo,
You are extremely right about selective picking informations to suit with their argument. Hence, reading various views are necessary before deciding on the action taken. I believe CM has done that.
Dear Readers,
We need to understand what’s the ultimate objective. Some say WiFi radiation leads to health hazard. Then what???
Dear Anil,
Any comments on the nuclear thingy in Malaysia? Honestly, I am extremely more concerned about that
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The questioning that we cannot be getting WiFi for free is good.
What are the hidden costs (besides possibly being fried by the RF waves)?
* Who pay for it (installation, operation, bandwidth, maintenance, upgrade)?
* How are they paying for it?
* From what sources are the funding from (upfront and ongoing)?
* What kind of contracts are being written between the Penang government and the private contractors?
* For how long a period is the contract?
* Will the Penang government make the proposals, plans, contracts available online for all to see (CAT)?
* What happens when too many people are using it?
* What happens when it stiffles fair competition with Streamyx, PenangFon, and other new providers?
* Although cheap up front, what are the chances of the government paying too much later?
* What are the chances of paying too little and getting low-quality service later?
—
Although I am generally in favor of the WiFi idea, the CM’s response in this MalaysiaKini.com article below leaves much to be desired. Why so negative, especially in the last few paragraphs?
Either the CM is a jerk, or the writer was intentionally painting him in a bad light, or trying to provoke a controversy.
“CM hits back at ‘wireless’ critics”
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/90392
The Penang government wants the opponents of its free wireless cyber initiative – the Wifi and Wimax projects – to move out of the way of the state’s technological advancement drive.
MCPX
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was critical of the certain quarters who have raised concerns against the state cyber initiative on health grounds.
He said the Wifi and Wimax projects were to benefit all Penangites.
“This is in line with the state goal to turn Penang into an advanced international city in the next few years. I can’t understand why are they objecting against technological advancement,” he told newsmen at the preview of Wimax@Penang, jointly presented by the state government and Packet One Network (M) Sdn Bhd at the Penang Development Corporation (PDC)
The chief minister also slammed the group for merely opposing the projects without producing any evidence to support their claim that wireless systems were hazardous to public health.
“Until today no one has proven that wireless system endangers health,” he said when asked about the objections raised by a group of residents in George Town.
Last Saturday, a small group of residents in Georgetown, calling themselves ‘concerned residents’ argued that the health impact of Wifi was parallel to that caused by telecommunication transmission towers, which have always been a target of protest by local residents for the past decade.
Launched last Friday, The ‘Penang free Wifi’ was the first step in making Penang the country’s first Wifi state.
The initiative, which is the first component of the state’s Wireless@Penang project, is aimed at giving Penangites free wireless internet service across the state in the next 24 months.
The project is undertaken by content manager REDtone Telecommunications Sdn Bhd and service enabler Hotgate Technology (M) Sdn Bhd, which will set up 750 wireless access points over the next one year.
As part of the Penang wireless project, Wimax@Penang project is to provide free wireless broadband services for all internet users.
The project is undertaken by Packet One (P1), subsidiary of public listed Green Packet Bhd, in a partnership with the state government.
P1 aims at least 75 percent wireless broadband population coverage by 2009 with at least 25 percent of Penangites using the broadband service.
Be more realistic
Meanwhile, Lim urged critics to be more realistic and not to stand in the state government’s way of transforming Penang into a technologically vibrant, progressive and dynamic state.
He said the wireless internet service would boost the state business fundamentals and help lure foreign investments.
“I cannot understand why and what they are protesting about. The wireless projects will surely benefit all Penangites, its economy growth and develop a strong pool of cyber workforce,” he said.
Asked whether the state government has carried out any health study prior to the implementation of the projects, he said it would not be necessary since wireless service had never been proven by anyone as a health hazard despite numerous researches carried out worldwide over the years.
He also brushed aside as ‘unrealistic’ the suggestions that the state government should have consulted the public before implementing the projects.
“Don’t tell me, the state government has to consult the public each time it wants to carry out beneficial infrastructure projects, such as Wifi, Wimax, roads, schools and hospitals?” he asked.
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I have a solution to those that oppose the wifi coverage for the State of Penang. Wear tin foil hats. Here’s where to get them at http://www.ericisgreat.com/tinfoilhats/. They are protective helmets in the same way as those who ride bikes wear helmets for protection from road falls. Better than getting your brains frazzled, right?
You may look foolish at first, but you’ll live longer. And don’t worry what other people say. You are already better than those that don’t wear tin foil hats cos’ you’ll have longer lives. And you won’t have to worry about smoke emissions from cars, too, cos’ you’ll most probably also invest in a gas mask which you wear when you walk outside your home. Why not? You already worry so much about living a longer life, why not go all the way? I’m sure you’re already planning to move to the mountains in the Endau Rompin. No wifi there. No cars to worry about exhaust fumes. No cell phone waves or radio waves, too. You can laugh at all those like us who have shorter, but more meaningful lives. Your life won’t mean much as you’ll be living alone, close to nature but you surely will live to a ripe old age, contributing nothing to mankind.
You probably should not have children, too, cos’ you worry that they’ll be born into a world of wifi, cell phones, exhausts, CFC infested air, etc. Almost everything that we experience today shortens our lives a little. It adds up. Even the processed food that we eat.
But you ‘wifi opposers’ are so noble! You’d give up everything to never have wifi in your lives. I’m sure you communicate with your friends using smoke signals. You’d never use a cell phone cos’ it will frazzle your pea sized brain. And you walk to work, too, never contributing to the exhaust fumes that kill.
If you care to open a club for ‘Anti Wifi’, let me know. I have 2 friends who want to join. They’re both 45 years old, single, jobless and still live with their parents who doesn’t own a TV set.
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[...] Many of the concerns have also been reported by Anil Netto in his blog “Wifi health risk: Yes or No?”, “Wifi health risks” and “More concern about Wifi radiation“. [...]
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The people who oppose wifi most probably are mad at Lim Guan Eng because he didn’t consult them first. They think LGE just went ahead and approved it without much thought.
Reminds me of the Sierra Club in the USA. They have an organization that opposes anything that gives people fun. They even make up fake stories of a certain species of a non-existent bird that may become extinct if people keep camping at a forest area.
Even Greenpeace would announce that a manufacturer of mobile phones were using hazardous materials in making the phones. But mostly, their main cause would be just to get attention to their website. That way, the advertising there would get more hits, so continuing to sponsor their website.
Give your names to Lim Guan Eng so he can contact you when he wants to implement something new, like banning all cellular networks from Penang because the microwaves are frazzling your brains. Then you can argue why mobile phones are a necessity in society and why the waves may rejuvenate the sperm count of 70 year old men, or make you sleep more soundly at night.
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Penang is a very small island. Like five minutes in every direction where i live i can walk into a wifi place or internet cafe to go online. Not enough meh? Need more ah? For who? For what? For the monkeys in the forest in Teluk Bahang maybe?
The retired couple from Scotland living to my right doesn’t need it la; the retired couple from Korea living to my left also don’t need it la. For our future generations issit?
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http://medicine.com.my/wp/?p=4679
go check it out…
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Agree with hoyohoyo….why are you being so selective?
Here’s an article to counter this…
Wi-fi health fears are ‘unproven’
Wireless working is becoming part of daily life
Scientists have said there is no evidence to suggest a link between the use of wi-fi and damage to health.
BBC programme Panorama found that radiation levels from wi-fi in one school was up to three times the level of mobile phone mast radiation.
The readings were 600 times below the government’s safety limits but there is ongoing debate about wi-fi use.
Sir William Stewart, chairman of the Health Protection Agency, has said there needs to be a review of wi-fi.
He told Panorama that there was evidence that low-level radiation – from devices like mobile phones and wi-fi – did cause adverse health effects.
But some experts in the scientific community have disagreed with his assessment.
“Wi-fi seems unlikely to pose any risk to health,” said Professor Lawrie Challis, of Nottingham University.
Prof Challis, chairman of the Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research (MTHR) programme management committee, said: “Wi-fi exposures are usually very small – the transmitters are low power and some distance from the body.
“They can be near to the body, however, when a laptop is on one’s lap and my own view is that just as we encourage young children not to use mobile phones we should also encourage them to use their laptops on a table rather than their lap, if they are going online for a long time.”
As part of its investigation, Panorama visited a school in Norwich, with more than 1,000 pupils, to compare the level of radiation from a typical mobile phone mast with that of wi-fi in the classroom.
Readings taken for the programme, broadcast on BBC One on Monday, showed the height of wi-fi signal strength to be three times higher in the school classroom than the main beam of radiation intensity from a mobile phone mast.
Greatest intensity
Sir William recommended to the government in 2002 that the beam of greatest intensity from a phone mast should not fall on any part of the school grounds, unless the school and parents agreed to it.
Wireless working is becoming more popular
Medical physics expert Professor Malcolm Sperrin told BBC News that the fact wi-fi radiation in a particular school was three times higher than a mobile phone mast was irrelevant, unless there was any evidence of a link to health effects.
“Wi-fi is a technique using very low intensity radio waves. Whilst similar in wavelength to domestic microwave radiation, the intensity of wi-fi radiation is 100,000 times less than that of a domestic microwave oven.
“Furthermore, tissue can only be effectively heated by a wavelength that is closely matched to the absorption, and there are strict guidelines for ensuring such absorption peaks are avoided.”
The type of radiation emitted by radio waves (wi-fi), visible light, microwaves and mobile phones has been shown to raise the temperature of tissue at very high levels of exposure – called a thermal interaction – but there is no evidence that low levels cause damage.
The Health Protection Agency has said that sitting in a wi-fi hotspot for a year results in receiving the same dose of radio waves as making a 20-minute mobile phone call.
“Some people suspect a non-thermal interaction but there is no evidence to suggest that this exists and indeed it is unlikely,” said Prof Sperrin.
Research proceeding
He added: “Radio waves (wi-fi) and other non-ionising radiations have been part of our lives for a century or more and if such effects were occurring then damage or other untoward effects would have been recorded and studied.
It’s impossible to prove that something has no effect
Professor Malcolm Sperrin
Q&A: Wi-fi safety concerns
“Research is still proceeding in this area at leading centres in many countries but evidence points to wi-fi transmissions being well below any likely threshold for human effects.”
Panorama spoke to Professor Olle Johansson, of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, who said there had been many recorded effects such as chromosome damage from low-level radiation.
Professor Henry Lai, from Washington state university, also quoted in Panorama, said he had found health effects at similar levels of radiation to wi-fi.
He estimated that of the two to three thousand studies carried out over the last 30 years, there is a 50-50 split – half finding an effect with the other half finding no effect at all.
But Professor Will J Stewart, fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said: “Science has studied the safety of mobile phones for many years and the overwhelming body of evidence shows little cause for concern.
“As for wi-fi, although these devices operate at a modestly different frequency to mobiles they also operate at a lower power level over a much shorter-range.
‘No issue’
“Add to the fact that high-bandwidth wi-fi devices are less likely to be head-mounted and there really is no issue here.
“This is not to say that all electromagnetic radiation is necessarily harmless – sunlight, for example, poses a significant cancer risk; so if you are using your laptop on the beach make sure and get some shade.”
Professor Sperrin said one of the difficulties around wi-fi research was that it was impossible to prove a negative.
“It’s impossible to prove that something has no effect,” he said.
He said there was no justification in discarding wi-fi until it could be proved unsafe.
“The educational benefits from using laptops and having access to information far outweigh any unproven fears over the safety of wi-fi. I am more concerned about the heat laptops generate and the impact that could on sensitive parts of the body.”
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Sorry…forgot to include the link
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6676129.stm
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The moment we are born, we are bound to die. Yet humans continue to give birth to their young ones knowing that the ultimate consequence is so certain and deadly.
Road accidents kill 1.2 million people globally a year and injured 40 times this number. Yet motor vehicles are streaming out of the factories every day and Malaysia has our own national car.
Smoking killed 3 million people worldwide. Yet smoking is allowed in most, if not all, countries. Why should smoking not banned?
There is yet confirmed evidence that WiFi and WiMAX had killed any people.
If there is any objection to the WiFi@Penang and the WiMAX@Penang projects, it must be from the competitors or opposition of the Penang government. Forget about politics and politicians here. Perhaps the CAT government should call for a public tender for all possible players to submit their proposals or tenders, with a report on health risk from using their equipment.
Also the CAT government should also publish the reasons that these private sectors are willing to do it for free. Perhaps they are like the SUN newspaper, hoping to get revenue and income enough from advertising to pay for the capital and maintenance cost besides making a handsome profit. Make it TRANSPARENT and explain the full fact to the Penang people.
Broadband service, especially efficient and free ones, is very important for the development of Penang. We need it for free and easy access to the Internet, to do e-business, to communicate, to study and do research online. Please proceed to implement these projects unless there is concrete evidence, particularly on health risk. suggesting otherwise. The foreign investors and tourists certainly welcome such free broadband connection.
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