[Comment] Appeals that matter or not on a moratorium on the deployment of the fifth generation, 5G, for microwave radiation

Abstract

Radiofrequency (RF) radiation in the frequency range of 30 kHz-300 GHz is classified as a 'possible' human carcinogen, Group 2B, by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) since 2011. The evidence has since then been strengthened by further research; thus, RF radiation may now be classified as a human carcinogen, Group 1. In spite of this, microwave radiations are expanding with increasing personal and ambient exposure. One contributing factor is that the majority of countries rely on guidelines formulated by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), a private German non-governmental organization. ICNIRP relies on the evaluation only of thermal (heating) effects from RF radiation, thereby excluding a large body of published science demonstrating the detrimental effects caused by non-thermal radiation. The fifth generation, 5G, for microwave radiation is about to be implemented worldwide in spite of no comprehensive investigations of the potential risks to human health and the environment. In an appeal sent to the EU in September, 2017 currently >260 scientists and medical doctors requested for a moratorium on the deployment of 5G until the health risks associated with this new technology have been fully investigated by industry-independent scientists. The appeal and four rebuttals to the EU over a period of >2 years, have not achieved any positive response from the EU to date. Unfortunately, decision makers seem to be uninformed or even misinformed about the risks. EU officials rely on the opinions of individuals within the ICNIRP and the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR), most of whom have ties to the industry. They seem to dominate evaluating bodies and refute risks. It is important that these circumstances are described. In this article, the warnings on the health risks associated with RF presented in the 5G appeal and the letters to the EU Health Commissioner since September, 2017 and the authors' rebuttals are summarized. The responses from the EU seem to have thus far prioritized industry profits to the detriment of human health and the environment. the exposure guidelines by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) based only on the acute and very short-term thermal (heating) effects of RF radiation. These guidelines are used by the majority of countries worldwide. These guidelines were initially published approximately 20 years ago (18) and were updated in 2009 (19); however, no changes were made to adapt to the

Streaming Media’s Environmental Impact

“…But doesn't using only one type of measurement strike you as odd, especially given that humans are now expected to live with chronic exposure to RF radiation from multiple antennae from the cradle to the grave? In 2017 hundreds of scientists and doctors signed an appeal to the European Union asking for a moratorium on the installation of 5G wireless until it has been tested for safety by independent scientists (Hardell and Nyberg 2020). According to Lennart Hardell, professor at Örebro University Hospital in Sweden, "The responses from the EU seem to have thus far prioritized industry profits to the detriment of human health and the environment" (2020, 247).…”

[Comment] Health risks from radiofrequency radiation, including 5G, should be assessed by experts with no conflicts of interest

“…Again, only thermal effects are considered, whereas literature on non-thermal health consequences is disregarded (9,10,50). In spite of public consultations on the draft, the final published version on health effects is virtually identical to the draft version, and comments seem to have been neglected (19). In the following section, Appendix B on health effects (8) is discussed.…”

“…The ICNIRP draft (39) has been previously described to some extent (19). The published final version on health effects is virtually similar to the draft.…”

“…The deployment of the fifth generation, 5G, of RF radiation is a major concern in numerous countries, with groups of citizens trying to implement a moratorium until thorough research on adverse effects on human health and the environment has been performed. An appeal for a moratorium, currently signed by >390 international scientists and medical doctors, was sent to the European Union (EU) in September 2017 (18), currently with no EU response (19). Several regions have implemented a moratorium on the deployment of 5G motivated by the lack of studies on health effects, for instance Geneva (20).…”

Biological Risks of Using Non-Thermal Non-Ionizing Electromagnetic Fields

“…A recent publication [108] emphasizes about the unconscious risks of using 5G technologies, warns that experiments conducted in the USSR cannot be simply discarded, and 5G technologies cannot be considered safe simply because the highfrequency EMF energy is weak and cannot penetrate deeper than the outer layer of skin. It is noted that the ICNIRP non-governmental private group is fulfilling the EU's radiation guidelines, rejecting any reservations about the potential biological risks of large-scale use of EHF-EMF.…”