demystifying the emf myth

7/21/2019 Demystifying the Emf Myth

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Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs)

& Its Effects on Human Health:DEMYSTIFYING THE EMF MYTH

CAPELLAN, FRANCES LEANA L.ARCH 176 Research Paper


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We are using electricity and wireless technologies

as never before, we are seeing in our civilization an

apparent unstoppable wave of desire for the use of

these electronic technologies.

Every wireless and electronic device in your home radiatesmillions of frequencies every second

this creates stress to the nervous system.

Source:

Electrosmog, Electrostress and Sleep Disorders, 2010


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Research now links long term exposure

to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) withchronic health issues, from stress,fatigue to cancer.

Overwhelming numbers of scientists

now agree that EMFs created by cellphones power lines and othertechnologies are carcinogens. But likeany massive public health threat, itmay be years before the talk stops

and the action starts. In themeantime, people are getting sick.

Source:

Are You Living in A Soup of Dangerous Radiation? (2010)http://safespaceprotection.com


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Source:

WALLSTREET JOURNAL, The Flipside of Laptops (2009)http://www.livemint.com/2009/09/07213620/The-flip-side-of-laptops.html

It is now believed that extremelylow frequency (ELF) magneticfields, such as those emitted bytraditional (non-flat screen)computer monitors, as well aslaptops with unearthed powersources (such as their batteries),

have biological effects that mayhave the potential to affect thegrowth of developing tissue,contribute to miscarriage or birthdefects, promote the growth of

cancer cells, interfere with thecell processes and functions andalter neurological functions.


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Contents

1.0 All We Need To Know About Extremely LowFrequency (ELF) Electromagnetic Fields

2.0 Facts / Effects of Exposure to Extremely LowFrequency (ELF) Electromagnetic Fields

3.0 Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) ElectromagneticFields and Cancer

4.0 Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) ElectromagneticFields and Other Health Effects

5.0 Summary:

Standards and guidelines for ELF field exposure

6.0 Conclusion


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1.0All We Need To Know About Extremely Low Frequency(ELF) Electromagnetic Fields


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1.1 What are electromagnetic fields (EMF)?

1.2 What are ELF electromagnetic fields

generated by powerlines, wiring andappliances?

1.3 How strong are ELF fields near power-

lines, wiring and appliances?


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1.1 What are electromagnetic fields (EMF)?

Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) are a combination of

invisible electric and magnetic fields of force. They occur both naturallyand due to human

activity.

1.0 All We Need To Know About Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) Electromagnetic Fields


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Humans are exposed to electromagnetic fieldsgenerated by natural phenomena such as the earth

magnetic field or lightning, but also by human

activities, including the use ofpower lines and

electrical appliances.



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Naturally Occurring EMFs

Naturally occurring EMF are forexample, the earth staticmagnetic field to which we areconstantly exposed, electric

fields caused by electric chargesin the clouds or by the staticelectricity produced when twoobjects are rubbed together as

well as sudden electric andmagnetic fields caused bylightning, etc.



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Man-Made EMFs

Man-made electromagnetic fields (EMF) are forexample generated by extremely low frequency (ELF)sources, such as power-lines, wiring and appliances(the focus of this study) as well as by higher frequencysources such as radio and television antennas and,more recently, cellular telephones and their antennas(which are not reviewed in this study).



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1.2 What are ELF electromagnetic fields generated by

powerlines, wiring and appliances?

Most electricity

carried in powerlines,wiring and appliances

is alternating current

(AC).



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Electromagnetic fields produced by sources other

than electricity, such as cellular phone antennas,

have higher frequencies and are therefore not

classified as Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) fields,

nor are they discussed within this study.



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1.3 How strong are ELF fields near power-lines, wiring and

appliances?

Because electricity is so much a part of

our lives, there are electromagnetic

fields around us most of the time.



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We are exposed to electric and magnetic fields

from many sources including high, medium

and low tension (voltage) power lines, electric

wiring inside buildings and electric appliances

such as refrigerators, computer monitors,

electric saws and drill presses.



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While strong electric

fields are produced by

high voltage electricity,

strong magnetic fields

are produced by strong

electric currents (high

amperage).



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A general rule is that relatively strong electric

and weak magnetic fields are observed below

high voltage transmission lines, whereas

household appliances and industrial devices

and machines may produce weak electric and

strong magnetic fields.



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Both electric and magnetic

fields weaken with distance

away from the source.

With respect to magnetic

fields, field strength weakens

more rapidly from point

sources, such as appliances,

than from line sources, suchas power lines and wiring.



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Overlapping fields caninteract to strengthen or

weaken the total effect. Therefore, the strength of

the electric and magneticfields depends not only on

the distance from thesource but also the distancefrom, and location of, othernearby sources.



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2.0Facts/ Effects of Exposure to Extremely Low Frequency(ELF) Electromagnetic Fields


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2.1 How do we measure exposure to ELF fields?

2.2 What happens when we are exposed to

ELF fields?


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2.1 How do we measure exposure to ELF fields?

The exposure to

electromagnetic fields can

be measured usingspecialized instruments or

estimated from other

parameters.

2.0 Facts / Effects of Exposure to Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) Electromagnetic Fields


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Electric and magnetic fieldscan be measured inpractically everyenvironment or estimated

from other parameters. Environmental levels of ELF

fields are very low, typically5-50 V/m for electric fields

and 0.01-0.2 T formagnetic fields.



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Much higher exposures can

take place in some

workplaces and possiblyoutside the workplace for

many of us for shorter

durations.



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There are very precise instruments to measureelectric and magnetic fields, but there is a lack

of consensus on what exposure characteristics

should be measured to determine health

effects.

Calculation methods are available to evaluate

human exposure, but there are uncertainties

in the results.



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2.2 What happens when we are exposed to ELF fields?

Several theories try to explain howExtremely Low Frequency (ELF)fields could possibly producebiological effects.

A well-established interaction

mechanism is that currents andelectric fields are induced in livingtissues by ELF electric andmagnetic fields, but otherpossibilities, which may even bemore important at typicalexposure levels, are also beingexplored.



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ELF electric fields are greatlyattenuated (weakened) inside

the body.



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A well-established interaction mechanism is

that external ELF electric and magnetic fields

induce electric fields and currents in biological

tissues. This is a basic physical mechanism for

interaction of ELF fields with living organisms.



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The electric field induced within the body

increases with the frequency of the external

field and the size of the exposed body.

Above a certain threshold level, these induced

electric fields and currents provoke a reaction

from some specific cells. This threshold is well

above typical human exposure levels.



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Typical exposure at home results in very small

induced electric fields, while some exposure

at work and exposure directly under very high-

voltage power lines may be greater resulting

in electric fields of about 1 mV/m in some

tissues.



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In order to understand the effects of electricand magnetic fields on animals and humans,their electrical properties have to beconsidered.

Static magnetic fields, which are notattenuated by the organism, can exert forceson moving charges, orient magnetic structuresand affect the energy levels of somemolecules.



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3.0Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) Electromagnetic Fields

and Cancer


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3.1 Do ELF fields cause cancer in animals?

3.2 Do ELF fields cause cancer in children?

3.3 Do ELF fields cause cancer in adults?

3.4 How are ELF fields classified with

respect to cancer?


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3.1Do ELF fields cause cancer in animals?

The overall conclusion of the

many studies available is thatExtremely Low Frequency

(ELF) fields do not cause

cancer in laboratory animals.

3.0 Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) Electromagnetic Fields and Cancer


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Long and short term effects of ELF magnetic

fields on cancer development in animals have

been investigated. Several studies focused ondifferent types of cancer including leukaemia

as well as skin, brain, liver and breast cancer.



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Most studies did not demonstrate any

carcinogenic effect. Some studies did show an

increase in cancers but these findings havenot been confirmed in similar studies. No ELF

magnetic field study on animals has indicated

an increase in leukaemia or lymphoma.



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3.2 Do ELF fields cause cancer in children?

Overall, studies show anincrease in childhoodleukaemia when children

are exposed to relativelystrong magnetic fields inthe home. However, theevidence is considered

limited because ofvarious possible biases.



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3.3 Do ELF fields cause cancer in adults?

So far there is no

consistent indicationthat ELF fields can

cause cancer in adults.



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3.4 How are ELF fields classified with respect to cancer?

ELF magnetic fields were classified by the

International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" based onlimited evidence for childhood leukaemia.



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4.0Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) Electromagnetic

Fields and Other Health Effects


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4.1 Do ELF fields cause reproductive effects?

4.2 Do ELF fields cause genetic and related

effects?4.3 Do ELF fields cause other health effects

in animals?

4.4 Do ELF fields cause other health effects

in humans?

4 1 D ELF fi ld d ti ff t ?


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4.1Do ELF fields cause reproductive effects?

On the whole, available

studies do not indicate that

Extremely Low Frequency

(ELF) fields harm reproduction

and development in animals

or humans.

4.0 Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) Electromagnetic Fields and Other Health Effects


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Many laboratory experiments exposing mammals

and other animals to strong static magnetic andELF electric fields, have consistently shown no

harmful effects on reproduction and development.



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Exposure of the fetus to

ELF magnetic fields

generally does not resultin major harmful effects

on development and

reproduction in mammals.



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4.2 Do ELF fields cause genetic and related effects?

Most studies show no indication that ELF fields

are directly harmful to genetic material. Howeverit is possible that ELF fields enhance the effects of

agents (substances, factors or situations) that are

known to induce mutations or tumors.



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4.3 Do ELF fields cause other health effects in animals?

There were many studies on laboratory

animals to investigate non-cancer effectsbut no consistent effects were found.



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4.4 Do ELF fields cause other health effects in humans?

Many studies on humans involved tests, which

were performed on volunteers, mainly on theirimmune system, blood, melatonin hormone,cardiovascular and central nervous systems.



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Despite a few subtle and transitory effects, the

overall conclusion is that there is no convincingevidence that ELF fields cause other harmful

health effect at environmental exposure levels.



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5.0Summary:Standards and Guidelines for ELF field exposure

5 0 Standards and Guidelines for ELF Field Exposure


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The WHO International

EMF Project has

compiled a worldwidedatabase ofstandards

limiting exposure to EMF.

5.0 Standards and Guidelines for ELF Field Exposure


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Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) Protection

for the Philippines

Radiation Protection Standards for RadiofrequencyRadiation in the Frequency Range 3 kHz to 300 GHz

Issued by the Bureau of Health Devices and Technology

(BHDT) and the Department of Health (DOH) Issued: October 11, 2004

Published in an Official Gazette of the Republic of thePhilippines (February 14, 2005)

Limits based on ICNIRP

Compliance: Mandatory

Source:

Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) Protection: Philippines" BHDT

DOH-Philippines, 10 Mar. 2005.http://www.who.int/docstore/peh-emf/EMFStandards/who-0102/Asia/Philippines_files/table_rp.htm



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Issuance ofRadiofrequency Radiation (RFR)Evaluation report to RFR facilities prior to

installation to determine the minimum safedistances from the transmitting RFR equipmentthat a person must maintain without exceeding thelimits for occupational and non-occupational

exposure. This initial RFR report shall be a desk top evaluation

based on calculations using the technical dataprovided by the RFR facility concerned and by the

National Telecommunication Commision (NTC)

Source:






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Compliance shall be verified bydirect measurements through the

conduct ofRadiation ProtectionSurvey and Evaluation (RPSE) by ateam composed ofhealth physicist of the BHDT

and/or technical staff from theNTC.

Coverage / Group Protected:

All Public and OccupationalBuildings

Frequency Range Covered: 3 kHz 300 GHz

Source:





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6.0CONCLUSION


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ELF magnetic fields are classified by IARC as"possibly carcinogenic to humans" based onlimited evidence for childhood leukaemia atrelatively high exposure levels. ELF fields do notappear to cause cancer in laboratory animals or

in adults. (See: Section 3.0)

Overall, the many studies available do notindicate that ELF fields cause harmful non-cancer

health effects, neither in animals nor in humans.(See: Section 4.0)

6.0 Conclusion


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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Book Baker-Laporte, Paula, Erica Elliott, and John Banta. "Case Studies." (pp.274+)

Prescriptions for a Healthy House: a Practical Guide for Architects, Builders, and

Homeowners. New Society Publishers, Canada: 2001.

Internet Sources "Electro Smog Awareness and the E-Cover Solution." E-Cover. Royal HealthFoam and Inner Wise - Electrosmog, 2010. Web. 3 July 2010.. "Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) Protection: Philippines." BHDT, DOH-Philippines, 10 Mar. 2005. Web. 14 July 2010.. "Scientific Facts on Electromagnetic Fields from Power Lines, Wiring &Appliances." GreenFacts - Facts on Health and the Environment. 2004. Web. 4July 2010. .

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