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The classroom 'cancer risk'
of wi-fi internet
DANIEL MARTIN
UK
Daily Mail
Monday May 21, 2007
Britain's top health watchdog has called for an inquiry into the
use of wireless Internet networks in schools because of concerns
they could be exposing children to the risk of cancer.
The demand came after it was revealed that classroom "wi-fi"
networks give off three times as much radiation as a typical mobile
phone mast.
Guidelines from the Health Protection Agency already state that
masts should not be sited near schools because of a possible cancer
link and other health risks.
Now its chairman, Sir William Stewart, is seeking a review of the
health effects of wi-fi networks amid fears they could pose even
greater dangers.
Wi-fi works by transmitting information via radio waves from a
telephone line to a computer and back.
Networks have been installed in nearly 50 per cent of primary schools
and 70 per cent of secondary schools giving millions of children
access to computers.
Researchers for the BBC's Panorama programme visited a comprehensive
in Norwich and measured the strength of a radiation signal from
a classroom wi-fi laptop.
They found that the maximum signal strength was three times higher
than that of a typical mobile phone mast.
Scientists believe children may be more vulnerable to radio-frequency
radiation emissions than adults because their skulls are still growing
and are thinner.
This raises questions over the safety of children bent over computers
being exposed to radiation at very close quarters.
But Panorama spoke to 50 schools and only one had been alerted
to possible health risks. Some had been categorically told that
there was no danger.
In response to the findings, Sir William said: "I believe
that there is a need for a review of wi-fi and other areas. I think
it's timely for it to be done now."
In the past 18 months 1.6million wi-fi connections have been set
up in the UK. This means children using computers at home could
also be at risk.
The World Health Organisation, backed by the Government, says there
are "no adverse health effects from low-level, long-term exposure"
to wi-fi radiation.
But Sir William said there was growing evidence of possible harm
from radio-frequency radiation.
He explained: "There may be changes, for example in cognitive
function.
"There were some indications that there may be cancer inductions.
There was some molecular biology changes within the cell."
Philip Parkin, general secretary of the Professional Association
of Teachers, said: "I am asking for schools to consider very
seriously whether they should be installing wi-fi networks now and
this will make them think twice or three times before they do it."
The levels of radiation Panorama found were 600 times lower than
those deemed dangerous by the Government, which bases its data on
radiation safety limits provided by a group of scientists called
ICNIRP.
But it does not take the biological effects of radio-frequency
radiation into account, basing exposure limits solely on a "thermal
effect".
This means radiation only counts if it is so strong it causes a
heat effect.
Last month Professor Lawrie Challis, chairman of the government-
sponsored mobile telecommunications and health research programme,
warned of the dangers of children using wi-fi-enabled laptops on
their knees.
He said the wi-fi transmitter is only 2cm from the child’s
bodies – putting them at greater risk than if they were using
a normal computer when the transmitter would be in the PC's tower.
Yesterday he said: "Wi-fi exposures are usually very small
and seem unlikely to pose any risk to health – 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."
Professor Malcolm Sperrin, director of medical physics at the Royal
Berkshire Hospital, cast doubt on Panorama's findings.
He said wi-fi radiation was about 100,000 times less intense than
that emitted by domestic microwave ovens.
He added: "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."
A Department of Health spokesman said: "Current evidence does
not suggest that there is a health problem with wi-fi but we look
to the Health Protection Agency to advise Government on these issues."
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