A study by Wolf and Wolf (2004) showed a significant increase in cancer in those living within 350 feet of a cell tower. Eger (2004) found an increase in new cancer cases within a 10-year period if residents lived within 400 meters of a cell tower. They also found that within 5 years of operation of the transmitting base station the relative risk of cancer development tripled in residents near the cell tower compared to resident living outside the area. Dode (2011) performed a 10-year study (1996-2006) examining the distance from cell towers and cancer clusters. He and his colleagues found a significant increase in cancers in those living within 500 meters of the cell tower. They noted, “The largest density power was 40.78 μW/cm2, and the smallest was 0.04 μW/cm2.” The current guidelines are about 1000 μW/cm2.
They conclude, “Measured values stay below Brazilian Federal Law limits that are the same of ICNIRP. The human exposure pattern guidelines are inadequate. More restrictive limits must be adopted urgently.”
It is notable that Lurchi in 2015 found an increase in liver tumors, lung tumors and lymphomas in mice at low to moderate exposure at (0.04 and 0.4 W/kg SAR), and well below exposure limits for the users of mobile phones.
Cell Towers, Illness and Cognitive Decline in Students
Cancer is not the only worry with cell towers. The majority of studies on cell towers internationally have shown adverse effects with cell towers in close proximity to residencies and schools. Findings include symptoms of dizziness, headaches, nausea, memory loss, and fatigue in those living within about 400 feet of a cell tower These are symptoms of “microwave illness” reported by NASA in servicemen working on radar systems . A recent study conducted over 2 years looking at the effects of cell towers near two schools by Meo (2018) demonstrated cognitive dysfunction in students closest to the higher power cell tower.
Cell Towers and Blood Cell Abnormalities
There is also a recent study showing blood abnormalities in those living nearest to cell towers (Zothansiama 2017). DNA and lipid abnormalities were seen along with reduction in internal antioxidants which provide protection from pollutants.
Cell Towers Banned in the Los Angeles Unified School District and Removed in Chatsworth
The Los Angeles City Board of Education banned cell towers on schools in 2000, citing health and safety concerns of the students. The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD Resolution states:
Whereas, Recent studies suggest there is evidence that radio-frequency radiation may produce “health effects” at “very low field” intensities; Whereas, The scientific community and most health officials agree that more research is needed to provide a definitive answer as to the effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic and radio- frequency radiation on our health and recommend the prudent avoidance of equipment which generates non-ionizing radiation; now, therefore, be it Resolved, further, That the Board of Education oppose the future placement of cellular telecommunications towers on or immediately adjacent to school property currently owned by the District until appropriate regulatory standards are adopted.
News Headlines: Cell Towers Near U.S. Schools and Homes
- Roanoke County school board terminates cell tower agreement. Alison Graham, Roanoke Times, Dec 12, 2019. https://www.roanoke.com/news/education/roanoke-county-school-board-terminates-cell-tower-agreement/article_cff769a0-d0c5-5fbf-9c29-93ebe15bc6ff.html
- Could A New Cell Tower Hurt You Financially? CBS13 Investigates. A new cell tower could put a local preschool out of business. (California) June 28, 2019. Julie Watts. https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2019/06/28/cell-tower-hurt-financially-cbs13-investigates/
- New cell tower goes up next to Folsom day care. Parents worry about risk to their kid. (California) July 2, 2019. The Sacramento Bee. Sawsan Morrar. https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/education/article232030757.html
- Palo Alto bans new cell towers next to public schools. City Council creates 300-foot setback requirement for new wireless communication facilities. (California). June 19, 2019. https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2019/06/19/palo-alto-bans-new-cell-towers-next-to-public-schools
- New cell tower concerns parents of Bolles Lower School students. County-approved tower near Ponte Vedra campus part of new PGA headquarters. (Florida) May 17, 2019. Elizabeth Campbell. https://www.news4jax.com/news/florida/st-johns-county/new-cell-tower-concerns-parents-of-bolles-lower-school-students
- Cell phone tower proposal near a school draws opposition from neighbors. (Tennessee) May 15, 2019. Istvan Bardos. Local Memphis News. https://www.localmemphis.com/news/local-news/cell-phone-tower-proposal-near-a-school-draws-opposition-from-neighbors/
- Residents fight cell tower near homes. (New Mexico) May 3rd, 2019. RRObserver. Chelsea Wagner. https://www.abqjournal.com/1310713/residents-fight-cell-tower-near-homes.html
- Parents concerned about cell towers at Jordan Ridge Elementary.(Utah) April 16, 2019. Mark oliver. https://kslnewsradio.com/1904136/jordan-ridge-elementary-school-cell-towers/?
- Council says no to cell phone tower. (Texas) April 15, 2019. Jo Clifton. Austin Monitor. https://www.austinmonitor.com/stories/2019/04/council-says-no-to-cell-phone-tower/
- How a Verizon Cell Tower Began a Furious Debate in Wayland: A shooting range, a 141-foot cell tower, and a mob of angry neighbors in one of Boston’s toniest suburbs. Inside the feud that’s bringing Wayland to its knees. (Massachusetts) April 11, 2019. Julie Suratt. https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2019/04/11/wayland-cell-tower/
- LOCAL GROUP PROTESTS 5G CELL TOWER IN EUGENE. (Oregon) January 26, 2019. Madison Glassman. https://www.kezi.com/content/news/Local-group-protests-5G-cell-tower-in-Eugene–504924111.html
- Proposed cell tower raises health concerns. (New York) January 17, 2019. Larry Malerba. Opinion. https://altamontenterprise.com/01172019/proposed-cell-tower-raises-health-concerns
- Cities Fight 5G Towers Next to Homes and Schools. (California) Safe San Mateo. https://safesanmateo.com/cities-fighting-telecoms/
- UCSD Literature Building Study. 2016. https://blink.ucsd.edu/safety/resources/public-health/lit-building/index.html#Background
See Also
- PST Cell Towers Health Effects Scientific Literature- https://mdsafetech.org/cell-tower-health-effects/
- PST Cellular Mechanisms of RFR Oxidation- https://mdsafetech.org/cellular-mechanisms-oxidation/
- PST Cancer and Radiofrequency Radiation– https://mdsafetech.org/cancer/
- PST NTP Study on Cell Phones and Cancer- https://mdsafetech.org/ntp-study-2016/
- PST Wi Fi in Schools- https://mdsafetech.org/wi-fi-in-schools-2/
- PST Military and Government Reports- https://mdsafetech.org/science/military-studies-and-compendiums/
- Safer EMR Cell Tower Health Effects- https://www.saferemr.com/2015/04/cell-tower-health-effects.html
- Environmental Health Trust Wi-Fi in Schools, Health Risks and Solutions. https://ehtrust.org/key-issues/cell-phoneswireless/wifi-in-schools/
News Articles Related to Ripon
- Cell Tower To Be Shut Down, Officials Now Look To Ground In Elementary School Cancer Cases. April 4, 2019. Julie Watts. CBS News. https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2019/04/04/cell-tower-cancer-ripon-school-soil/
- Ripon Cell Tower to Be Removed From School Grounds; Mothers of Cancer Survivors Share Feelings of Relief. March 23, 2019. Jessica Mensch. https://fox40.com/2019/03/23/ripon-cell-tower-to-be-removed-from-school-grounds-mothers-of-cancer-survivors-share-feelings-of-relief/
- Our View: It’s time for Ripon schools to get rid of the cell phone tower. March 18, 2019. Modesto Bee Editorial. https://www.modbee.com/opinion/editorials/article228097509.html#storylink=cpy
- Parents push to get cell tower removed from Ripon school. March 14, 2019. Melinda Meza. https://www.kcra.com/article/cell-tower-ripon-school/26823085
- Fourth Ripon student has cancer. Parents demand removal of cell tower from school. March 12, 2019. Modesto Bee. Ken Carlson. https://www.modbee.com/news/article227459649.html
- Parents Blame Elementary School’s Cell Tower After 4th Student Diagnosed With Cancer. March 12, 2019. Jennifer Mc Graw. https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2019/03/12/school-cell-tower-causing-cancer/
- 2 students get cancer; Ripon parents want cell towers removed from schools: Group demands Ripon Unified School District take down cell phone towers on campuses. June 20, 2017. Natalie Brunell. KCRA News. https://www.kcra.com/article/2-students-get-cancer-ripon-parents-want-cell-towers-removed-from-schools/10046427
- After 2 Ripon Children Diagnosed with Cancer, Kids and Parents Protest Cell Tower on School Grounds. May 31, 2017. Fox 4o Sacramento. Kay Recede.https://fox40.com/2017/05/31/after-2-ripon-children-diagnosed-with-cancer-kids-and-parents-protest-cell-tower-on-school-grounds/
- Remove Towers From Ripon Unified School District . May 29, 2017. https://www.gopetition.com/petitions/remove-towers-from-ripon-unified-school-district.html
- High Performance Wireless Research and Education Network (HPWREN): Local agencies team with researchers for crisis management exercise. Sept 26, 2001. https://hpwren.ucsd.edu/news/010926.html
- High Performance Wireless Research and Education Network (HPWREN): HPWREN Provides SDSU Researchers with Direct Link to Remote Field Equipment. Dec 23, 2002. https://hpwren.ucsd.edu/news/021223.html
- Agency reduces power on 72-mile WLAN link. Bob Brewin. Nov 21, 2002. https://www.computerworld.com/article/2578034/agency-reduces-power-on-72-mile-wlan-link.html
- Timeline of installations of HPWREN at UCSD. http://hpwren.ucsd.edu/Photos/#2000http://hpwren.ucsd.edu/Photos/#2000
Scientific Articles
- 500 Meter buffer recommended around schools, hospitals and homes. “Limiting liability with positioning to minimize negative health effects of cellular phone towers.” (2019) Pearce M. Environmental Research, Nov 2019; https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0013935119306425
- Oxidative mechanisms of biological activity of low-intensity radiofrequency radiation. (2016) Yakymenko et al. Electromagn Biol Med. 2016;35(2):186-202. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26151230
- NTP Technical Report on Cancer and Cell Phones. (2018) https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/about_ntp/trpanel/2018/march/tr595peerdraft.pdf
- National Cancer Institute- Cancer in Children and Adolescents. https://www.cancer.gov/types/childhood-cancers/child-adolescent-cancers-fact-sheet
- [Symptoms experienced by people in vicinity of base stations: II/ Incidences of age, duration of exposure, location of subjects in relation to the antennas and other electromagnetic factors]. (2003) Santini R. Pathol Biol (Paris). 2003 Sep;51(7):412-5. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12948762
- Significant Decrease of Clinical Symptoms after Mobile Phone Base Station Removal –An Intervention Study. (2014). Tetsuharu Shinjyo and Akemi Shinjyo. http://www.slt.co/Downloads/News/1086/Shinjyo%202014%20Significant%20Decrease%20of%20Clinical%20Symptoms%20after%20Mobile%20Phone%20Base%20Station%20Removal%20.pdf
- Increased Incidence of Cancer Near a Cell Phone Transmitter Station. (2004) Wolf and Wolf. Kaplan Medical Center, Israel. http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.527.1036&rep=rep1&type=pdf
- The Influence of Being Physically Near to a Cell Phone Transmission Mast on the Incidence of Cancer. (2004) Egger H et al. January 2004. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/241473738_The_Influence_of_Being_Physically_Near_to_a_Cell_Phone_Transmission_Mast_on_the_Incidence_of_Cancer
- Mortality by neoplasia and cellular telephone base stations in the Belo Horizonte municipality, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. (2011) A Dode et al. Science of The Total Environment. Volume 409, Issue 19 react-text: 71 , /react-text react-text: 72 1 September 2011 /react-text react-text: 73 , Pages 3649-3665 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969711005754
- Mobile Phone Base Station Tower Settings Adjacent to School Buildings: Impact on Students’ Cognitive Health. Meo SA et al. American Journal of Men’s Health. December 7, 2018. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1557988318816914
- The increasing toll of adolescent cancer incidence in the US. (2017) Burkhamer J et al. PLoS One. 2017; 12(2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5325567/
- Cancers with increasing incidence trends in the United States: 1999 through 2008. (2012) Simard EP et al. CA Cancer J Clin. 2012 Mar-Apr;62(2):118-28. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22281605
- Combined Toxic Exposures and Human Health: Biomarkers of Exposure and Effect. (2011) Sillins and Hogberg. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3083662/
- An Overview of Literature Topics Related to Current Concepts, Methods, Tools, and Applications for Cumulative Risk Assessment (2007-2016). Fox MA et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2017 Apr 7;14(4). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28387705
- Evaluating cumulative risk assessment for environmental justice: a community case study. (2002) Fox MA. Environ Health Perspect. 2002 Apr;110 Suppl 2:203-9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11929729
- Methods for Evaluating the Combined Effects of Chemical and Nonchemical Exposures for Cumulative Environmental Health Risk Assessment. Payne-Sturges DC. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 Dec 10;15(12). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30544651
Other Info
- LAUSD Resolution Banning Cell Towers 2000. http://nebula.wsimg.com/54045122e4143e4f31cdd7827aa9391c?AccessKeyId=045114F8E0676B9465FB&disposition=0&alloworigin=1
- The Legacy of Woburn, Massachusetts and Tricholorethylene. Andell K. Heneghan. University of Idaho. Principles of Environmental Toxicology. 2000. https://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/etox/resources/case_studies/woburn.pdf
- Taking It all In. Environmental Toxins and Your Health. Harvard Seminar. April 5, 2016. https://hms.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/assets/OCER/files/Taking%20It%20All%20In%20Reading%20Materials%20Web.pdf
- Public Information Bulletin – Addressing Water Quality Concerns. Ripon, California. April 2, 2019. https://local.nixle.com/alert/7202664/
- Sonoma Planning Commission Meeting September 12, 2019. Wireless Telecommunications Facilities. Small cells equivalent to macro cell tower antenna in power and Radiofrequency for 4G. https://youtu.be/HRYFXx7oNN4?t=11424
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