Powerlines, cell phones, and cancer

Below are a collection of links to information regarding studies on the possible connection of powerlines, cell phones, and cancer and other health issues.

A word of clarification for those of you who may have seen my recent interview on a local television station: at one point I am shown stating, "... there is pretty overwhelming evidence that, if there is an effect, it is extremely small." My statement was meant to refer to the carcinogenic effect of powerlines, not cell phones. The research regarding cell phones and cancer is at a less mature stage, and I am not qualified to provide expert opinions on this issue.

I agreed to the interview, not to address medical issues, but rather to discuss how the cellular telephone system works, what kind of radiation cell phones produce, and how such radiation interacts with tissue (heating). The full interview from which the aired excerpts were taken concentrated on these issues.

If you are concerned about risks from cell phone transmissions, you may reduce your exposure to the electromagnetic radiation from cell phones considerably by increasing the distance between the antenna and your body. You may use an external microphone and speaker, or you may use an external antenna, perhaps mounted on the car roof. The ABS 20/20 report on cell phones and brain cancer referenced below indicated that holding the cell phone close to the face results in lower power at the brain than if the phone is held more vertically with the antenna closer to the head. Also be aware that the closer you are to a cellular tower, the lower the power output of your own cell phone, and the lower your exposure. Towers are much more closely spaced in areas of high population density, so you may expect less exposure in cities than in rural areas where towers are more sparsely placed.

You may find references below that address these issues.

Powerlines

• NIEHS Report on Health Effects from Powerline Frequency Electric and Magnetic Fields. The report concludes that "The scientific evidence suggesting that [power-frequency electromagnetic field] exposures pose any health risk is weak."
• Powerlines and Cancer FAQs: Introduction to a series of questions and answers on the connection between power lines, electrical occupations and cancer; includes discussion of the biophysics of interactions with EM sources, summaries of the laboratory and human studies, information on standards, and an annotated bibliography.
• This contains an excerpt from the National Academy of Sciences report on powerlines and cancer. I view this and the above NIEHS reports as the most definitive statements on this issue. This report is available from the National Academy of Sciences at http://www.nap.edu/bookstore/isbn/0309054478.html.
• Statement by the Council of the American Physical Society, April 22, 1995 on POWER LINE FIELDS AND PUBLIC HEALTH.
• Two papers by David Hafemeister, Physics Department, California Polytechnic State University:
• Background Paper on "Power Line Fields and Public Health".
• The Imprudence of "Prudent Avoidance" .
• Discussion of a suggestion that powerlines attract radon daughter products, which in turn cause cancer.

Cellular telephones and cancer

• Cellular Phone Antennas and Human Health FAQ.
• ABC 20/20 report on cell phones and cancer.
• "Dial H for Hysteria: Data Linking Cell Phones With Medical Problems Just Causes Worry," a report from the American Council on Science and Health, chaired by C. Everett Koop.
• Pertinent links from the Environment Center of Western Australia.
• Cell phones and memory loss in mice.
• George Carlo letter on cell phones and cancer.

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