Wi-Fi and Health & Safety – A Precautionary Approach

Wi-Fi and your Health and Safety – A Precautionary Approach
I have been interested in the health implications of Wi-Fi for some time now and have already shared my concerns with many of you about the close proximity of your wireless routers in your work spaces. Recently the Greater Victoria School District has started the process of installing or upgrading Wi-Fi throughout schools in the district. It was suggested by one trustee that the District stop the further installation of Wi-Fi in schools and take a precautionary approach until there is enough evidence to prove that this technology is safe. Unfortunately this motion was defeated before it even came to a vote. Alternatively, trustees have created an Ad Hoc Committee to discuss community and parental concerns early in the new year. Suspect is the fact that the school district’s secretary treasurer, who seems to be pushing the Wi-Fi agenda, is also the chair of the Ad Hoc committee. In the meantime they’ll be continuing with their plans to install industrial strength Wi-Fi. This means children will be blanketed in a Wi-Fi signal for at least 6 hours a day for 13 years. I have alarm bells going off. I have been investigating the safety of such a move and the more I look into this issue the more concerned I grow.

This recent news clip is only one of many reporting on some of the concerns being raised. Two sites worth noting are www.safeschool.ca and www.citizensforsafetechnology.com

I am clearly passionate about technology, it’s my business, but essentially I believe that it’s our responsibility to take a precautionary approach where our children’s safety is concerned. Surely there’s good reason other countries are taking Wi-Fi out of schools, limiting exposure and insurance companies no longer covering claims related to this technology.

As a business owner I must put the safety of my customers and their families first. Although not as convenient, there is another option, hard-wired – it’s both safe and secure. Many of you have switched to a wireless connection – you can switch off the wireless component using the software within the router. Let me know if you need a hand with this.

Here is a list of some of the reasons I’ve found to be concerned:

CBC – The National: Wendy Mesley reports about how many insurance companies are not insuring cell phone manufacturers and wireless carriers, worried that this industry could turn out to be another health crisis like asbestos More info here.
Warnings from the Telecommunications Industry More info here.
Countries in Europe are already starting to take Wi-Fi out of schools. Switzerland is providing Fiber Optics for their schools. Already exposure rates and guidelines are significantly lower all around the world with the exception of Canada and the USA which is up to 1000x’s higher than many of these other countries.
Israeli Knesset panel endorses plan to minimize electromagnetic radiation exposure in schools. More info here.
The mayor of the second largest city in Calvados is going to remove the Wi-Fi network from local schools. More info here.
One Surrey BC school bans Wi-Fi and cell phones, stating it was not a major change to hard-wire computers. More info here.
Evidence presented to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health from the Public Health Department, Salzburg, Austria. The official advice is to avoid using this technology in schools. More info here.
Parliament of Hesse (Germany) states that wired over wireless connection should be given preference wherever possible. In a decision from 22 March 2007 (br-online.de), the Bavarian parliament asked its schools to forego the use of wireless Internet networks such as Wi-Fi because of health concerns and instead to go back to wired network solutions. In an additional decision from 21 June 2007 (print copy 15/8409) on “Protecting Children at School from Radiation Exposures,” the state government was asked to inform the school authorities about the statements and recommendations of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection. More info here.
Lakehead University Wi-Fi Policy limits wireless connectivity based on the precautionary principle. More info here.
We know that cell phone towers use the same technology and same frequency range as Wi-Fi yet there are guidelines in place which state the suggested “safe” distance in which cell phone towers may be in proximity of a school. Why would we install Wi-Fi technology directly inside a classroom?
Swisscom is the leading telecom provider in Switzerland and it devised a way to reduce the microwave radiation from Wi-Fi (also known as WLAN or wireless local area network). In its patent application, Swisscom clearly states the elevated risk of cancer and genetic damage from the constant low-level microwave/RF exposure from Wi-Fi. More info here .
There are no current studies on short or long-term effects of Wi-Fi on children as such studies are considered unethical, yet implementing Wi-Fi in schools is essentially exposing children to an ongoing experiment without parental consent.
Health Canada’s Code 6 guidelines were written for microwave ovens in the 1970’s. Basically Code 6 states that if the microwaves do not heat your skin in 6 minutes or begin to cook you, then they are not harmful. This code was designed well before the use of cell phones or Wi-Fi routers and certainly before anyone thought to put them into schools. The “safe” label was allowed to be dangerously high to also allow the use of military technology and not to be used in a school setting where there are developing children and young adults. For more information click here.
In the 1999-2009 version of Safety Code 6 it warns about the health problems some people will experience: “Certain members of the general public may be more susceptible to harm from microwave exposure. Wi-Fi should never be used in public schools because some children will be more harmed than others suffering headaches, nausea, radically altered heart rates, rashes and weakness.” This warning from page 11 has been erased from the Safety Code in October of 2009. The latest specification for Wi-Fi, the 802.11N protocol was also introduced in October 2009, and uses multiple frequencies and multiple antennas to increase the transmission speeds and data rates. It would seem to me that this would further increase the concerns and the warning noted above and should be more prominent, not removed from the Safety Code.
The Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Kendall, states that the use of Wi-Fi is indeed safe yet recently has written to the Ministry of Education, providing a list of ways to reduce exposure. Click to download and view the Letter Re: Wi-Fi in Schools Nov 2010.
The Parliamentary HESA committee is in the process of meetings to address this issue where many concerns and questions are presently being raised. HESA Wi-Fi Hearing Oct 28 2010. More info here.
A sales campaign called the “21st Century Learner” is putting microwave transmitters into classrooms across Canada. The sales job is so successful the systems are being bought by countless schools which already have safe cable internet connection. It all began in 2002 with a group of technology companies were dreaming up how to sell their products to schools. Below is a link to the sales team — the corporations who came up with the “21st Century Learner” campaign that was soon disguised as an “education” campaign. Many school boards have been fooled. Click here to read more.

What can you do?

As parents and members of the community you can get the discussion started with your local school Parent Advisory Committees. Ask at your school how to contact the PAC or attend their next meeting. You can find PAC information on your school districts website or local school’s website.
You can write to the Minister of Education and the Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Kendall and express your concerns.
- Minister of Education – Mary MacDiarmid minister.educ@gov.bc.ca
- Office of the Provincial Health Officer – 4^th Floor, 1515 Blanshard Street, Victoria BC V8W 3C8 Phone: (250) 952-1330 Fax: (250) 952-1362 Perry.Kendall@gov.gc.ca
You can write to the trustees in your school District.
- Greater Victoria School District: trustees@sd61.bc.ca
- Sooke School District: http://www.sd62.bc.ca/AboutSSD/Trustees.aspx (individual email addresses provided)
- Saanich School District: sbo_board@sd63.bc.ca
Attend SD 61’s public meetings of the Wi-Fi Ad Hoc Committee. If you’d like to present be sure to note the January 10^th deadline for submissions and presentation guidelines. The meeting dates are January 24^th, 31^st and February 28^th from 5-7 pm. For further information go to: http://www.sd61.bc.ca/wifi.aspx **Although this issue isn’t isolated to The Greater Victoria School District 61 they are the only District that has created an Ad Hoc meeting to discuss this.**
Turn off Wi-Fi in your own home.

Again, I want to be clear, I’m not against the technology. I just want it to be safe. By taking a precautionary approach and working together through reading reliable information, not studies financed by industry, and educating ourselves on alternatives to Wi-Fi we can reduce potential risks to our children until we know with certainty that the technology is safe. SD61’s Mission statement declares that it “…is committed to each student’s success in learning within a responsive and safe environment.”