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Jamie Smith
Dr. Henry Lai
Radiation emitted from electronics could be harmful to your health and will become a major health concern to Canadians in the coming years say some experts.
Dr. Henry Lai was one of three speakers at Lakehead University Monday evening during Health Impacts of Exposure to Wireless Radiation. Lai, from the department of bioengineering at the University of Washington said if asked 10 years ago whether radiation from wireless signals and cell phones was harmful he would have said "no". But after his research in "Biological effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic fields" Lai said he’s changed his mind. Lai said while using a cell phone, 80 per cent of the high intensity radiation is absorbed into the hand and head. Transmissions from wireless routers or broadcast towers expose people to low intensity and long-term radiation.
" It’s involuntary," Lai said of the radiation being transmitted through the open environment. "No matter where you go you’re exposed."
Lai said new research is showing that exposure to frequencies emitted by these technologies leads to enhanced free radical activity in the body’s cells which leads to cell damage and even cell death.
DNA strands break when exposed to radiation which need to reform. Lai said when DNA reforms it can make "mistakes" which leads to mutations.
Studies show radiation breaks strands of DNA which then need to reform. Can lead to the DNA making "mistakes" which cause mutations.
"Radiation breaks the DNA into small chunks," Lai said. "That’s not good news."
Lai said his research has also shown that the effects of radiation on health depends largely on where the funding for research comes from. He said with wireless industry funding a lot of the research out there, governments need to increase their funding into wireless technologies and its biological effects. Currently Canada is funding very little research while the United States has funded virtually no studies on wireless technology Lai said.
"The government should come out and support research," Lai said.
Trent University’s Dr. Magda Havas has been studying the biological effects of electromagnetic pollution or "electrosmog" in the environment caused by everything from cordless phones to televisions in the home.
She said if the audience only took one piece of advice from her during the evening, it would be to remove cordless phones from their home which can emit as much radiation as a cell phone tower.
"If we continue to do this we will be suffering the consequences," Havas said. "This type of technology should definitely be banned."
She estimates over one million Canadians have some form of electrohypersensitivity caused by "dirty electricity" in the environment. While most suffer milder symptoms such as headaches or dizziness when exposed, Havas said she has been studying much more sever cases as well. While working with a woman suffering from MS, Havas noticed the woman had severe tremors. After removing appliances causing electrosmog, such as a large plasma television, from the woman’s home Havas said the woman improved significantly. A diabetic studied by Havas showed electromagnetic activity increased the person’s blood sugar level. Havas said Lakehead University is fortunate to have wired internet only.
Some students, however, weren’t convinced by the speakers. Lakehead student Tom Grinnell was one of two people who showed up to the Agora wearing a pie plate for a hat. Grinnell said he wanted to bring some comic relief to the evening. While he’s not opposed to debating the merits of wireless internet at the school he thinks Lakehead University needs it. Grinnell said he works in an office at the university with three people and one internet connection which can be troublesome.
"It should be a leader in technology," Grinnell said. "A lot of the classrooms, they’re not really equipped for the technology that we need."
While experts on the other side of the issue were invited to speak, all declined the invitation said emcee Colin Bruce.