Nexus - 0703 - New Times Magazine-pages

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deBriefings RADIOFREQUENCY AND MICROWAVE (RF/MW) After the war, in the late 1940s, several studies came to light EXPOSURE STANDARDS: RUSSIA AND THE WEST that indicated that there were possible hazards involved with the iv MAIOR CONFLICT C | ©2000 use of microwaves. In 1948, two US studies reported a possible y Bon Wialscn, acts Consultancy link with cataracts and testicular degeneration in dogs. These ussian and other Eastern European countries' exposure _ studies were largely ignored, simply because the companies Ris for radio frequency and microwave (RF/MW) radia- __ which had developed microwave technology for the military saw tion are far stricter than those in either the USA or an opportunity for wide commercial use of microwaves, such as Western Europe—a situation that has existed for over 30 years, in diathermy equipment and, later, microwave ovens. As such, mainly due to a fundamental difference between East and West as __ there was no interest in funding research that might put a damper to exactly what exposure standards should provide protection —_ on this expanding business opportunity. It must also be remem- against. bered that this was the start of the Cold War between the East and With the previous "Cold War" between East and West now West, and military uses of radar and other new equipment were well over and with the present push towards "globalisation", an seen as paramount to the national interest. attempt was made to resolve this difference at the 2nd However, in 1953, a study of workers at Hughes Aircraft International Conference on Problems of Corporation found excessive amounts of Electromagnetic Safety of the Human internal bleeding, leukaemia, cataracts, Being, held in Moscow in late 1999. This headaches, brain tumours, heart conditions, conference was sponsored by the Russian etc. in those employees working with Rona Commies CRNCNIRP) and Russian and other radar. This suuly resulted in the US mili- adiation Protection an tary initiating the first investigation into many other Russian scientific organisa- Eastern European the biological effects of microwaves, with pons. in sem WHO) the Interne ne m countries’ exposure phe aim ° develop “olbranee levels for rganization , the Internationa ss oth single and repeated exposures. Since Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation limits for little research data existed at that time (that Provection CCNIRP) and the US At Force. radiofrequency and a) be used in determining tolerance espite extensive discussions during this . sae imits), it was decided that the known abil- conference, the attempt to "harmonise" microwave radiation ity of microwaves to heat up tissue (ther- RF/MW standards was unsuccessful, with are far stricter than mal effects) would be the main criterion little chance of a compromise in the near . used in developing limits. This decision, future. As mentioned by Professor Yuri those In the West. based more on a lack of scientific data than Grigoriev, chairman of the RNCNIRP and a senior research scientist in anything else, quickly gained favour with both the military and industry, Moscow: "So far we have entirely An attempt to as it avoided the unknown issue of ‘harmonise’ safety other possible non-thermal health standards has led to some interesting different approaches to 'harmonisa- tion’. Western standard-setting organ- isations have emphasised protection from RF/MW thermal effects," uickly became the accepted norm Grigoriev said, "while Russia's more . with Western standard-setting organi- restrictive standard also reflects a disclosures. sations and, as a result, the vast concern over non-thermal effects and majority of research in the West was subjective symptoms." irected at short-term, high-level Grigoriev emphasised the need to exposures, with the aim of gaining a take into account possible cumulative better understanding of thermal effects from repeated exposure to rel- effects and refining exposure stan- atively low levels of radiation as well ards to give adequate protection as the potential bio-effects of specific modulated patterns. "If we against body heating. Research directed towards health effects bring our viewpoints together, we will have a shorter way to har- _ other than thermal was not favoured, and any findings (especially monise," he said. epidemiological) that indicated that low-level biological effects Way back, during the Second World War, concerns began to _— may exist were criticised and not followed up. It was simply bad be raised by military personnel that there may be health hazards _ for business! from working with radar equipment. Servicemen standing in This situation was well described by Dr Rochelle Medici, a front of the radar antenna soon discovered it was a great way to __ researcher on animal behaviour, who said: "It is though scientists keep warm on a cold night, but rumours began to circulate that had retreated from doing challenging, frontier studies because this could also cause temporary sterility. In the 1940s, various such work engendered too much controversy or elicited too much US military and government agencies investigated the possibili- criticism. We are left with 'safe' but meaningless experiments. ties of health hazards. They all found no evidence of hazards, but —_ The results of such experiments are a foregone conclusion." recommended avoiding prolonged exposure as a precautionary Now, almost 50 years after the first enquiry into setting an measure. exposure standard in the USA, the arbitrary decision to consider effects not caused by tissue-heating. The "thermal school of thought" countries’ exposure limits for radiofrequency and microwave radiation An attempt to ‘harmonise’ safety standards has led to disclosures. APRIL — MAY 2000 NEXUS - 13 Russian and other Eastern European are far stricter than those in the West. some interesting