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Comments and Mail From Our Readers

Last modified on: Wednesday, June 20, 2007 11:26:32
Copyright © 1994-2008, Information Ventures, Inc.

Selected Comments and Mail From Our Readers From Previous Months

May 15, 2005
I ran across your EMF-Link comment page and I see that the last entry was sometime in 2004. Are you still monitoring/answering comments or questions? Thanks
Reply from Web Master: I'm sorry to say, the jerks and idiots have so overwhelmed us with spam that we no longer are able to monitor comments. For every legitimate message we get several thousand casino, viagra, naked women, etc. They use automated software that fills out page forms. The good news is that if you go over the previous reader comments you'll find that almost every conceivable topic is covered and you will find answers to your questions and if you still have a question or comment you can e-mail us. We use an excellent spam filter on our e-mail. Look at the bottom of the page for our e-mail address. We also still allow posting of messages in our WebBoard.

February 20, 2004
Good Day, I would like to buy a house which has a power line less than 50 ft from it. Is this a bad idea and what are the health risks?
Reply from Dr. Robert Goldberg: The health risks associated with powerlines are not well understood. The strongest concern comes from results of studies indicating that residential proximity to powerlines that produce background magnetic fields in the home of 3 or 4 milligauss are associated with a small but statistically significant increase in the risk of chilhood leukemia. Such exposure are rare -- in the US the average home has about one milligauss from outside sources. Magnetic field levels depend on the current in the powerline, not the voltage. Likely average magnetic field levels could be calculated by the utility company, or you could get someone with a gauss meter to measure average fields around the house you are thinking of buying when the household current is shut off. This will give you a better indication of the field you are getting from the powerline, but you will have to decide, if it is elevated above usual background levels, what exposure you are willing to live with. If you want to understand this issue, I suggest starting with a booklet prepared under the EMF RAPID Program on power frequency EMF exposures and possible health risks. It was updated in 2002, after the end of the EMF Rapid program, and is still available on their web site at: http://www.niehs.nih.gov/emfrapid/booklet/home.htm Our company assisted the EMF RAPID Program for many years with access to the EMF research literature, and ran a telephone hotline to answer questions from the public on EMF concerns. We still respond to questions from the public under a contract with CDC. We maintain information resources over the whole frequency spectrum (including wireless frequency issues) and can provide consultant services and literature if you are interested in monitoring this area. Regards, Bob

January 21, 2004
Please help me determine how close is too close for any prolonged exposure of a young child to heat pump units. We try to keep a buffer around the TV, but what about heat pump units, the indoor air handlers in particular? Thank you for any information you can provide.
Reply from Dr. Robert Goldberg: Like any electrical device, the magnetic field level at your heat pump will depend on the amount of current the device uses. The field level will decline as you move away from the source, and the rate at which it drops off with distance from the source depends on how it is wired - a close wiring pattern that brings the phases together tends to have more phase cancellation and field levels will drop off more rapidly. Most likely, the magnetic field source in the indoor air handlers are electric motors used to power the fan, and perhaps also auxillary electric heating coils used for situtions where the outdoor temperature is too cold to effectively extract heat. The heat pump manufacturer may be able to provide some magnetic field levels, or you may have to get a gauss meter and make some measurements around your particular unit. In general, readings of 1-2 milligauss are about average for a home environment, so you may want to adjust your distance from the heat pump to keep in this range, if possible. The issue of health concerns is more complicated, and there is no established long-term exposure level that is associated with adverse health effects (or lack of them). If you are interested in following this issue there are many articles in the EMF Health Report that concern studies of basic biological effects and health effects associated with power frequency electromagnetic radiation. Regards, Bob

November 24, 2003
We were hoping to obtain some info on EMF at our location. We recently had a cellular phone company install a suite at our work place. The antennas are in a location where we will be within 50' of them for periods of 2-3 hours while performing work duties. The site was installed several months ago, but within the last three weeks they have installed a sign that states not to come within 7' of the antennas and do not stop in front of them. We are pretty much in the dark regarding EMF from this and if it is a possible hazard. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Reply from Dr. Robert Goldberg: Generally, cell phone antennas operate at relatively low output powers and easily meet existing safety standards, unless you are close to them and directly in the beam of the antenna. The distance of seven feet seems a reasonable way to address this concern (probably four feet away or closer would expose an individual above the limit, so a warning to stay seven feet away adds a margin of safety in case people underestimate their distance). At a distance of 50 feet, you and your coworkers are being exposed to a level that almost certainly falls well within existing exposure standards, and is likely to be nearly undetectable from general background levels (from radio/television broadcast and other radiofrequency sources). The question of safety is harder to answer. Most scientists do not think that people living and working near cell phone towers are likely to show effects from the exposure because of the very low levels involved -- those that suspect some adverse effects from cell phone signals expect to see them in users of hand-held cell phones first because the exposure is much higher. Many activists, especially in Europe, are much more concerned however, in part because of the involuntary nature of the exposure and the lack of research on the effects of very long-term low-level exposures. There are a few epidemiological studies, for example, that suggest a higher cancer rate among people living near broadcast towers, and there has been little long-term research on the new cell phone technology so that safety cannot be completely certain. About the best you can do is inform yourself on this issue and make some decision based on your level of comfort with the possible risk. Our company can help you identify the resources you need for understanding the issues, and assist you in responding to related issues that may arise from customer concerns about possible electromagnetic field (EMF) health effects. As manager of the electromagnetic field (EMF) bioeffects projects at Information Ventures, I review thousands of research reports each year and am very familiar with research developments in this area. I also have an extensive network of contacts in the bioelectromagnetics research community that I can enlist for addressing more specialized issues. We can establish an ongoing relationship with your company to provide consultant services, delivering specialized reports or immediate response by phone or e-mail as needed. We also produce print and electronic resources that can provide vital EMF information for your in-house staff concerned with EMF health effects issues. If this is more of a personal concern for you and your coworkers, we have some general articles on cell phone epidemiology and related research in the EMF Health Report (http://infoventures.com/emf/hrpt/contents.html). You may want to consider the few articles we have available for purchase at our “online bookstore” (available as a button at http://infoventures.com/emf/). From the EMF Health report reprint section I can recommend “CELLULAR TOWERS: EXPOSURE LEVELS AND PUBLIC HEALTH” which describes the expected exposure levels from cell phone base stations, and “CELLULAR PHONE RESEARCH UNDERWAY” which outlines some of the areas of cell phone research. If you are interested in up to date and more complete information, more detailed summaries of individual research studies appear in the specialized content of our EMF Database. Coverage of base station-related topics in the EMF Database is quite extensive, so it would be desirable to focus your interest more specifically if you are interested in obtaining some EMF Database articles. We can do a custom search of our EMF Database and give you selected detailed summaries and scientific literature citations with some brief comments on the interpretation. Samples of the kind of records delivered from the search can be viewed at http://infoventures.com/emf/database/ These sample records demonstrate the type of coverage we provide in our abstracted papers. The cost for a basic search is $425.00. If you have an ongoing need for monitoring the research in the EMF health effects area, a subscription to the EMF Database and/or the Health report would be a good investment. I can provide you with further details if you are interested. General information on services provided by our company is also available on our website, http://infoventures.com Regards, Bob

April 23, 2003
Hello, I specialize in Interior design. Recently I have come across an interesting oppurtunity. A client of mine has a disorder called ElectroMagnetic Syndrome. I have done some research on this and in doing so I came across your website. What I'm looking for is some information on people currently with the syndrome and how they cope with the disease, i.e. what kind of materials they use on a day to day basis to make their lives as normal as possible. I hope I'm leaning to the right direction and you may be of some assistance to me. Thank you very much for your time.
Reply from Dr. Robert Goldberg: I believe what you are talking about is electromagnetic sensitivity; reactions to normal levels of exposure to power frequency or radiofrequency fields that may produce visible symptoms like rash, headaches, or other types of extreme discomfort. If you do an Internet search (using google or something similar) on the terms "electromagnetic sensitivity" or "elecromagnetic hypersensitivity" you will find links to a number of activist websites, as well as some organizations like the World Health Organization and the Danish occupational health agency that have done research on the subject. Unfortunately, this is an area that attracts some treatments of questionable effectiveness, so I would caution you to keep an open mind on the options for reducing exposure and view crystals and other devices that "improve" the exposures without producing a measurable change in them with skepticism. As you read some of the scientific sites you will see that there is some doubt if the very real symptoms are actually related to EMF exposure, or are a form of conditioned response. Of course it is always a good idea to have your client see a physician to rule out other possible causes of his or her symptoms. Regards, Bob

March 14, 2003
I am aged 46 years. I have been implanted a pacemaker SSR 203. I am working on computers as I am a computer operator in a bank. The pacemaker had to be programmed twice in a span of 6 months and now it is adjusted for 7.5 V which is the maximum output. Why has it to be programmed even the doctors attending are at surprise. If I get further giddiness we cannot enhance the output. Kindly advice in the matter and also let me know whether there can be sufficient interference in the working of pacemaker while working on a computer.
Reply from Dr. Robert Goldberg: In our EMF Database covering the literature on electromagnetic field bioeffects we have roughly 100 articles concerning electromagnetic interference (EMI) with implanted cardiac pacemakers, many of which document the absence of any EMI, even with fairly strong field sources from appliances or power distribution. The commonly recognized hazards come from certain models of cellular phones when located close to the pacemaker or leads (in a chest pocket for example), antitheft devices, and strong magnetic fields that can act to reset the pacemaker controls (which are designed to be adjusted externally with a magnet). Newer pacemaker designs appear to be better able to reject EMI, but it varies to some extent in individual patients because the pacemaker wires (leads) act as an antenna and can pick up incident fields or weak contact currents in the body. You or your doctor should contact the pacemaker manufacturer since there may be some information particular to this model or a malfunction in your device. I would be surprised if the fields from the computers you work with had any influence on your pacemaker. Regards, Bob

February 11, 2003
The city is planning to put a transformer in my front yard. I am discussing my legal rights, if any, with an attorney today. Without costing myself thousands of dollars on a possibly losing fight, I need to know: How much EMF or exposure does a transformer put out exactly and are there any proven facts to substantiate a health risk association? I just want the transformer moved to the vacant lot, instead of right next to my driveway and basketball hoop, where my kids play. I have concerns and so do a lot of other people. Is there real reason for concern? Thank you
Reply from Dr. Robert Goldberg: Transformers can produce relatively high levels of magnetic fields, the exact level depending on the amount of current flowing through them. Because of their winding pattern, the field produced by a transformer tends to decrease very rapidly as you move away from it. The city engineers should be able to tell you from the predicted load on the transformer what magnetic field levels should be like in the area around the transformer. It is not possible to be sure without calculations or measurements, but I would suspect the transformer would produce levels in the hundreds of milligauss at its surface, dropping off to background levels (1-2 milligauss) at a distance of a couple of yards away. The health risks associated with magnetic field exposures are not proven, but many property owners take a precautionary approach of avoiding above average exposures if it can be done at a reasonable cost. As you describe the situation, there may be the option of placing the transformer further away from areas of high activity (even if it still must be placed on your property, it could go to a location where people do not spend as much time as they would on the driveway). If you want to learn more about the possible health problems and basis for concern about power frequency magnetic fields, we have a number of publications that would be useful. Regards, Bob

November 21, 2002
We have clients concerned about a cell tower proposed for erection near their homes in Maryland. We're looking for someone we could engage to help us determine if there's any cause for concern. Can you recommend anyone?
Reply from Dr. Robert Goldberg: As you may know from looking at our web site, our company has been collecting and reviewing the scientific research literature on the possible health effects of electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure for almost 30 years now. We do not advocate a particular activist or industry position -- rather we attempt to analyze the evidence and present an assessment that is as objective and comprehensive as possible. We have prepared general interest articles and specialized reports that might answer some of your questions. If you would like to provide me with more information regarding the specific concerns your clients have, I would be happy to advise you on the cost of preparing a focused literature review or a report on the particular issues of concern to you. Our company also works with other scientists and engineers around the world, and could arrange for services such as site measurements if that is what you need to assess a particular situation. Please let me know more about your clients' concerns and I will try to suggest ways in which we could help you. Regards, Bob

July 13, 2002
I am looking for an answer for the items below from a technical / professional staff. I am about to move to my new house which is just 35 feet away from a power line. I believe this power line is 11 kV line or 415 V, Is this considered as high tension power line? Is this type of voltage level and distances are part of the on-going controversy about EMF? Is there any device that could accurately measure EMFs? Where could I buy such a device / instrument? Thanks for your help Ahmed
Reply from Dr. Robert Goldberg: The line you describe would probably be considered a distribution line, but still may be a source of relatively high magnetic field exposure (the electromagnetic field most are concerned with). Magnetic field intensity is a function of the current passing through the line, the way phases are arranged in the adjacent lines (because phase differences tend to cancel out), and the distance of the line from your residence. The best way to determine the field level you would be exposed to is to measure it at a time of day when current usage is likely to be high (for example, in a residential neighborhood when people are home and air conditioning is turned on the maximum). There are many devices for measuring magnetic field levels on the market (called "gaussmeters") and you could purchase an inexpensive one, or to get more accurate measurements have an engineer or environmental consultant map the field intensity around your prospective house using a professional instrument. In this country, electric utility companies will often make such measurements at the request of a home owner, or house inspectors (people who inspect a home prior to sale for the structural condition) will often be able to make the measurements. If your measurements fall on the high side of average (about 1 milligauss in the US) you may want to do some research on the basis for concern about possible magnetic field health effects. Several good publications are available for sale on our web site. Regards, Bob

June 26, 2002
We are thinking of purchasing a building that is very close to high tension power lines on large/high metal towers running over the parking lot in a north south direction. Do these lines pose a health risk for employees or constitute a mitigating factor on building value?
Reply from Dr. Robert Goldberg: Your question to EMF-Link was sent on to me as the project director of IVI's EMF activities. The cumulative evidence suggests that there is a small but significant health risk associated with residential proximity to powerlines (most clearly for childhood leukemia), but there is considerable uncertainty about adverse effects in adults and the exact nature of the exposure that may produce such adverse effects. There are new research results appearing all the time. As a result of a recently concluded EMF program conducted by the California Department of Health for example, evidence emerged for a risk of miscarriage among women exposed to high peak magnetic fields during pregnancy, but the work has not yet been verified by others. The California program also looked into issues like cost of mitigation and decreasing land values as a consequence of powerline exposures. Our publications provide information on the current state of the research and will help you understand the open questions on possible health risks. Magnetic field levels (the exposure most are concerned with) depend on the power capacity of the lines and their precise distance from the occupied areas of the buildings. People frequently approach a question like yours by first making magnetic field measurements to find out how much above average the magnetic field exposures may be at the site of your intended office. It is then easier to reach some decision on potential risk based on those measurements. Many companies will choose to avoid or mitigate magnetic field exposures even though the risks are small or uncertain to protect themselves against future litigation. If you would like to consult with us on this issue, we could either prepare a detailed report focused on your specific needs, or I could recommend some articles from back issues of our EMF Health Report publication that would help bring you up to date on the research on adverse EMF health effects. Regards, Bob

March 13, 2002
Dear Sirs, Few days ago I read an article, in "EXPRESSEN"-Swedish magazine, about EMF in my VOLVO S60 car and possible bad effects in our health. Volvo cars company answered that in chest and head the produced EMF are lower than the recommended by EU levels and the car is absolutely safe. but the article was referring to driver's floor because the battery is located in the back of the car and wires are coming from back to front under the car ( 16-18 Tesla !!!!). Can EMF produced by a car battery be of that enormous big frequency? What can I do to protect myself and my family? Waiting for your kind reply.
Reply from Dr. Robert Goldberg: I also saw a news report indicating very high magnetic field levels in the Volvo due to its new design, but there were obvious errors in the news report such as indicating that the engine is in the rear. Since, as you point out, it is the battery that is in the rear (which I believe is a safety measure to prevent spark ignition of gas from the battery if the car is jump started), the design issue is the effect of running a connection under the floor. The battery itself draws a lot of current during starting, and that would account for a brief period of high exposure. Once the car is running, there would also be some current associated with recharging the battery, and that is probably makes the larger contribution to overall exposure. I have not seen any details to know exactly how high the measurements are or if they are reliable, but I would expect it is quite possible that fields are high only near the cable (perhaps milliTesla, but I think it is very unlikely to be Tesla). There are many other contributions to electromagnetic fields in an automobile from motors and electronics and, perhaps unexpectedly, from the steel-belted radial tires that have a residual (static) magnetic field from the wire manufacture process that becomes a time-varying (extremely low frequency) field as the wheels rotate. Since recommended exposure guidelines are well above the levels produced by these and most other appliance sources, I am not surprised that the car meets EU standards. Coincidently, we just purchased a new Volvo S60 which my wife chose carefully based on safety considerations; protective features that help in a collision. Unfortunately, there is no way of assuming it is safe or unsafe regarding electromagnetic field exposure. The epidemiology studies suggest a low but significant risk increase for certain exposures (over 0.3-0.4 microtesla for childhood leukemia), but have not shown an obviously stronger risk for individuals in industrial occupations exposed to much stronger fields. In fact the overall message seems to be a small risk increase that cannot be explained away, but also cannot be better defined by finding specific exposure conditions or groups of susceptible individuals that show a clearly higher risk. Regards, Bob

Reply from Reader: First of all I would like to thank you for your concern. My latest information is that EMF at chest height is 0,9 microtesla (¼¤) and at head height is 0,6 microtesla (¼¤). At driver's floor EMF are 12..18 microtesla (¼¤). The safety level if you want not to be characterised "exposed" in EMF is 0,2 microtesla (¼¤). according to US Department of Energy,National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health,National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and other U.S organizations. Volvo's answer is that EU recommendations lie at 100 microtesla (¼¤). Where is the truth ?? Imagine my anxiety having two kids(46 and 16 months old) concering leukemia. If you find out something about it please e-mail me. Many thanks.
Reply from Dr. Robert Goldberg: Thank you for the additional information -- these are what I would guess would be reasonable exposures in this situation. Could you please tell me where they come from (measured yourself with a commercial meter, from a testing laboratory, etc.)? If an inexpensive commercial meter designed for power frequency (50 or 60 Hz) was used, there could be substantial inaccuracy if it was not weighted correctly for higher and lower frequencies (the car environment would be expected to show a much more complex mix of frequencies than a home setting). The high level at the floor under the driver (12.18 uT or 121.8 mG) indicates that a cable probably runs at that point. I would expect that the magnetic field level would also change at different times; higher when starting the car and when the battery is first charging, and lower after the car has run for some time. Levels of 0.6 uT (6 mG) which you get at head level are high for a residential setting (in the US averages run 1-2 mG), but readings easily this high occur around common appliances in the home and elsewhere. I would suspect many other cars have similar levels, except for the high point source on the floor. Certain types of public transportation, electric rail for example, have much higher levels of exposure from the floor due to motors and power rails and lines located there. I understand your concern for your children, but I don't think anyone can give you a definitive answer about the "truth" of the risk. If you look at the scientific evidence for a childhood leukemia association with magnetic field exposures over 3 or 4 mG you will see it is associated with average fields of that intensity from power distribution and transmission sources averaged over an extended period of time. There is really no good information on the effects of shorter exposures at similar or higher levels from appliances, and we don't know if those exposures are fundamentally different in their effects. We can presume that children living near power lines would have no greater or less exposure to fields from appliances or transportation systems than children who do not live near lines, yet the leukemia association appears in spite of any averaging effect of appliance exposures. Studies of electric rail workers have shown some cancer associations, but at about the same levels as other EMF-exposed workers. This is not proof of safety, but it also does not indicate an especially strong level of risk that makes these workers stand out from others. Since EMF exposures are everywhere, one possible suggestion would be to compare the exposure for the location in the Volvo where your children sit (in a child's car seat on the back) to levels in other common environments and other automobiles. Any final decision would have to depend on what uncertain risk you are willing to accept, but a comparison would help you determine how unusual the exposure is in the Volvo. My personal feeling is that the demonstrated benefits of safer design for collision (accidents) would outweigh moderate differences in EMF exposure, unless I am wrong on my guess about the EMF levels in the Volvo passenger areas. Regards, Bob

Reply from Reader: I am obliged to you. Please have in mind that VOLVO does not say a word about EMF at driver's side floor. The information I have concerning driver's floor side is from articles in Swedish magazines "Vi Biligare" & "Expressen" and from an U.K. magazine's internet site (http://www.e4engineering.com/item.asp?id=44888&type=News&pub=eng) which is reffering to JAGUAR cars as well as VOLVO cars. The rest of information is directly from VOLVO (please sign and you will easily find it yourself) articles dated 15 February 2002 and 20 February 2002. (http://www.media.volvocars.com/vcc/media/frameset). The EMF in floor is from 12 to 18 microtesla not 12.18 microtesla ( 80 times higher than regural 0,2 microtesla) Please read the articles. Regards.
Reply from Dr. Robert Goldberg: Thank you for the URL references and for clearing up my misreading of the magnetic field levels you indicated. The account from The Engineer is the most clear description of the problem I have seen. Regards, Bob

Reply from Kjell Attback, Senior Technical Specialist Electro Magnetic Compatibility, Volvo Cars: Thank you for the informative mail. I am involved in the technology behind the discussion of ELF fields and human effects. I understand that there is a lot of questions. I will try to comment some of them. If you have any more specific question please let me know. At this time I do not want to comment about the possible link between low level magnetic fields and different health effects basically because it is out of my expertise. This is discussed in many other places. I think you are close to an "average and balanced understanding" from the answers I have seen. Your reference to the rest of the society is also very good. Comments about the measured field in different cars. The level 12 to 18 uT is measured at the floor level on the left side of the car. The cable running from the battey in the back through the passenger compartment is the main source. The maximum number is measured very close to the cable. The field decays very quickly. Typical numbers for the field where the driver is sitting is: Driver left foot 18, right foot 3, chest 1.2, head 0.8 uTesla. These numbers are at idle. When the car is moving the numbers are reduced by a factor of 2 to 3. This can be explained by studying the current on the cable. The levels on the right side is typical more than 10 times lower. The main frequency components are in the ELF (extremly low frequency) range 10 to 300 Hz as defined by WHO. For these frequencies the level in the proposed (under voting) legal requirement (ICNIRP) is round 100uT. The result is typical for measurements taken close to this type of cable. Volvo is not alone to use this system solution. Even cars with battery in the front can have levels round a couple of uTesla. Regards, Kjell Attback

January 03, 2002
Is there a website to reference concerning the emissions of a phone you are considering purchasing?
Reply from Dr. Robert Goldberg: Take a look at the FCC's Radio Frequency (RF) Safety Page . It lists guidelines for testing and evaluation portable and mobile devices for compliance with FCC limits for human exposure to RF emissions and has other resources for RF safety. Regards, Bob

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