Councillor fearing the worst on masts
Nov 10 2004
Birmingham Post
A Birmingham councillor claims mobile phone masts could prove to be as dangerous as overhead electricity pylons.
A Government study leaked to the press recently confirmed a link between childhood cancer deaths and power lines.
The investigation for the Department of Health reportedly found that children living within 100 metres of overhead cables were more likely to suffer from leukaemia.
The Government ordered the in-depth study seven years ago after previous research on the possible dangers had thrown up conflicting results but campaigners claimed the findings had been kept secret for three years.
Coun Jan Drinkwater (Lab Weoley) said: "These fears have been in the public domain for over 20 years but were dismissed by the so-called experts as having no scientific basis.
"I remember living in north Warwickshire in the 1980s and even then people were concerned about the safety of overhead pylons.
"A Government report has now found a definite link - will they say the same about phone masts in another 20 years?
"We are now seeing articles in the press almost daily with residents fighting the installation of mobile phone masts. We get the same response from the experts as we did about pylons. They say there is no definitive evidence that shows a risk to health."
She added: "I know mobile phones are a fact of life and I'm realistic - I know we are not going to stop them.
"But we must ensure that no mast is located within 200 metres of a school, hospital or older persons home and that all applications go through a full planning process, not just masts over 15 metres high."
Coun Drinkwater said the Stewart Report looked into the safety of phone masts in 1999 and recommended a precautionary approach to the location of masts on or next to school sites.
She said: "We are five years on and some of the evidence now coming to light suggests a link between phone masts that have been in situ for over seven years and cancer clusters."
A DoH spokeswoman said: "The Government takes concerns about mobile phone masts very seriously.
"The Stewart Report concluded that public exposure from mobile phone base stations should not give rise to health effects provided they are below guidelines.
"This was reaffirmed by the National Radiological Advisory Group in 2004."
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