EMFs

Some initial concern about high-voltage power lines near our new house and associated possible cancer risks from electromagnetic fields. This was a hot topic in the mid 90s, then died down by the late 90s. People probably got tired of results being so inconclusive.

The National Cancer Institute produced its own epidemiological study in 1997 which found no association between childhood leukemia and measured magnetic fields. As a follow-up to this report, The New England Journal of Medicine published the results of this study along with an editorial calling for an end to wasting money on EMF research.

Today our home inspector went back and took some readings:

Magnetic Field readings in milligauss on my TriField Meter – 5/25/03

1 at my desk, 2 feet from computer screen, 4 feet away from 3 florescent bulbs.

10 touching my computer screen.

100 about 6 inches from the center of a florescent bulb.

100 about 3 feet away from the high-voltage power lines on the outside of the power pole.

100 where you turn off from Moeser into the Safeway parking lot.

10-20 on the sidewalk along the side of the house on Richmond

20 driving up Moeser under the high voltage power lines.

Music: Ron Carter And M.C. Solaar :: Un Ange En Danger

2 Replies to “EMFs”

  1. between the crackpots that say that EMF from power lines, CRT monitors, and call phones will give you cancer and the crackpots that say that EMF from those magnetic bracelets improves memory… i don’t know WHAT to believe.

    and then i remember that they’re all crackpots.

  2. Have you read “Voodoo Science” by Robert Park? One of the myths he completely refutes is the notion that EMF does anything negative. He points to numerous studies, eventually costing tens of millions of dollars. The studies concluded no correlation, with a smaller margin of error for each successive study. The notion was popularized by a (I think NY Times) reporter who continued to publish anecdotal evidence, despite research to the contrary. Unfortunately, I don’t have the book at hand to offer any quotes.

    I highly recommend the book from this highly respected scientist and public servant. He also sets straight the notion that microwave ovens are dangerous. I’ve stopped avoiding them since reading the book. LOL!

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