Very good news for French electrosensitives! Last month a new law came into force which not only made great strides in protecting young children from wifi radiation but has introduced some serious monitoring of radiation exposure in public places. Not only has it given powers to local mayors to consult with residents before mobile phone antennae are installed but it has required the ANFR (Agence National des Frequencies) to produce a municipal level map of all cell towers in France and to report of levels of exposure on an annual basis.
The law is the result of two years work on behalf of the Europe Ecologie Greens and, inevitably, is not nearly as rigorous as they would have liked, but it is a very great deal better than the nothing which happens on this side of the channel.
As far as children are concerned, wifi is now prohibited in places ‘dedicated to the welcome, rest, and activities of children under 3 years of age’ and although it is allowed in primary schools, it must be disabled when it is not actually being used for teaching. (Wifi has been banned in many public libraries in France for some years.)
Another element of the law requires all advertisements for cell/mobile phone to recommend the use of accessories to reduce exposure to radio frequency radiation (with a €75,000 fine for non compliance). Sellers of mobile phones must also be able to provide such accessories for any child under 14 buying phone.
Bravo for the Europe Ecologie Greens! For more detailed information see the Take Back your Power and StopSmartMeters reports.
Back in the UK, while the government may have no interest in the potential dangers of electromagnetic radiation for the population at large and especially for school children, some others have. The Canadian website, The Bridge News Service, carried an article about two weeks ago highlighting Lloyds of London’s more precautionary approach. I quote:
School districts, school boards and school medical health officers have been notified that Lloyd’s of London has now excluded any liability coverage for injuries, “directly or indirectly arising out of, resulting from or contributed to by electromagnetic fields, electromagnetic radiation, electromagnetism, radio waves or noise.” This would include the microwave radiation emitting from the commercial wi-fi transmitters and wireless devices in our schools.
Good for Lloyds – and schools, be aware! If top-down radiation control looks unlikely, let us try bottom up!
The UK has its usual hands off attitude when it comes to electromagnetic radiation. No laws should be implemented that might in any way deflect industry from the pursuit of profit. France is not the only country which follows the precautionary principal. In Germany the Environment Ministry recommend that people should keep their exposure to wifi “as low as possible” by choosing “conventional wired connections”. The Federal Office for Radiation Protection is also leading calls for caution.