07 Jul Mobile & Cordless Phones
DID YOU KNOW?
In May 2011, the World Health Organisation classified radiofrequencies used in Wi-Fi, mobile and cordless phones as ‘possibly carcinogenic to humans’.
Mobile phones have become an integral part of the western way of life. The use of mobile phones has received a lot of media attention recently – and for good reason: the evidence linking mobile phone use and specific types of brain tumours is mounting. Despite the reluctance by health authorities to acknowledge an association, the reality is that specific brain tumours – namely gliomas and acoustic neuromas – have significantly increased in the past 10 years. According to research by Professor Lennart Hardell of Sweden, people under the age of 20 had more than a five fold increase in glioma and acoustic neuroma (the latter can cause deafness) if they used a mobile phone and a four times higher risk with the use of cordless phones.
Where there is a growing concern regarding the use of mobile phones, there seems to be little regard to the use of cordless phones. Digitally enhanced cordless telephones (DECT) continuously emit microwave signals 24 hours a day even when they are not being used. Rooms nearby or immediately above the base unit including adjacent apartments, can be exposed to microwave frequencies well above the building biology exposure limits. Furthermore, microwaves are also emitted from the handset when you make or receive a call. In contrast, analogue cordless phones only emit this radiation from the base unit and the handset when a call is being made.
Tips to using your mobile phone
- Use a hardwired corded to phone to make and receive calls whenever you can
- Text instead of calling so that you keep it at a distance to your head
- Use loudspeaker to keep it away from your head
- Use an earpiece (airtube is best) so that you keep the phone at a distance from your head
- NEVER keep your mobile phone under your pillow as it will regular transmit to the nearest cell tower
- Dont use your mobile phone as an alarm clock that is within a meter of your bed as it will emit both radiofrequencies and, when the alarm goes off, a transient high magnetic field
- Once an application has been downloaded, switch the phone in to airplane mode when playing games or watching videos on your iphone
- NEVER use your mobile phone in a car, tram, bus or train as the metal carriage will cause the microwave frequencies to bounce creating hot spots of exposure.
- Dont be fooled into purchasing EMF reducing devices that donot create a distance between you and the phone
- Purchase a mobile phone that has a lower specific absorption rate (SAR). To find this information click here.
Tips to using your cordless phone
- I strongly suggest you replace it with a hardwired corded phone as the DECT cordless phone will emit electromagnetic energy 24 hours per day from the base unit
- If you insist on using a cordless phone, donot keep it within 2 metres of where you spend time such as the bed, favourite couch, kitchen bench and so on
- Keep the calls short
- Use the loudspeaker whenever possible
- Keep the base unit at least one room away from your bedrooms and living spaces that are regularly occupied