Power lines, Wiring & Appliances Links

1. Factual links

   Some of the websites providing reliable scientific information on Power lines :

   • 1.1 Some Q&As and FAQs on power lines
   • 1.2 More information for the non-specialist
   • 1.3 Some power line news sites
   • 1.4 Some policy-related websites
2. Other Views
   • 2.1 Is the IARC report a consensus one?
   • 2.2 Conclusions of other recent power line assessments
   • 2.3 Some of the sites suggesting that power lines pose more risks
   • 2.4 A site suggesting that power lines pose less risks

See also our page containing sites linking to this Digest

 

1. Factual links

1.1 Some Q&As and FAQs on power lines

• FAQs presented by the World Health Organization (WHO): www.who.int/peh-emf/about/WhatisEMF/en/ . Note that the "Electromagnetic Fields at Low Frequencies" section is relevant to power lines. Some additional links provided by WHO:
  www.who.int/peh-emf/about/faq/en/ .

• FAQs on ELF electromagnetic fields from the former National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) now part of the Health Protection Agency  in the UK.
  www.hpa.org.uk/radiation/faq/emf/ 

• Q&As on electromagnetic fields (3-3000 Hz) from the US National Institute of Environmental Health Services (NIEHS) : www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/emf/ 

• FAQ on magnetic and electromagnetic fields of the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BFS) (in German): www.bfs.de/elektro/faq/faq_emf 

1.2 More information for the non-specialist

• The website of the Belgian Bioelectromagnetic Group (BBEMG) provides information on electricity (~50Hz) and health. A lot of information about electromagnetic fields is provided at: www.bbemg.ulg.ac.be/english/pgelectricity  with many good links at: www.bbemg.ulg.ac.be/UK/4Activities/links.html 

• Electromagnetic sensitivity is discussed by the Committee on Man and Radiation (COMAR) of the Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS) within the US Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE):
  http://ewh.ieee.org/soc/embs/comar/Hypersensitivity . Other reports from this society are available at:
  http://ewh.ieee.org/soc/embs/comar/ 

1.3 Some power line news sites

• Recent news from the Bioelectromagnetics Society (BEMS) can be found at: www.bioelectromagnetics.org 

• Press releases, responses and information sheets from the UK Health Protection Agencys Radiation Protection Division , formerly the NRPB, are available at: www.hpa.org.uk/radiation/publications/bulletin/ 

• The US Department of Labor (US DOL) provides news by way of links to published documents and news releases concerning ELF electromagnetic radiation: www.osha.gov/SLTC/elfradiation/ 

1.4 Some policy-related websites

• The WHO International EMF Project website: www.who.int/peh-emf/en/  which includes the 1996 discussion on ELF fields and cancer:
  www.who.int/docstore/peh-emf/publications/facts_press/efact/efs263.html 

• WHO Europe discusses the application of the precautionary principle to EMF: www.euro.who.int/eprise/main/WHO/Progs/HMS/NewsEvents/20030127_1 

• A discussion on electromagnetic fields from the DG Public Health of the European Commission:
  http://ec.europa.eu/comm/health/ph_determinants/environment/EMF/emf_en.htm 

• The European Commission Scientific Committee on Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment (CSTEE) discusses its policy on the effects of electromagnetic fields on health (2002):
   http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_determinants/environment/EMF/out173_en.pdf

• European Commission DG Research link for power lines:
  http://ec.europa.eu/comm/research/quality-of-life/ka4/ka4_electromagnetic_en.html 

 

2. Other Views

Links in this section have been selected as examples of other views on Power lines. This list of links is only a sample and it is not suggested that it is complete nor that it is fully representative of all the existing views. GreenFacts asbl takes no position concerning the views expressed in these linked documents.

2.1 Is the IARC report a consensus one?

Most scientists globally agree with the IARC conclusions contained in its 2002

"Summary of Data Reported and Evaluation of static and Extremely Low- Frequency (ELFs) electric and magnetic fields" 

2.2 Conclusions of other recent power line assessments

• The National Toxicology Program of the US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) concluded in its 2001 "EMF-rapid program: the possible effects of power-line frequency electric and magnetic fields on human health" that "ELF-EMF cannot be recognized at this time as entirely safe because of weak scientific evidence that exposure may pose a leukemia hazard."
  http://ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov/htdocs/liason/factsheets/EMF-Rapid.html   
• The Scientific Committee on Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment (CSTEE) concluded in its 2001 "Opinion on Possible effects of Electromagnetic Fields (EMF), Radio Frequency Fields (RF) and Microwave Radiation on human health" that "[...] the overall evidence for 50/60 Hz magnetic fields to produce childhood leukaemia must be regarded as being limited. [...]"  http://ec.europa.eu/comm/health/

2.3 Some of the sites suggesting that power lines pose more risks

• The California Public Utilities Commision of the California EMF program expressed their views in:  www.dhs.ca.gov/ps/deodc/ehib/ emf/RiskEvaluation/ExecSumm.pdf although their conclusions are refuted by a Science Advisory Panel in a letter at:  www.dhs.ca.gov/ps/deodc/ehib/ emf/RiskEvaluation/SAPFinalLetter.doc  
• A website analyzing recent studies that link magnetic fields and cancer:
   www.powerlinefacts.com/EMF.htm   
• UK researchers from the Bristol University claim in BBC News that cancer rates are higher in people living close to overhead power lines:
   http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/933678.stm   

2.4 A site suggesting that power lines pose less risks

• The American Council on Science and Health (ACSH) states that "There is no convincing evidence that low-level electric and magnetic fields (EMF), such as those surrounding power lines, have any effect on human health (...)":
   www.acsh.org/factsfears/