Power Lines Put Children At Risk

Prolonged exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) from electricity power lines doubles the risk of childhood leukemia, according to a 3-year study carried out by six senior epidemiologists from major institutions around the world, who are part of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). Childhood leukemia, which develops in the bone marrow, accounts for one third of all childhood cancers.

In the UK about 0.4% of children are exposed to high EMF levels, and more than 23,000 homes there are located near power lines. While all homes are exposed to low level EMFs from electrical wiring and domestic appliances, there is no evidence that these levels are high enough to cause the disease.

In recent years, U.S. health officials have denied there is a connection between childhood leukemia and a proximity to power lines. Despite the statistical evidence that has been gathered linking EMF to the disease, the U.S. claims there is no known way for EMF emissions to cause childhood leukemia.

Now research by Professor Denis Henshaw and Dr. Peter Fews, of the University of Bristol, shows that power lines produce electrically charged particles called ?corona ions.? These attach themselves to airborne pollutants such as exhaust fumes, giving them an electrical charge and making them more likely to be deposited in the lungs when inhaled.

Professor Anthony Swerdlow says, ?We concluded that there is no chronic disease for which a causal relation to EMF can be regarded as established, but there is evidence for an approximate doubled risk of leukemia in children exposed to high levels of EMF. Whether this risk is caused by the EMF exposure remains unknown.?

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