A Son's Story

Congressional Staff Briefing 

Whitney Seymour 

Leading human rights experts have  reviewed the scientific research and concluded that cell tower placement near children’s schools is a human rights concern because this polluting radiation poses "a critical threat to child’s right to health and life."

Cell Tower Radiation Research

Claudia Roda, Susan Perry. Mobile phone infrastructure regulation in Europe: Scientific challenges and human rights protection.Environmental Science & Policy, Volume 37, March 2014, Pages 204-214.  

  • This law article was published in Environmental Science & Policy by human rights experts. It  argues that cell tower placement is a human rights issue for children.

  • “We argue that (1) because protection of children is a high threshold norm in Human Right  law and (2) the binding language of the Convention on the Rights of the Child obliges States Parties to provide a higher standard of protection for children than adults, any widespread or systematic form of environmental pollution that poses a long-term threat to a child’s rights to life, development or health may constitute an international human rights violation.

  • In particular we have explained how the dearth of legislation to regulate the installation of base stations  (cell towers) in close proximity to children's facilities and schools clearly constitutes a human rights concern according to the language of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, a treaty that has been ratified by all European States.




SAFETY ZONE DETERMINATION FOR WIRELESS CELLULAR TOWER  Nyakyi et al, Tanzania (2013)

  • This research looked at the radiation that cell towers emit and states at safety zone is needed around the towers to ensure safe sleeping areas.The authors state that "respective authorities should ensure that people reside far from the tower by 120m or more depending on the power transmitted to avoid severe health effect."



Long-term exposure to microwave radiation provokes cancer growth: evidences from radars and mobile communication systems. Yakymenko , 2011

  • We conclude that recent data strongly point to the need for re-elaboration of the current safety limits for non-ionizing radiation using recently obtained knowledge. We also emphasize that the everyday exposure of both occupational and general public to MW radiation should be regulated based on a precautionary principles which imply maximum restriction of excessive exposure.



A cross-sectional case control study on genetic damage in individuals residing in the vicinity of a mobile phone base station. Ghandi et al, 2014 (India):

  • This  cross-sectional case control study on genetic damage in individuals living near cell towers found genetic damage parameters of DNA  were significantly elevated. The authors state, " The genetic damage evident in the participants of this study needs to be addressed against future disease-risk, which in addition to neurodegenerative disorders, may lead to cancer."



Neurobehavioral effects among inhabitants around mobile phone base stations, Neurotoxicology, G. Abdel-Rassoul, et al., (2007)

  • "Conclusions and recommendations: Inhabitants living nearby mobile phone base stations are at risk for developing neuropsychiatric problems and some changes in the performance of neurobehavioral functions either by facilitation or inhibition.So, revision of standard guidelines for public exposure to RER from mobile phone base station antennas and using of NBTB for regular assessment and early detection of biological



Mortality by neoplasia and cellular telephone base stations. Dode et al., 2011 (Brazil):

  • A clearly elevated relative risk of cancer mortality at residential distances of 500 meters or less from cell phone transmission towers.

  • This 10 year study on cell phone antennas was released by the Municipal Health Department in Belo Horizonte and several universities in Brazil. Shortly after this study was published, the city prosecutor sued several cell phone companies and requested that almost half of the cities antennae be removed. Many were.



Carpenter, D. O. Human disease resulting from exposure to electromagnetic fields, Reviews on Environmental Health, Volume 28, Issue 4, Pages 159172. Read it all here

  • This review summarizes the evidence stating that excessive exposure to magnetic fields from power lines and other sources of electric current increases the risk of development of some cancers and neurodegenerative diseases, and that excessive exposure to RF radiation increases risk of cancer, male infertility, and neurobehavioral abnormalities.



Epidemiological Evidence for a Health Risk from Mobile Phone Base Stations Khurana, Hardell et al., Int. J Occup. Envir Health, Vol 16(3):263267, 2010

  • 10 epidemiological studies that assessed for putative health effects of mobile phone base stations. Seven of these studies explored the association between base station proximity and neurobehavioral effects and three investigated cancer. We found that eight of the 10 studies reported increased prevalence of adverse neurobehavioral symptoms or cancer in populations living at distances < 500 meters from base stations.

  • None of the studies reported exposure above accepted international guidelines, suggesting that current guidelines may be inadequate in protecting the health of human populations. We believe that comprehensive epidemiological studies of long-term mobile phone base station exposure are urgently required to more definitively understand its health impact.


Shinjyo, T. & Shinjyo, A. (2014), Signifikanter Rückgang klinischer Symptome nach Senderabbau – eine Interventionsstudie. (English-Significant Decrease of Clinical Symptoms after Mobile Phone Base Station Removal – An Intervention Study) Tetsuharu Shinjyo and Akemi Shinjyo Umwelt-Medizin-Gesellschaft, 27(4), S. 294-301.

  • This research was undertaken to investigate the validity of concerns about whether chronic exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs) emitted from mobile phone base station antennas could cause adverse health effects. The aim of this study was to identify possible adverse health effects among the residents of a condominium on which a mobile phone base station with sets of antennas operating at two different frequencies had been mounted. 


  • Results: In several cases, significant effects on the inhabitants’ health could be proven. The health of these inhabitants was shown to improve after the removal of the antennas, and the researchers could identify no other factors that could explain this health improvement. These examinations and interviews suggest that there are possible adverse health effects related to RF-EMF exposure among people living under mobile phone base stations.


  • Conclusions and recommendations: The results of these examinations and interviews indicate a connection between adverse health effects and electromagnetic radiation from mobile phone base stations. Further research and studies are recommended regarding the possible adverse health effects of RF-EMFs. These results lead us to question the construction of mobile phone base stations on top of buildings such as condominiums or houses.                     


Levitt & Lai, Biological Effects from Exposure to Electromagnetic Radiation Emitted by Cell Tower Base Stations and Other Antenna Arrays, Environmental Reviews, 2010

  • Over 100 citations, approximately 80% of which showed biological effects near towers. “Both anecdotal reports and some epidemiology studies have found headaches, skin rashes, sleep disturbances, depression, decreased libido, increased rates of suicide, concentration problems, dizziness, memory changes, increased risk of cancer, tremors, and other neurophysiological effects in populations near base stations. Built case for ‘setbacks’ and need for new exposure guidelines reflecting multiple and cumulative exposures



Hutter HP et al, (May 2006) Subjective symptoms, sleeping problems, and cognitive performance in subjects living near mobile phone base stations, Occup Environ Med. 2006 May;63(5):307‐13

  • Found a significant relationship between some cognitive symptoms and measured power density; highest for headaches. Perceptual speed increased, while accuracy decreased insignificantly with increasing exposure levels. There was no significant effect on sleep quality.



Eskander EF et al, (November 2011) How does long term exposure to base stations and mobile phones affect human hormone profiles? Clin Biochem. 2011 Nov 27.

  • Showed significant decrease in volunteers' ACTH, cortisol, thyroid hormones, prolactin for young females, and testosterone levels from RF exposures from both mobiles and cell towers.




Investigation on the health of people living near mobile telephone relay stations: Incidence according to distance and sex, Santini et al, 2002 (France)

  • 530 people living near mobile phone masts reported more symptoms of headache, sleep disturbance, discomfort, irritability, depression, memory loss and concentration problems the closer they lived to the mast. This first study on symptoms experienced by people living in vicinity of base stations shows that, in view of radioprotection, minimal distance of people from cellular phone base stations should not be < 300 m.


The Microwave Syndrome: A preliminary Study. Navarro E, 2003 (Spain)

  • Statistically significant positive exposure-response associations between field intensity and fatigue, irritability, headaches, nausea, loss of appetite, sleeping disorder, depressive tendency, feeling of discomfort, difficulty in concentration, loss of memory, visual disorder, dizziness and cardiovascular problems. Two different exposure groups also showed an increase of the declared severity in the group with the higher exposure.


2004 Germany Study,  Horst Eger, Klaus Uwe Hagen, Birgitt Lucas, Peter Vogel, Helmut Voit,
 The Influence of Being Physically Near to a Cell Phone Transmission Mast on the Incidence of Cancer

  • The result of this retrospective study in Naila shows that the risk of newly developing cancer was three times higher among those patients who had lived during past ten years (1994-2004), within a distance of 400m from the cellular transmitter, in comparison to those who had lived further away.


2004 Israel Study, Ronni Wolf MD, Danny Wolf MD Increased Incidence of Cancer Near a Cell-Phone Transmitter Station (a Cell Tower)

  • This study indicated an association between increased incidence of cancer and living in proximity to a Cell Tower. Those living near a Cell Tower are 4.15 times more likely to develop cancer.


Congressional Staff Briefing 

 Deb Carney 

Parents For Safe Technology