You’re cooking your head with that cellphone’’ or ‘‘I’m
just going to nuke this in the microwave’’. The dark humour
we often use when talking about electrical appliances
hints at our underlying anxiety about them.
We’ve been using electricity for more than 100 years, giving scientists enough time and evidence to determine that old faithfuls such as TVs and radios are unlikely to cause us significant harm.
But in 2008 we’re hooked up to (and hooked on) more
appliances than ever. Several of these gadgets, such as
cellphones and other wireless electronic devices, have
been around for a relatively short time – too short
for scientists to know for sure what their effects
on our health will be years down the line.
Deadly devices
You’re cooking your head with that cellphone’’ or ‘‘I’m
just going to nuke this in the microwave’’. The dark hu-
mour we often use when talking about electrical appli-
ances hints at our underlying anxiety about them.
We’ve been using electricity for more than 100 years, giving scien-
tists enough time and evidence to determine that old faithfuls such
as TVs and radios are unlikely to cause us significant harm.
But in 2008 we’re hooked up to (and hooked on) more
appliances than ever.
Several of these gadgets, such as
cellphones and other wireless electronic devices, have
been around for a relatively short time – too short
for scientists to know for sure what their effects
on our health will be years down the line.
From the humble lightbulb to Bluetooth,
all electronic gadgets give off very low levels
of radiation called electromagnetic rays. The
area of radiation around the source is called
the electromagnetic field or eMF.
Even cumulatively the short-term effects of
these fields on our health are negligible.
But be-
cause billions of people, many of them children, use
these items daily – and increasingly close to their bodies
– medical science is taking the issue of the potential long-term
effects very seriously. And so should we.
The following is the latest consensus on the health risks of a se-
lection of common electrical devices. Since anecdotal reports and
certain reputable scientists differ from the consensus opinion and
regard the devices as more dangerous, we advise readers to rather
err on the safe side.
What is radiation?
Radiation means energy travelling outwards,
or radiating, from a source. The term includes a
range of types, some harmless, some potentially
harmful.
Most radiation travels in the form of
electromagnetic waves; some as a stream of
particles. An important distinction is whether
radiation is ionising or non-ionising.
IonisIng radiatIon is high-energy
and high-frequency, and produces
electrically charged particles (ions)
in the material it strikes.
When it
strikes living tissue it can cause
cell death or genetic mutation.
This can lead to cancer and,
in very high doses, radiation
sickness – as has happened to
people exposed to an atomic
bomb or nuclear accident.
It can
also be used, in a highly controlled
manner, during radiation therapy to
destroy cancer cells. A radioactive sub-
stance emits ionising radiation.
Non-ionIsIng radIatIon – which includes
radiowaves and microwaves, infrared, visible
light and ultraviolet light – is too low in energy
to ionise material.
All our familiar electronic de-
vices, as well as base stations and power cables,
are non-ionising and transmit radiation in the
low end of the energy scale.
Device:
Cellphone
Should you worry?
Yes, within reason.
What science knows:
It can take
decades for certain conditions such as can-
cer to develop so scientists didn’t have much
epidemiological material to work with in the
early years of cellphone use.
But the evidence
is starting to come in. The most damning is
the link between cellphone use and cancers in
the area closest to where you hold your phone:
the head.
Some of the most recent – and scientifically
heavyweight – studies show that people who’ve
used cellphones regularly for 10 years or more
have a higher risk of developing tumours on
the side of the head where they hold their
phone.
These include tumours of the brain,
acoustic nerve (linking ear and brain) and
salivary gland (near the ear and jaw). There’s
still considerable debate within the scientific
community about the results of such studies
and further research is needed before consensus
is reached.
What you can do about it:
- Spend less time chatting on your cellphone.
- Make more landline calls or SMS.
- Increase the distance between yourself and
your cellphone. Use a hands-free set and
carry the phone away from your body. Even
holding a handset marginally further away
from your head helps.
- Sometimes use the other ear!
Bottom line:
Don’t ditch your cellphone
but make changes in how you – and your
kids – use it. Children are considered to be
particularly vulnerable to cellphone radia-
tion as their skulls are thinner.
Device: Microwave oven
Should you worry?
Not much.
What Science knows:
Microwave ovens for domestic use
are shielded and no microwaves remain in the oven or food once
the appliance is switched off. They’ve been around since the
1970s and have been shown not to be harmful to humans.
However, large doses of microwaves can affect vulnerable
organs such as the eyes (causing cataracts) and testes (causing
temporary sterility by killing the sperm).
The organs are literally
fried from the inside, just as you would fry an egg in a micro-
wave oven.
There is some concern about potential low-level
effects since many microwave ovens do have small leakages.
Exposure to heavy doses of microwave radiation (for example
from an oven that has been tampered with to allow operation
with the door open) can produce heat damage in other tissues as
well, even serious burns.
These may not be immediately evident
externally because microwaves tend to heat deeper tissues with
higher moisture content. There is no easy way to tell if your
microwave oven is leaking.
If the door doesn’t close properly, if
you spot a dent somewhere on the outside or if your oven looks
battered it’s best not to take chances.
Rather buy a new one.
What you can do about it:
- Don’t stand right next to the oven while it’s in use; take a few
steps back. If you keep your eyes glued to the screen and there
is leakage you might eventually fry your eyes.
- Don’t use the oven if the door doesn’t close properly.
- Don’t use the oven if it continues to run with the door open.
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Bottom line:
Microwave ovens are safe as long as you
take sensible precautions.
Device: Are
long-life
bulbs safe?
CFL’s do contain mercury
but not a lot. If one
of these bulbs breaks you
should clean up the bits
carefully and ventilate
the room; they should
also be recycled to an
e-waste recycler.
Pylons & overhead Power Cables
Should you worry?
Maybe a
little, if you have kids.
What Science knows
There is
some evidence that power lines cause
childhood leukaemia but the link is
weak. Evidence of other health risks
is weaker still.
What you can do about it?
- If you have children avoid living right next to a
pylon. However, the strength of the EMF drops
drastically with distance.
Bottom line:
This should be low down on
the Parent Worry Scale. Keep it in the back
of your mind, though.
Device: PC
Should you Worry?
Not much.
What Science knows
Radiation
from computer screens is similar to that
from TV screens – very low-energy, low-
frequency electromagnetic waves.
The
well-documented health risks of com-
puter use are primarily those caused by
sitting with poor posture or too close to
the screen for too long, which can lead
to back problems and eyestrain.
What you can do about it
- Radiation aside, it’s good to take
regular breaks from computer use
(which will also lower your very small
radiation exposure from your PC).
Get your kids into the habit too.
- Consider getting a flat screen for
your PC (and TV); apart from being
easier on the eyes these emit lower
levels of radiation.
- Radiation screening devices for PCs
have been shown not to have any
health benefits.
Bottom line
Keep using your computer – but don’t forget
to check in with the real world
beyond cyberspace at regular
intervals.
Compact Fluorescent lamp or CFl
(‘long-life bulbs’)
Should you Worry?
No, not really.
What Science knows
The concern is
that CFLs emit more UV light than traditional
incandescent bulbs. UV rays have a higher
frequency than visible light and the UV in
sunlight is associated with skin cancer and
certain light-sensitive skin conditions.
However,
UV from CFLs is a fraction of that from sun
exposure and the move away from traditional
bulbs, which are far less energy-efficient, is gen-
erally considered environmentally sound and
necessary.
There is debate around this issue but
currently the consensus regarding the UV issue
is that CFLs are safe to use.
What you can do about it
- Buy LED bulbs instead, which are an alterna-
tive long-life option. The light emitting diodes
(LEDs) last 10 times as long as CFL bulbs.
- If you’re still concerned about radiation
(or the energy crisis) get into the habit
of turning lights off whenever possible and
help avert the next blackout. The same
goes for all electronic devices: give them,
and yourself, a rest.
Bottom line
CFLs are most unlikely to
cause harm and are an important way in
which you can use less energy and help
slow down climate change.
Device: WiFi
Should you Worry?
Not much.
What Science knows
So far there is no consistent
evidence that WiFi is a public
health risk. The radiation
exposure from WiFi is likely
to be lower than that from a
cellphone.
What you can do
about it
- Stay informed about new
evidence arising from
ongoing studies into the
effects of low EMFs.
- Use the same precautiona-
ry measures recommended
for all electrical appliances:
turn them off when not in
use (especially in a room
while you’re sleeping) and
take regular breaks from
computer use.
Bottom line
WiFi is
currently thought to be as
safe as ‘‘traditional’’ appli-
ances such as radios and
TVs – but it’s good to be
cautious for now.
Did you know?
Approximately
one million tons of
electronic scrap is
dumped in South
Africa every
year.
E-hazards
Toxic compenents in personal computers
Cathode-ray tubes in computer
monitors and televisions hold
up to 3,6 kg of lead. The US
Federal government classifies
broken monitors as hazardous
waste and regulates their
transport.
Flat-panel LCD
monitors, which are rapidly
replacing boxy CRTs, have
less toxic material overall but
contain mercury in lamps that
backlight the screens.
Personal computers
and other electronic
devices contain parts
that pose no danger in
daily use but become
toxic if not disposed
of properly – if they
end up in overflowing
landfills or incinerators
they can release their
hazardous components
into the environment.
Personal computers contain toxic
substances such as lead, beryllium
and hexavalent chromium. Highly toxic dioxins are released
if PVC-coated wires are burned
to extract copper.
But new
recycling technologies – especially
in Europe, where recycling is
mandatory – make it increasingly
economical to safely recycle the
valuable metals in PCs.
The bad guys
The elements and compounds in electronic devices
can leach into soil and water or scatter as particles
in the air if electronics are buried in landfills,
incinerated or improperly dismantled.
Lead
A neurotoxin, lead also harms the kidneys
and reproductive system. Even low-level
exposure can impair a child’s mental
development.
PVC
Incinerating this versatile plastic produces
highly toxic dioxins.
Brominated flame retardants
This group of compounds may cause
thyroid damage and harm foetal
development.
Barium
Elevated exposure to barium causes
gastrointestinal disturbances, muscle
weakness, breathing difficulties and
a rise or fall in blood pressure.
Chromium
Inhaling the hexavalent form of chromium
can damage liver and kidneys, increase
risk of lung cancer and cause asthmatic
bronchitis.
Mercury
Linked to brain and kidney damage;
harmful to a developing foetus. It can be
passed through breast milk.
Beryllium
A carcinogen, beryllium dust causes
lung disease.
Cadmium
Long-term exposure to this carcinogen
damages kidneys and bones.
Rather re-route your old devices to one of
South Africa’s e-waste recyclers. African Sky
(www.ewaste.co.za) handles this kind of waste.
Visit www.e-waste.org.za for more information.