G21-P059 Update Health Canada's Guidelines for Microwave Radiation Exposure

Submitter Name

Janis Hoffman

Ratification Vote Results: Adopted

Proposal

The GPC supports updating Health Canada’s limits of human exposure to radiofrequency/microwave radiation based on a transparent, rigorous systematic review of all scientific evidence on biological effects of radiofrequency/microwave radiation with public consultation, by a panel of experts independent of industry influence with no conflicts of interest.

Objective

The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer classified radiofrequency/microwave radiation as a possible (Class 2B) human carcinogen in 2011. Subsequent evidence supports a classification upgrade. This policy supports updating Health Canada’s radiofrequency/microwave radiation exposure limits, Safety Code 6 (2015), based on all of the relevant scientific evidence.

Benefit

Modernizing Health Canada’s limits for human exposure to radiofrequency/microwave radiation emissions from wireless equipment (such as cell phones, cell network antennas, smart meters, Wi-Fi and 5G technologies) will better protect the health of all Canadians, reduce health care costs, and additionally provide some protection for the environment.

Supporting Comments from Submitter

1. The previous revision of Health Canada’s Safety Code 6 for human exposure to radiofrequency/microwave radiation was flawed. Webster PC. 2015. Scientists decry Canada’s outdated Wi-Fi safety rules. Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ). 187(9):639-640. http://www.cmaj.ca/content/187/9/639

2. More than 100 Canadian MDs and international scientists called for more protective Canadian radiofrequency/microwave guidelines/standards, to no avail. Declaration: Doctors Call for Protection from Radiofrequency Radiation Exposure. 2014.

http://www.c4st.org/images/documents/hc-resolutions/medical-doctors-submission-to-health-canada-english.pdf

3. Recent studies indicate serious health implications at radiofrequency/microwave exposures below current limits, such as cancer, sperm damage and DNA damage. Miller AB, Morgan LL, Udasin I, Davis DL. 2018. Cancer Epidemiology Update, following the 2011 IARC

Evaluation of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields (Monograph 102). Environ. Res. 167(673-683.DOI. 10.1016/j.envres.2018.06.043)

4. Canadians for Safe Technology. 2017. References of over 200 Scientific Studies and Six (6) Reviews Reporting Potential Harm at Non-Thermal (Not Heating) Levels of Radiofrequency/Microwave Radiation That Are Below Safety Code 6 (2015).

5. Urgent Appeal to the Government of Canada to Suspend 5G Rollout in Canada – supported by 24 Canadian grassroots organizations and signed by more than 18,000 Canadians. This appeal and its supplemental materials provide a good overview of the wireless radiation potential impacts on humans and the environment, substantiated with high quality scientific studies, and reasons why radiofrequency limits need to be updated.

http://c4st.org/5Gappeal/

Green Value(s)

Ecological Wisdom, Sustainability, Participatory Democracy, Social Justice, Respect for Diversity, Non-Violence.

Relation to Existing Policy

Add to current GPC policy G06-p16.