The India government has shown that it is serious about the cell phone radiation health safety issue. Now, in addition to a previous directive requiring phone manufacturers to display the radiation emission levels on their phones, and a lab setup to ensure compliance, it is now requiring mobile phones being imported into the country to follow the same requirement. Here’s more…

KOLKATA: India may ban import of mobile phones that don’t display their radiation emission levels from September. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) will shortly issue a notification calling for mandatory disclosure of specific absorption rate (SAR) as a pre-condition for future handset imports, according to documents reviewed by ET.

The SAR value, which is the radiation emitted by a cellphone, will have to be displayed on mobile handsets just as the International Mobile Equipment Identity number is available on handsets imported into India.

Cellphone radiation varies from handset to handset and is measured in terms of its SAR level. Under the new handset emission rules announced last year, the radiation limit for imported handsets is pegged at a SAR value of 1.6 watts per kg (W/kg).

Industry executives present at the meeting expect the DGFT notification to come within weeks since the new handset emission rules kick in from September 1, 2013.

Samsung and Nokia representatives present in this meeting are learnt to have claimed that their new cellphones have a provision to display the revised SAR value of 1.6W/kg. But it is understood that a sizeable number of Chinese phones in circulation will need to be redesigned to meet the new radiation standards.

See full story on indiatimes.com

This, of course, contrasts with the fate of similar efforts by San Francisco officials, with regards to phones being sold in the city, when they lost a court battle with the wireless industry CTIA and had to agree to a permanent injunction against the “Right to Know” ordinance.

A potentially landmark legislation that consumer and health advocates had been banking on was finally struck down by the San Francisco supervisors following a key loss in court against the cell phone industry. More on the story here…

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors ends its 3-year battle with the wireless industry by agreeing to a permanent injunction against the “Right to Know” ordinance.

As expected, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors Tuesday approved a settlement with the wireless industry over a controversial law that would have required city retailers to inform customers about the possible dangers of cell phone radiation.

By a 10-to-1 vote, the Board agreed to a permanent injunction against the “Right to Know” ordinance and promised that it will refrain from further litigation. In return, the CTIA, the wireless industry’s trade association, will waive any claims to attorney’s fees. Supervisor John Avalos was the lone dissenting vote.

Ellie Marks, the director of the California Brain Tumor Association and a strong supporter of the original law, called the vote “a terrible blow” to public health for the whole country. “The dynamics have changed in the chambers of City Hall,” she wrote in an e-mailed statement to CNET. “Many other states and cities wanted to follow San Francisco’s lead.”

Indeed, yesterday’s vote was a quiet end to a piece of legislation that public health advocates like Marks hoped would repeat in city halls and statehouses across the country. Originally passed in June 2010, the “Right to Know Ordinance” was the first of its kind in the country.

Yet, the ordinance quickly caught the ire of the CTIA, which argued that the law was unconstitutional, misleading to consumers, and that it infringed on the First Amendment rights of retailers. Though the Board watered the down the legislation a year later and delayed its implementation several times, a federal appeals court blocked implementation of the ordinance last September after the CTIA continued to press its case.

See full story on cnet.com (Image courtesy of cnet.com)

Other states and cities who had been considering similar measures would most likely back down following this development. This is a win for the cell phone industry, and somewhat of a setback for supporters and advocates of the bill and the campaign for greater consumer awareness of the mobile phone radiation health issue.

Here’s one reaction to the CTIA win…

HELSINKI, Finland, May 8, 2013 — It is a well-known truth that money talks. The newest example of this “talk” comes from San Francisco, Calif. It is not only an example of ‘money talks’ phenomenon, but it is also an example of how weak the justice system is. Having substantial amounts of money helps winning in court and serves as a deterrent for anyone wishing to challenge the existing, pro-industry, status quo.

What is happening in San Francisco? As stated in the SFGate website:”…In 2010, the Board of Supervisors passed then-Mayor Gavin Newsom’s legislation that tried to force phone vendors to post in their stores the level of radiation emitted by their devices. But the cell phone industry fought back hard, and a federal appeals court decided last year that first-of-its-kind legislation violated first amendment rights….”

What is this information that “violates first amendment rights”?

It is the fact sheet #193 of the World Health Organization, which states that the cell phone radiation was in 2011 classified as a possible human carcinogen. Thirty international experts nearly unanimously (28 out of 30 votes) agreed on it. The full documentation of this decision, IARC Monograph 102, was just published on-line and is freely available for download.

See full story on washingtontimes.com (Photo courtesy of washingtontimes.com)

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It is easy to see how people riding in subways can be exposed to a higher level of cell phone radiation. Not only are crowds of commuters using the phone at the same time, but phones in enclosed spaces, and in moving vehicles such as trains, have to work harder to connect to base stations. An environmental group in South Korea has confirmed this in a recent study.

Here’s more of the story…

Koreans routinely play with their cell phones and other mobile devices when they board the subway, but many are unaware of the risks attached.

A new study by National Institute of Environmental Research measured the amount of radiation emitted by cell phones when traveling on subways and other forms of high-speed transportation. It found that mobile phones produced electromagnetic fields that were more than five times stronger when in transit than when in a stationary position. A similar trend was evident when cell phones were used within confined spaces such as elevators.

“Inside subways, the radio waves coming out of cell phones are constantly trying to connect to base stations. This process requires a large amount of electromagnetic energy. Also when in an elevator, these waves bounce off you,” a researcher at the Korean institute said.

The World Health Organization has classified cell phones as a possible carcinogen, meaning that the use of mobile phones may increase the risk of developing certain brain cancers. “When you have to phone someone, make sure your calls are as short as possible. And in order to reduce your exposure to radio waves, use earphones when making calls for an extended period of time,” the institute added.

See full story on chosun.com

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The Taiwan division of US company Polytron released the world’s first transparent smartphone.

Interesting, but how practical is it? Here’s more of the story…

Over the past few years, there have been a number of manufacturers who attempted to switch up the status quo in terms of mobile device form factors.Examples include flexible displays and mobile phones as well as transparent LCDs.

Indeed, a company called Polytron recently showcased off a very cool prototype smartphone.Yes, rather than uber-high megapixels or a massive screen, the entire phone is clear.

At least, most of the prototype smartphone seems transparent.

You can clearly make out what appears to be coin cell batteries, a small circuit board, and a memory card, but the bulk of the phone is transparent, including what appears to be a translucent display.Over the past few years, there have been a number of manufacturers who attempted to switch up the status quo in terms of mobile device form factors.Examples include flexible displays and mobile phones as well as transparent LCDs.

When the device is powered up, the glass becomes clear allowing you to see through most of the device.

At this point in time, the prototype device is very limited, with no functional software and absent hardware.Frankly, I’ve never really been convinced about the merits of transparent displays.

I would think that being able to see through the screen of your smartphone or even your PC display would be very distracting and likely result in lower video quality.That being said, I’ve always thought an appropriate market for transparent displays would be the automotive sector, although there is no indication of when Polytron’s tech will actually be ready for the masses.

See full story on interestingthings.net (Photo courtesy of interestingthings.net)

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Wireless technology is so prevalent today that there’s hardly any place anybody can go without being exposed to electromagnetic radiation from cell phones, cell towers, wifi hotspots, and so on. For people who are sensitive to these electromagnetic frequencies, life has become miserable. And for some, relocating to a place where these technologies are minimal becomes the only option.

So is this electromagnetic hypersensitivity real? For those who suffer the condition, it is real enough. And removing themselves from the electromagnetic environment has provided the relief they needed. More on the story here…

A remote West Virginia town with no cell service, Wi-Fi hotspots, or TV has become a haven for people who say that wireless technology is making them sick.

Dozens of so-called “Wi-Fi refugees” suffering from a controversial malady called electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) have moved to Green Bank, West Virginia, where cell phone and Wi-Fi signals are banned. An estimated five percent of Americans claim to have EHS, a condition not recognized by the scientific community.

Green Bank is located in the US National Radio Quiet Zone, a 13,000-square mile area where electromagnetic radiation on the radio spectrum–such as radio and TV broadcasts, Wi-Fi networks, and signals from cell phones, Bluetooth and other high-tech electronic devices–are outlawed, to prevent transmissions from interfering with a local radio telescope and a nearby military radio installation.

EHS sufferers contend that exposure to electromagnetic radiation sparks a wide range of symptoms, including facial flushing, twitchy muscles, burning or itchy skin, chest pain, headaches, sleep problems, mentalf og, rapid heartbeat, ringing in the ears or hearing problems, nerve or muscle pain, nausea, and chronic fatigue.

More than 30 studies have been conducted to see if electromagnetic fields (EMF) can spark these symptoms or other health problems. So far, scientists remain skeptical. When the World Health Organization (WHO) reviewed the research in a 2004 workshop, it reported that:

“There are also some indications that these symptoms may be due to pre-existing psychiatric conditions as well as stress reactions as a result of worrying about believed EMF health effects, rather than the EMF exposure itself.”

Currently, Sweden is the only country that recognizes EHS as a legitimate impairing condition. In that country–where the government reports that about 3 percent of the population (some 250,000 people) are affected–those with EHS are entitled to the same legal rights and social services as those who are deaf or blind.

The government will even pay to have the homes of people with EHS electronically “sanitized” with metal shielding to block electromagnetic radiation, Popular Science Magazine reports.

Some researchers have reported that long-term exposure to power lines or cell phones might raise the risk for cancer. Most studies have focused on possible links between electromagnetic fields and childhood leukemia, but research has had conflicting results.

Studies have also examined whether these fields have any link with other cancers, depression, suicide, heart disease, reproductive problems, and other disease. The WHO Task Force Group finds evidence that electromagnetic radiation is associated with any of these problems is “weak” at best.

See full story on yahoo.net (Photo courtesy of yahoo.net)

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