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Better to be safe

Rainer Repke, KallarooWanneroo Times

There is no research that confirms that these towers cause cancer; there is however the uneasiness that they might.

On the other hand, we all want to have better mobile connections. That they are unsightly is another factor.

The US Cancer Research Society says one tower is at the frequency and strength of beaming that is not harmful. However, it admits that results need many more years of research to be conclusive.

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One phone might not connect to just one tower, but to two or even three to get a good connection. Again, the beams from each tower might not be harmful, but the combined beams from three towers might be. In addition, there are cases in the US of brain cancer that might be due to excessive use of a mobile phone: that might be so.

Now, as the system of these towers is organised in a way where one phone connects to one, or two or even three towers, there is no way to avoid that excessive radiation meets the receiver ” unless we place these towers in a way that only one tower connects to one phone.

That might be unrealistic as the quality of the reception will be poor.

The other option, given that the phone user makes a conscious decision to use a phone and exposes themselves to radiation, is that we protect all who are not using a phone.

While the US research concludes that 300 metres are more than safe, because nobody at this stage really knows, they offer 500 metres. Therefore, and until we have conclusive research, should we not place these towers 500 metres away from people, adjust our regulations accordingly and check all existing towers and enforce compliance?