5G, Wi-Fi, Wireless RF/EMF Radiation - NEWRY, MOURNE AND DOWN DISTRICT COUNCIL’S required risk assessments for new and expectant mothers at their DOWNPATRICK HQ.

The request was partially successful.

29 September 2019 

Marie Ward 

Doing business as Chief Executive Officer 

NEWRY, MOURNE AND DOWN DISTRICT COUNCIL 

Newry Office - Monaghan Row, Newry

Notice to the Principal is Notice to the Agent; Notice to the Agent is Notice to the Principle

5G, Wi-Fi, Wireless RF/EMF Radiation - NEWRY, MOURNE AND DOWN DISTRICT COUNCIL’S required risk assessments for new and expectant mothers and women of child bearing age at their DOWNPATRICK HQ 2015-2019.

NOTICE OF FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000

Dear Marie Ward

WHEREAS the NEWRY, MOURNE & DOWN DISTRICT COUNCIL is a CORPORATION.
As in Part 1 Section 1 (2) https://www.legislation.gov.uk/apni/1972...

WHEREAS the HEALTH & SAFETY EXECUTIVE NI does not hold any documents, scientific studies and reports that outline the safe level of non-ionizing / microwave (EMF/RF) radiation also called WiFi radiation exposure to pregnant women and the foetus.

The HEALTH & SAFETY EXECUTIVE NI does not hold any documents, scientific studies and reports in which it is stated “Wifi is safe”. Royanne Hall, HSENI FOI 22 January 2018. 

WHEREAS ‘EMFs and Miscarriages: The Evidence Mounts At Least 7 Studies Now Show an Association’ Magnetic fields at levels commonly found in homes, offices and the urban environment have once again been found to increase the risk of pregnancy loss. The latest study —from Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, CA— shows that power-frequency fields can triple the risk of miscarriages.

“This study provides fresh evidence, directly from a human population, that magnetic field exposure in daily life could have adverse health impacts,” De-Kun Li, the lead author of the Kaiser study, told Microwave News. These findings “should bring attention to this potentially important environmental hazard to pregnant women,” Li urges. There are now at least seven studies linking miscarriages to prenatal exposure to electromagnetic fields, according to Li. https://microwavenews.com/news-center/de...

WHEREAS: ‘Miscarry risks from radiation exposure: Radiation typical of cell phones and Wi-Fi linked to high rate of miscarriages” was on the Front page San Francisco Chronicle, 18 December 2017.
http://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/artic...

WHEREAS in December 2016 ‘Reviews on Environmental Health’ published UK neuroscientist Dr Sarah J. Starkey’s ‘Inaccurate official assessment of radiofrequency safety by the Advisory Group on Non-Ionising Radiation’ Abstract: “The Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation (AGNIR) 2012 report forms the basis of official advice on the safety of radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields in the United Kingdom and has been relied upon by health protection agencies around the world. This review describes incorrect and misleading statements from within the report, omissions and conflict of interest, which make it unsuitable for health risk assessment. The executive summary and overall conclusions did not accurately reflect the scientific evidence available. Independence is needed from the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), the group that set the exposure guidelines being assessed. […] Decision makers, organisations and individuals require accurate information about the safety of RF electromagnetic signals if they are to be able to fulfil their safeguarding responsibilities and protect those for whom they have legal responsibility.” 
https://www.degruyter.com/downloadpdf/j/...

WHEREAS in May 2017 the UK Advisory Group on Non-Ionising Radiation (AGNIR) was disbanded. This disbandment followed the publishing of ‘Inaccurate official assessment of radiofrequency safety by the Advisory Group on Non-Ionising Radiation’ (2016) that AGNIR’s latest assessment of the science on the health impacts of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs)—the type emitted by modern wireless technologies including WiFi contained in the AGNIR report 2012—was inaccurate and subject to conflicts of interest.

WHEREAS the UK government, PUBLIC HEALTH ENGLAND and other public health agencies dismiss any questions of the safety of wireless technologies/wireless RF/EMF radiation by referencing the UK's AGNIR report 2012.

WHEREAS the AGNIR 2012 report omitted significant relevant research and evidence of health effects available at the time including the World Health Organisation's IARC classification 'Possible Human Carcinogen' 2B.

WHEREAS their currently is no mechanisms to retract an inaccurate government report such as the AGNIR 2012 report (and which government advice based on it) to be retracted and mechanisms put in place whereby incorrect government information can be corrected or removed, as can occur for peer-reviewed published scientific papers.

WHEREAS The denial of the existence of adverse effects of RF fields below ICNIRP guidelines in the AGNIR report conclusions is not supported by the scientific evidence.
Studies have, as described as examples in this review, reported damage to male reproductive health, proteins and cellular membranes, increased oxidative stress, cell death and genotoxicity, altered electrical brain activity and cognition, increased behavioural problems in children and risks of some cancers. For future official RF reports, it is important to check that conclusions accurately reflect available evidence before decisions which impact on public health are made based on the executive summary and overall conclusions. […]

Individuals and organisations who/that have made decisions about the often compulsory exposures of others to wireless RF communication signals may be unaware of the physical harm that they may have caused, and may still be causing, because they have not been accurately informed of the risks. This has been a safeguarding failure and the health of some children or adults may have been damaged as a result.

To prevent further possible harm, restrictions on exposures are required, particularly for children, pregnant women and individuals with medical conditions. All children in schools and care environments need protection from the potential harmful effects of RF exposures and not, as is now often the case, a compulsory use of wireless devices in the classroom. Children may unjustly face losing their human right to an education if they do not want to absorb RF fields every day at school and no alternative environments are available. Attention also needs to be given to the provision of safe working environments for employees and safe public spaces, particularly where exposures are involuntary.

PHE and AGNIR had a responsibility to provide accurate information about the safety of RF fields. Unfortunately, the report suffered from an incorrect and
misleading executive summary and overall conclusions, inaccurate statements, omissions and conflict of interest.

Public health and the well-being of other species in the natural world cannot be protected when evidence of harm, no matter how inconvenient, is covered up.
https://www.degruyter.com/downloadpdf/j/...

WHEREAS International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) is a private organisation, an industry loyal Non Government Organisation (NGO), based in Germany. “ICNIRP selects its own members and its source of funding is not declared. New expert members of ICNIRP can only be elected by members of ICNIRP…

“Many of ICNIRP members have ties to the industry that is dependent on the ICNIRP guidelines. The [ICNIRP] guidelines are of huge economic and strategic importance to the military, telecoms/IT and power industry. Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines “do not cover cancer and other long-term or non-thermal health effects.”

“Thus, using the significantly higher [voluntary] guideline by ICNIRP gives a ‘green card’ to roll out the wireless digital technology thereby not considering non-thermal health effects from RF radiation. Numerous health hazards are disregarded such as cancer, effects on neurotransmitters and neuroprotection, blood-brain-barrier, cognition, psychological addiction, sleep, behavioural problems and sperm quality.” Lennart Hardell in International Journal of Oncology
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/article...

WHERAS the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), “LEGAL TERMS: Disclaimer: ICNIRP e.V. undertakes all reasonable measures to ensure the reliability of information presented on the website, but does not guarantee the correctness, reliability, or completeness of the information and views published. The content of our website is provided to you for information only. We do not assume any responsibility for any damage, including direct or indirect loss suffered by users or third parties in connection with the use of our website and/or the information it contains, including for the use or the interpretation of any technical data, recommendations, or specifications available on our website.”
https://www.icnirp.org/en/legal-notice.h...

WHEREAS ‘How ICNIRP, AGNIR, PHE [PUBLIC HEALTH ENGLAND] and a 30 year old political decision created and then covered up a global public health scandal’: "Basically we can understand Dr Starkey’s report in two ways. Firstly as an examination as to WHY AGNIR and the HPA(PHE) were prompted to COVER UP EVIDENCE OF RF/EMF HEALTH HAZARDS and secondly the methodologies of exclusion they employed as to HOW this COVER UP was EXECUTED.

As to why a cover up was required, then this directly arose from the conflict of interests that the rapporteur on the EU 2011 report highlighted and suggested to be an area of important focus... we can see that there were very close connections between ICNIRP, AGNIR and the Department of Health and the Health Protection Agency which later became Public Health England.

In the AGNIR committee of 2012 three members were also members of ICNIRP and 6 members were also members of the UK Health Protection Agency and the Department of Health. One of the HPA members was also a member of ICNIRP. By 2016 we see there were no less than 6 members of ICNIRP and 8 members of PHE and the department of health. Of those 8 PHE members, three of them were also members of ICNIRP. One should note that A.J. Swerdlow was chair of both AGNIR and ICNIRP. The same A.J.Swerdlow and his wife who owned shares in Cable and Wireless Worldwide, Cable and Wireless Communications and BT.

This obvious conflict of interests between these 3 inter-related organisations is completely unacceptable. Neither the HPA (the former incarnation of PHE) nor AGNIR could ever take an objective view of peer reviewed scientific evidence presented to them because they all strictly adhere to ICNIRP’s thermal only paradigm in the first place. It would be impossible for the PHE members to acknowledge any evidence presented to them that contradicted this fundamental assumption as that would necessarily involve them having to resign from their prestigious positions as committee members of both AGNIR and/or ICNIRP and admit that they have been wrong all along. Those members of PHE who were also members of ICNIRP and AGNIR would have a huge influence on the rest of PHE who would completely defer to the ICNIRP and AGNIR members on these issues as they would be deemed to be the ‘experts’ who sat on such prestigious committees. It would be virtually impossible to even try and disagree with them even in the unlikely event that any members of PHE managed to find either the morals or courage to do so in the first place.

Dr Starkey comments on the nature of this conflict of interests in her analysis...

In this respect PHE’s role as a public health agency: is very much a case of the wolves guarding the sheep. They cannot acknowledge the dangers of low level radiation exposure without trashing their reputations. In such a case, any such admission would make their membership of all 3 bodies completely untenable. There was no way that such radical radiation extremists were ever going to allow their decisions to be called into question. It was always guaranteed that such ideologically entrenched career scientists are compelled to dismiss all scientific evidence that contradicted their views by whatever means necessary. To add insult to injury the HPA even went as far as theatrically staging a warm reception and welcome of their own report and falsely represented it as a study that was ‘independent’ of them, thereby concealing their conflicts of interest in order to suggest that they were taking an objective view of the report.” https://communityoperatingsystem.wordpre...

WHEREAS the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified wireless radiation (RF/EMF) as a Group 2B ‘Possible Human Carcinogen’ from 2011 onwards, based on scientific evidence that linked wireless exposure with increased risks of brain or head tumours, damage to DNA and other types of genotoxicity, increased oxidative stress and evidence from animal studies.

WHEREAS The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) IARC 2B ‘Possibly Carcinogenic to Humans’ classification includes wireless RF/EMF radiation from any transmitting source in the range of 30 KHz to 300 GHz emitted from any device. This includes mobile phones, smart meters, mobile phone mast, tablet computers/iPads, Wi-Fi devices, etc.  https://ehtrust.org/key-issues/electroma...

WHEREAS The World Health Organisation’s IARC full published report (monograph) ‘The evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans’. Vol 102 outlines that children absorb wireless (RF/EMF) radiation DEEPER into their bodies than adults and also states that the classification includes exposure to all radiofrequency radiation [RF] and not just mobile phones. 
https://publications.iarc.fr/126

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland [UK] is a member state and is a funder and participates in the Governing Council of the World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer. 

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, you are required to provide the following:

1. As the employer, please provide the total number, the make and the model number of all the WiFi Access Points/routers that continuously transmitting wireless non ionizing electromagnetic RF radiation (also known as microwave radiation) classified by the World Health Organisation as a 2B “Possible Human Carcinogen” throughout the Downpatrick Office of the COUNCIL at Downshire Civic Centre.

2. As the employer, please provide all risk assessments for the COUNCIL Downpatrick offices, Downshire Civic Centre for new and expectant mothers and women of child bearing age including exposure to wireless non ionizing electromagnetic RF radiation (also known as microwave radiation) in accordance to section16) Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000* for the years:

A 1 April 2015 - 31 March 2016;  
B 1 April 2016 - 31 March 2017;   
C 1 April 2017 - 31 March 2018;  
D 1 April 2018 - 31 March 2019;  

*“EXPLANATORY NOTE 12.  A person who contravenes these Regulations or any requirement or prohibition imposed thereunder is guilty of an offence under Article 31 of the 1978 Order and is liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum (currently £5,000) or, on conviction on indictment, to a fine.”

3. As the employer, please provide all documents printed/written/ electronic, emails, scientific studies and reports that outline the safe level of wireless non ionizing electromagnetic RF radiation (also known as microwave radiation) exposure to the ovarian follicles during the first 100 days of development of the embryo. If there are no such documents, please state “None”.

I do not consent to receiving a single sentence/paragraph response for items 1- 3. I require each item to have its own response and/or attachments. Please number your responses 1-3.

I do not consent to receiving incomplete, unnecessary, incorrect, misleading or untruthful information or representations within Freedom of Information responses. This includes but is not limited to the AGNIR 2012 report and any government department and/or agency advice and/or statements, links, etc. based on the AGNIR 2012 report which contains “incorrect and misleading statements from within the report, omissions and conflict of interest , which make it unsuitable for health risk assessment. The executive summary and overall conclusions did not accurately reflect the scientific evidence available” and “the AGNIR report conclusions is not supported by the scientific evidence.”

The information requested/claimed in this FOI is of public interest. The NEWRY, MOURNE AND DOWN DISTRICT COUNCIL exists for one purpose only - to give services to the public and has no other purpose. This is not a gift or altruistic service - it is a public service is paid for by the people through public money, such as rates.

I have the reasonable expectation that you, Marie Ward, acting as a public servant in the public office of Chief Executive Officer of NEWRY, MOURNE AND DOWN DISTRICT COUNCIL will honour and adhere to your position of Trust, the Seven Principles of public life, your Duty of Care, the laws, the statutory legislation, regulations and protocols that govern public servants and all those who offer a public service. The 7 principles of public life are: Honesty; Openness; Leadership; Integrity; Accountability; Objectivity and Selflessness. https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...

I demand that as a servant of the public holding a public office you take note of and act on the information supplied within this FOI and read in full “Inaccurate official assessment of radiofrequency safety by the Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation [AGNIR]”, Sarah J. Starkey (2016) Reviews on Environmental Health 31(4): 493-503. www.degruyter.com/downloadpdf/j/reveh.20...

This will be used as evidence.

Sincerely and without ill will, vexation or frivolity, 
 

by Alisa Keane


All rights reserved

Trainor, Suzanne, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council

Dear Ms Keane,

 

Thank you for your email dated 30^th September 2019 and your request for
information therein.

 

You have requested from Newry, Mourne and Down District Council
information in relation to 5G,WIFI,Wireless RF/EMF Radiation.

 

I confirm your request will be processed as a request under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000.  Accordingly, you will receive the information you
have requested within 20 working days of the date of receipt of your
request by the Council unless the Council does not hold the information or
there is a reason to withhold all or part of the information requested. 
Council will write to you in any event. 

 

I hope to respond to you no later than  28/10/2019.

 

For further information in relation to the Freedom of Information Act 2000
I would refer you to the Information Commissioner's Office website,
www.ico.org.uk

 

If you wish to discuss the above please do not hesitate to contact me.

 

Kind Regards

 

Suzanne Trainor

Information Officer

Comhairle Ceantair an Iúir Mhúrn agus an Dúin

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council

Downshire Civic Centre

Ardglass Road

Downpatrick

BT30 6GQ

 

Council: 0300 013 2233

Planning: 0300 200 7830  Ext:2104

 

www.newrymournedown

 

This e-mail, its contents and any attachments are intended only for the
above named. As this e-mail may contain confidential or legally privileged
information, if you are not, or suspect that you are not, the above named,
or the person responsible for delivering the message to the above named,
delete or destroy the email and any attachments immediately. The contents
of this e-mail may not be disclosed to, nor used by, anyone other than the
above named. We will not accept any liability (in negligence or otherwise)
arising from any third party acting, or refraining from acting, on such
information. Opinions, conclusions and other information expressed in such
messages are not given or endorsed by the Council, unless otherwise
indicated in writing by an authorised representative independent of such
messages. Please note that we cannot guarantee that this message or any
attachment is virus free or has not been intercepted and amended. The
Council undertakes monitoring of both incoming and outgoing e-mails. You
should therefore be aware that if you send an e-mail to a person within
the Council it may be subject to any monitoring deemed necessary by the
organisation. As a public body, the Council may be required to disclose
this e-mail (or any response to it) under UK Data Protection and Freedom
of Information legislation, unless the information in it is covered by an
exemption.

Trainor, Suzanne, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council

2 Attachments

Dear Alisa Keane,

Thank you for your email received 30/09/2019 and your request for
information therein.

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 you have requested information
in relation to  5G, WIFI,Wireless RF/EMF Radiation.  I confirm your
request has now been processed as a request under the terms of the Act
and, accordingly, please see Council's response below.  

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental
Information Regulations 2004, you are required to provide the following:

 

 1. As the employer, please provide the total number, the make and the
model number of all the WiFi Access Points/routers that continuously
transmitting wireless non ionizing electromagnetic RF radiation (also
known as microwave radiation) classified by the World Health
Organisation as a 2B “Possible Human Carcinogen” throughout the
Downpatrick Office of the COUNCIL at Downshire Civic Centre.

 

Newry Mourne Down Council currently operate 63x Extricom EXPR-20 Access
points in the Downshire Civic centre. These are not continuously
transmitting.

 

2.  As the employer, please provide all risk assessments for the COUNCIL
Downpatrick offices, Downshire Civic Centre for new and expectant mothers
and women of child bearing age including exposure to wireless non ionizing
electromagnetic RF radiation (also known as microwave radiation) in
accordance to section16) Management of Health and Safety at Work
Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000* for the years:

 

A 1 April 2015 - 31 March 2016;  

B 1 April 2016 - 31 March 2017;   

C 1 April 2017 - 31 March 2018;  

D 1 April 2018 - 31 March 2019;  

 

Newry Mourne Down Council  have a Generic Risk Assessment for new and
expectant mothers

Please find attached Newry Mourne Down Councils guidance and risk
assessment form in relation to new and expectant mothers.

 

3.  As the employer, please provide all documents printed/written/
electronic, emails, scientific studies and reports that outline the safe
level of wireless non ionizing electromagnetic RF radiation (also known as
microwave radiation) exposure to the ovarian follicles during the first
100 days of development of the embryo.  If there are no such documents,
please state “None”.

 

Newry Mourne Down Council hold no information relevant to this part of
your request.

 

 

If you wish to discuss the above, please do not hesitate to contact me
directly.

I trust this is of assistance.  However, should you be unhappy with our
response in this matter you may request an Internal Review of our response
by 16/12/2019. You can contact Edel Cosgrove Head of Compliance
([email address]) in that regard. In the event you are unhappy
with the outcome of any Internal Review conducted by the Council you may
apply to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) for a review of our
response. Please note that the ICO generally expects Internal Reviews to
be completed prior to reviewing the decisions of public bodies.  For
further information in relation to Freedom of Information I would direct
you to the website of the Information Commissioner at: [1]www.ico.org.uk.

Regards

 

 

Suzanne Trainor

Information Officer

Comhairle Ceantair an Iúir Mhúrn agus an Dúin

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council

Downshire Civic Centre

Ardglass Road

Downpatrick

BT30 6GQ

 

Council: 0300 013 2233

Planning: 0300 200 7830  Ext:2104

 

www.newrymournedown

 

This e-mail, its contents and any attachments are intended only for the
above named. As this e-mail may contain confidential or legally privileged
information, if you are not, or suspect that you are not, the above named,
or the person responsible for delivering the message to the above named,
delete or destroy the email and any attachments immediately. The contents
of this e-mail may not be disclosed to, nor used by, anyone other than the
above named. We will not accept any liability (in negligence or otherwise)
arising from any third party acting, or refraining from acting, on such
information. Opinions, conclusions and other information expressed in such
messages are not given or endorsed by the Council, unless otherwise
indicated in writing by an authorised representative independent of such
messages. Please note that we cannot guarantee that this message or any
attachment is virus free or has not been intercepted and amended. The
Council undertakes monitoring of both incoming and outgoing e-mails. You
should therefore be aware that if you send an e-mail to a person within
the Council it may be subject to any monitoring deemed necessary by the
organisation. As a public body, the Council may be required to disclose
this e-mail (or any response to it) under UK Data Protection and Freedom
of Information legislation, unless the information in it is covered by an
exemption.

References

Visible links
1. http://www.ico.gov.uk/