Lukas Margaritis, PhD, Professor of Cell Biology and Electron Microscopy

National and Kapodistrian

University of Athens

Faculty of Biology

Department of Cell Biology & Biophysics

Electromagnetic Biology Laboratory

Professor Lukas H. Margaritis

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contact information available only in attached download

Address: Panepistimiopolis, Zografou,  Athens 157 84, GREECE

Athens, January 16th 2011

To whom it may concern

The California Council of Science and Technology has released a report on WIRELESS SMART METERS, in which any relation with health hazards has been bypassed. It is however “common secret” between the researchers in the field of electromagnetic biology that such a statement has absolutely no scientific validity for the following reasons.

  1. Life on the planet earth has evolved in the absence of such non-ionizing radiation and accumulating evidence suggests that no defence mechanisms have been evolved. Therefore there is no reference point for “safely limits”.
  2. All other devices mentioned in the report (mobile phones, microwave ovens, etc.) can be deliberately used at a safe situation (i.e. hands free utilization for mobile phone, keep safe distances from the microwave oven or the Wi-Fi when in use).
  3. Even if other wireless devices emit radiation in the same area, this does not mean that more can be installed with less radiation emission simply because there is strong evidence: a) for no threshold health limit, b) for cumulative health effects.
  4. It is not true (as mentioned in the report) that there is no evidence for mechanism on non-thermal. ROS formation is more and more shown to be a key first response cascading all rest effects (DNA damage, tumour formation, memory deficits, fatigue, sleep disorders, etc.).
  5. The argument that “more and more wireless devices will be used in daily life” is not and cannot be taken as obligatory. Who can support that the constitution, any constitution of any country should allow installations to take place (as the one with Smart Meters) against the rights for health of the citizens.
  6. The safety guidelines by ICNIRP are 12 years old, this by itself, after an enormous accumulation of research data implies that the threshold limits should have been updated, and they have not. In fact NO GUIDELINES FOR CONSTANT EXPOSURE HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED SO FAR.

SOLUTION?

There may be a solution by optical fibers which are all over the place utilized in communication, so why not use them in this application as well.

Yours sincerely,

Lukas H. Margaritis

Professor of Cell Biology and Electron Microscopy

Adamantia F. Fragopoulou

Biologist, Researcher