Editor,
Re: Gary Murphy, BC Hydro. Letter to the Editor: Smart Meters myths and facts. March 2.
Gary Murphy states, “Fact: Smart meters do not emit any microwave radiation.” All wireless devices use microwaves to communicate. One radio frequency a cell phone can use is 800MHz which means it emits a wave which has 800,000 cycles per second, hence microwave. These microwaves are radiated to a cell tower using electricity for energy, hence radio frequency (RF) radiation. There is another frequency of microwaves used for cooking.
Fact: He states smart meters communicate for only minutes per day. In an Feb 23 interview in the Valley Voice he said they transmit for less than a minute a day. He then stated the signal emitted was infrequent. What does he mean by infrequent? A signal every few minutes may not be considered infrequent.
He goes on to say the signals from smart meters are much lower than signals from common everyday devices … even spark plugs in your car. Spark plugs use a different form of energy, electromagnetic, which does not have the capacity to radiate like smart meters which use RF energy or radiation.
He states that smart meters have the Health Canada stamp of approval (as do all other such devices and cell towers). Adverse health effects have been found to low levels of RF radiation. Some people are electrosensitive to low levels of RF radiation. The reports on these health effects do not meet Health Canada’s standards of “quality.”
In over 20 years Health Canada has conducted a grand total of 17 research projects on RF radiation. One was a study measuring radiation levels in a North Vancouver high school. Another was on the glare from video display terminals.
In December of last year the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health concluded its hearings on the effects of microwaves on human health. Among its recommendations was an independent assessment (as in not Health Canada) of Canadian and international scientific literature regarding the potential health impacts of short and long-term exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic radiation. Another was that Health Canada ensure that it has a process in place to receive and respond to reports of adverse reactions to electromagnetic radiation emitting devices.
I then went to the BC Hydro website to find out how smart meters work. Nothing there. I tried Google. After about an hour I concluded that this information is not readily available. I did find a website that was asking questions about smart meters, much like my own.
Maybe if people find out how smart meters work they will not want them in their homes.
Sincerely,
Ed Zak
