Shielding Against Unseen Dangers: The Massachusetts Wireless Safety Bills Initiative

Massachusetts Wireless Safety Bills

Several Bills are before the Massachusetts legislature, aiming to protect residents against wireless health and environmental risks.

Resolve S.155 requires an investigation by a special commission to research the impact of electromagnetic (EMR) and radiofrequency (RFR) radiation on consumer protection, public health, and technology. New Hampshire did this and issued a Final Report in 2020.
S. 156 requires cell phone distributors to disclose RF radiation legal notices.
S.2152 requires a no-fee wireless meter opt-out.
S.316 requires the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to establish best technology practices that protect the health and safety of public school students and staff.
S.1044 prohibits injurious operations or offering services or products that discriminate against or injure protected classes. This Bill would codify that those with electromagnetic related illness and sensitivity and all other disabilities have a right to ask for reasonable accommodations.
H.2158 establishes the Massachusetts EMS registry and requires biennial reporting as part of population health trends requires the Department of Public Health to add electromagnetic sensitivity (EMS) to the list of diseases dangerous to the public health.

ACTION ALERT :

Testimony and emails need to go to committee members for each bill. Massachusetts for Safe Technology has an action alert.
In addition EHT has a letter writing tool to send a letter to Your Massachusetts Lawmakers To Support Wireless Safety Bills : This letter will go to your elected representatives in support of all of the MA bills.

EHT Supports Policy To Reduce Wireless Radiation

“We applaud Massachusetts lawmakers for bring forward wireless safety legislation, ” stated Theodora Scarato, Executive Director of Environmental Health Trust. Scarato pointed out that he Maryland State Children’s Environmental Health And Protection Advisory Council issued a report recommending reducing wireless exposure to children in schools and homes and the Santa Clara Medical Association Best Practices for Technology in schools recommends reducing Wi-Fi exposure and restricting cell towers near schools.

Did you Know?

The Legal Handbook for Massachusetts’ Board of Health, 3rd Edition has a chapter on cell tower radiation stating “schools, houses of worship and commercial property owners can be considerable. The fact that towers are ubiquitous must not be confused with the presumption that they do not present certain health risks.” The handbook highlights the legal issues, conflicting studies and lack of consensus for safety. It is notable that studies showing adverse effects are presented:

“The world literature is more comprehensive. A study of cancer patients in Germany found a 3.29 times greater risk of cancer (p < 0.01) in patients with residence closer than 400 meters to a cell phone tower. Risk of breast cancer was 3.4 times greater, and average age of diagnosis of breast cancer was 19 years earlier.50 Similarly, a study in Israel found women living within 350 meters of a cell phone tower to have over 10 times greater risk of cancer than the community as a whole (p < 0.0001).51 More recently, in a case/control study of cancer patients residing near a cell phone transmission tower in Austria, those with external residential exposures of greater than 1000 μW/m2 (> 0.1 μW/cm2 ) had a breast cancer risk that was 23 times higher (p = 0.0007) and brain tumor risk was 121 times higher (p = 0.001) than controls.52”

See PDF of cell tower section in Legal Handbook for Massachusetts’ Board of Health, 3rd Edition.