Theodora Scarato MSW
Executive Director Emeritus Environmental Health Trust
Theodora Scarato MSW served for years as Executive Director Emeritus of Environmental Health Trust (EHT), a scientific think tank that publishes research and educates policymakers on environmental health issues. EHT scientists are among the leading independent voices calling for reducing wireless worldwide.
Scarato’s numerous efforts include a sucessful lawsuit against the US government regarding the FCCs outdated wireless radiation human exposure limits that led to the FCC being ordered to explain how its human exposure limits were protective for children, long term exposures and wildlife. Scarato’s work includes the scientific filings to Tesla and to Alphabet (Google) and she led extensive in depth investigations of government agencies including the FCC, the EPA, the National Cancer Insitute and the FDA.
Scarato heads up the Wildlife and Wireless program at Environmental Health Trust and her policy research was featured in the Santa Fe New Mexican’s Report says wireless radiation may harm wildlife by Scott Wyland. Read EHT’s scientific letter to the National Parks and their website focused on biodiversity and telecommunications infrastructure.
Scarato directs EHT educational programs, publishes research, works with policymakers and coordinates scientific conferences and programs in the US and internationally alongside EHT’s Senior Science Advisors. Scarato has co-authored several articles on electromagnetic field policy and is a lead policy analyst and researcher for the EHT database on international actions– the most comprehensive collection of information on policy actions on cell phones and wireless.
In 2022 a Chapter she co-wrote in the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments Nursing 2nd Edition textbook was published- Unit III: A NEW FORM OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION: WIRELESS AND NON-IONIZING ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS.
In 2023 she was co-author to Wireless technologies, non-ionizing electromagnetic fields and children: Identifying and reducing health risks published in Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care.
She has presented at several US and international conferences on environmental health including the 2020 Tel Aviv Expert Forum, the Michigan State Briefing on 5G, the 2018 “The Dramatic Changes on the Planet and the Hellenic Roots of Ecological Ethics” held at the University of Patras, Greece, the Hebrew University Medical School Expert Forum on Wireless and the Health in Buildings Roundtable Conference held at the National Institutes of Health.
Scarato was co-author on the comprehensive review paper Building science and radiofrequency radiation: What makes smart and healthy buildings published in Building And Environment after the conference at the National Institute of Health conference. Scarato has presented at both the 2019 and 2021 Medical Conferences on Electromagnetic Fields. In 2021 she presented at the Chamber of Electrical Engineers Istanbul Branch Conference ” The Electromagnetic Fields and Their Effects 2021 – EMANET 2021.
Her work was instrumental in the Prince George’s County School System taking action to address long neglected lead contamination in the schools drinking water and in the Maryland State Children’s Environmental Health Protection Advisory Council’s actions to issue recommendations to reduce radio frequency exposures in the school setting. Scarato helped coordinate the 2019 US medical conference designed exclusively to train medical professionals on electromagnetic radiation and also presented at the 2021 EMF Medical Conference. She is on the board of PhoneGate Alert.
Op-ed and Commentary
- If 5G is So Safe Then Why Do Wireless Companies Warn Their Shareholders but Not Consumers? Medium
- The US And Europe Need Safer Technology For Children
- Europe and America have a Right To Know About #5G Cell Phone Safety EU Reporter
- Everybody has the right to know about cell phone radiation, University of Maryland Mitzpeh
- Why Isn’t Our Government Protecting Us?” Alert On Health Risks of 5G Rollout
- Montgomery County needs affordable broadband, not 5G cell towers, to bridge the digital divide, Montgomery Sentinel
Scientific Papers
- Davis, D., Birnbaum, L., Ben-Ishai, P., Taylor, H., Sears, M., Butler, T., & Scarato, T. (2023). Wireless technologies, non-ionizing electromagnetic fields and children: Identifying and reducing health risks. Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care, 53(2), 101374.
- Clegg, F. M., Sears, M., Friesen, M., Scarato, T., Metzinger, R., Russell, C., Stadtner, A., & Miller, A. B. (2020). Building science and radiofrequency radiation: What makes smart and healthy buildings. Building and Environment, 176, 106324.
- Ben Ishai P, Baldwin HZ, Birnbaum LS, Butler T, Chamberlin K, Davis DL, Scarato T, Taylor H (2024). Applying the Precautionary Principle to Wireless Technology: Policy Dilemmas and Systemic Risks. Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development. 66:2, 5-18.
Book Chapters and Educational
- Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments Nursing 2nd Edition- Unit III: A NEW FORM OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION: WIRELESS AND NON-IONIZING ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS.
- Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition Education: “Let’s Talk Prevention” educational modules have been developed on cell phone radiation for high school, middle school, and elementary students. Go to MBCC Let’s Talk Prevention Classroom Modules and download Module 3 on Cell Phones.
Scarato is a regular contributor to radio and news broadcasts and has been featured on NPR, Dr. Nandi, NBC, Fox 5, WJLA and several documentary films.
She previously worked with EHT as Director of Educational Resources and Public Affairs, developing educational resources for communities and governments. Scarato has co-founded several organizations both locally and nationally that address environmental health and safety concerns. As a practicing clinical psychotherapist, her two decades of work with children and adolescents includes directing an intensive special education therapy program in Montgomery County Schools and working a psychotherapist at an ADHD clinic. Her research interests include not only the effects from radiation exposures but also the social emotional effects of technology overuse.
