Cellphone Towers: A Feasibility Study - Research Paper Example

 Cellphone Towers: A Feasibility Study Transmittal Letter In recent decades, cellular industry has expanded rapidly, which has resulted in sitting up of cellphone towers in various vicinities around the globe. Recently, a cellphone company has proposed sitting up of cellphone towers at various APS schools. This report has tried to understand the consequences that will be brought by sitting of these towers in the range of schools. Different facts and studies are discussed in the report, in order to evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of cellphone towers. Lastly, recommendations are provided to the RRPS Board regarding the abovementioned proposal of cellphone company. Table of Contents Transmittal Letter 1 Table of Contents 2 Executive Summary Until now, extensive scientific research has been carried out regarding the safety and health effects of cell phone towers on humans. It is indicated by such researches and studies that even low emittions of electromagnetic radiation by such towers result in health hazards. Specifically, this report will discuss and analyze some of the health effects of cellphone towers, especially on growing children, in order to support or reject the proposal of installation of cellphone towers at a number of public schools. The characteristics of cellphone tower industry and its different operations were critically analyzed and evaluated to achieve better and valid results with the help of a secondary research method. Statistics have shown that 580-1,000 mw/cm2 is the standard radiation exposure of cellphone towers in the United States, which is considered the least shielding standard in the globe. On the other hand, 1,000 times lower radiation exposure standards have been set by European countries, in comparison with the United States. In specific, sleep disorders, headache, increment in heart rates, and nosebleeds are some of the health problems that were reported by parents of children who were affected by radiation from cellphone towers. Conclusively, the report has discussed some of the major aspects of health effects of cellphone towers on humans, and specifically, children, and sitting up of cellphone towers in range of schools are not supported in this report. Introduction Until now, extensive scientific research has been carried out regarding the safety and health effects of cell phone towers on humans. It is indicated by such researches and studies that even low emittions of electromagnetic radiation by such towers result in health hazards. A quick expansion is observed in cellphone industry, and only the United States has more than 100,000 towers in its different states. Moreover, experts have indicated that this number of cellphone towers will be increased ten times over the next three years. A rapid number of physicians, scientists, and health officials have disagreed with safe levels of radiation emittion, set by the industry. Specifically, this report will discuss and analyze some of the health effects of cellphone towers, especially on growing children, in order to support or reject the proposal of installation of cellphone towers at a number of public schools. Methodology & Criteria In order to provide a technical report on health effects of cellphone towers, secondary research has been carried out by the researcher. Practical research regarding the cellphone towers, as well as, their biological and thermal effects was conducted. The characteristics of cellphone tower industry and its different operations were critically analyzed and evaluated to achieve better and valid results with the help of a secondary research method. In this regard, scientific results and journals were inquired, in order to acquire a scientifically proven report related to the subject. Results & Discussion Radio frequenty energy is used by cellphone towers to send signals like other wireless devices. Until now, it is a controversy whether safety levels of RF energy emittion from cellphone towers are safe or harmful for humans. In light of secondary research carried out, this technical report will try to acquire answers to controversies and issues related to cellphone towers. In the United States, a number of cellphone towers have been built since the last decade, which has resulted in huge number of criticism from physicians, experts, etc. Studies have indicated that a distance of upto two miles is the standard range of electromagnetic radiation emits by cellphone towers. In simple words, frequency radiation of microwaves in a microwave oven is quite similar to the radtation emits by these towers. In this regard, a number of experts have indicated that cell tissues are damaged even at low levels of radiation, and a number of health problems, such as depression, headache, brain tumor, miscarriage, and cancer have been associated as health risks from these towers. (DIANE, pp. 55-57) In specific, rapid growth rate and thinner skulls have put children at the maximum risk from the cellphone towers, which is the major concern of this technical report. Moreover, pregnant women and elderly people are also at greater risk that other individuals. In the year 2001, children under age group of sixteen have been prohibited to use cellphones by a committee of physicians, as it may result in a number of health hazards due to radio frequency radiation, and therefore, exposure to cellphone towers may also result in similar health hazards to children. Furthermore, term of a radiation hazard has been referred with cellular towers by more than a hundred physicians and health officials at Harvard and Boston University, which has resulted in conduction of new researches and studies in this subject. In addition, cellphone towers are referred as public health emergency by different other health bodies around the globe. On legal side, the standards of radio frequency radiation emittion is set by the United States Federal Communications Commission in the United States, and the commission has regarded the current levels as non-hazard levels for the public. However, a number of critics have argued that the abovementioned commission is an arm of the cellphone industry, as it is not a public health agency and has no concerns to the public, but to owners of the industry. (Croome, pp. 49-52) In order to evaluate the results at an extensive level, the study has carried out a comparison of radiation exposure of different countries with the United States. Statistics have shown that 580-1,000 mw/cm2 is the standard radiation exposure of cellphone towers in the United States, which is considered the least shielding standard in the globe. On the other hand, 1,000 times lower radiation exposure standards have been set by European countries, in comparison with the United States. (Burgess, pp. 23-25) Moreover, the standard radiation exposure of cellphone towers is 200 mw/cm2 in Australia, 0.1 and 0.02 mw/cm2 in Austria and New Zealand respectively, which is 50,000 times more defensive than the standards in the United States. In this regard, cellular industry in the United States is enjoying an independent platform, which allows it to expose public with RF energy thousand times greater than other countries around the globe. (Rom, pp. 91-92) It is observed that communicatiosn industry considered these levels as safe; however, recent scientific studies have proved that low levels of radiation emittion have also adverse health effects on biological systems. Table 1. Standards of Exposure of Radiation from Cellphone Towers Countries United States Australia Canada Austria New Zealand Standard in mw/cm2 580-1,000 200 10 0.1 0.02 A number of studies have shown that safe standards of FCC have been set based on researches conducted during the year 1985; however, brain cancer, headache, neurological and biological problems have been found in more recent research. (Gow, pp. 28-31) In the result, there is a huge controversy and gap between earlier and recent researches, and there is an urgent need to integrate recent results in the regulations related with the exposure of RF energy radiation emittion in the United States. In the past, only heating or thermal effects of radiation were considered, in order to evaluate effects that are caused on heating of body tissues. However, recent studies have found out that low levels of radiation do not heat body tissues; however, it results in a number of non-thermal effects, which are hazards in terms of human health. One of the renowned epidemiologists have indicated that tissue physiology is often altered by radio frequency radiation, which is not good for biological health of humans. In the year 1998, it was acknowledged by some of the world’s top bioelectromagnetic experts that low intensity of radio frequency radiation also results in biological effects. (Mossman, pp. 66-67) Moreover, it was established that current exposure standards are set on inadequate scientific knowledge. Furthermore, in the year 2000, 10,000 times stricter standards than the United States were adopted at the International Conference on Cellphone Towers through the Salzburg Resolution. In this regard, a number of steps have been taken to prevent thermal, as well as, non-thermal effects of cellphone towers. (Cannino, pp. 74-78) It is indicated by some other experts that cell proliferation is affected by low levels of radio frequency radiation, which emits from cellphone towers. Moreover, some of the health officials have associated DNA damages with similar levels of radio frequency radiation. Furthermore, adverse health effects from 0.01 to 100 mw/cm2 range of radiation have been shown by some of the recent scientific studies, which is thousand times lower than the current standards of radio frequency radiation emittion in the United States. In specific, sleep disorders, headache, increment in heart rates, and nosebleeds are some of the health problems that were reported by parents of children who were affected by radiation from cellphone towers. (Columbus, pp. 96-98) One of the drawbacks is that such exposures cannot be avoided, at least in light of current studies, and therefore, adverse health effects of the cellphone towers are unavoidable. In addition, health effects from radiation of these cellphone towers are not rapid, and can be referred as gradual and long-term effects, which is the major reason that cellular companies are able to refer these standards as safe for the public, which is quite contrary to the abovementioned and discussed scientific results. Lastly, one of the monetary benefits of sitting up of cellphone towers is that usually rent of six months is paid in advance by the cellular company, which helps in overcoming the financial problems of vicinity or organization. Studies have indicated that a little percentage of revenue is shared by town administration as per the law. Moreover, different rent rates have been indicated by studies, which are given in the table below: Table 2. Monthly Rent based on MW per year mw/cm2 1 mw per year 1.5 mw per year 2 mw per year 2.5 mw per year Rent per month US$8,000 US$12,000 US$16,000 US$20,000 Abovementioned table of revenue indicates that a golden opportunity is provided by the cellular companies to schools, organizations, and towns to overcome their financial problems by offering attractive rent; however, studies have indicated that drawbacks of these cellphone towers dominate the monetary benefits, which results in longterm and adverse health effects on public of the vicinity. Conclusion & Recommendations In light of discussed results, it can be referred that radiation emits from cellphone towers cannot be considered safe for public, as it results in a number of adverse health effects, such as depression, headache, birth defects, cancer, brain tumor, etc. Specifically, in children and young adults, headache, depression, and cancer are some of the leading results of radio frequency radiation exposure from cellphone towers. Moreover, even the FCC has set up standards of radiation exposure, there is no way to ensure that radiation is emitting as per the allowed regulations. Therefore, as an administrator, the proposal of putting up cellphone towers cannot be supported in light of recent scientific studies, which have associated a number of thermal, non-thermal, biological, and neurological effects on humans. Moreover, such effects are adverse in children due to their rapid growth and sensitive skin. Thus, it can be said that financial clouts of cash-strapped education system is being used as a way of persecution by wireless telephone services. Conclusively, the report has discussed some of the major aspects of health effects of cellphone towers on humans, and specifically, children, and sitting up of cellphone towers in range of schools are not supported in this report. Works Cited Adam Burgess. Cellular Phones, Public Fears, and a Culture of Precaution. Cambridge University Press, 2004. C. J. Cannino. Cell Out. iUniverse, 2005. Derek J. Croome. Electromagnetic Environments and Health in Buildings. Taylor & Francis, 2003. DIANE. Your Community Guide to Cellular Phone Towers. DIANE Publishing, 1997. Frank H. Columbus. Trends in Cancer Prevention Research. Nova Publishers, 2007. Gordon A. Gow. Mobile and Wireless Communications. McGraw-Hill Professional, 2006. Kenneth L. Mossman. Radiation Risks in Perspective. CRC Press, 2006. William N. Rom. Environmental and Occupational Medicine. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2006. Word Count: 1462 Words Checked by Copyscape.com & Turnitin.com Read More