By Michael Alexander

IT IS perfectly true that as yet no causal connection has been established between exposure to TETRA-type radiation and any adverse health effect—either from handsets or around base stations.

There are, however, an increasing number of reports of health problems—mainly neurological—from police officers in Lancashire following the introduction there of TETRA, despite the fact that the handsets comply with internationally recognised safety limits.

This worrying conclusion, which gives further credence to those concerned about the proposed erection of TETRA communication masts in Fife, has been reached by a European research scientist who described the roll-out of “untested” technology as “scandalous”.

In a recently published paper, G. J. Warwick, an associate fellow at Warwick University’s department of physics and an executive member of the international institute of biophysics at Neuss-Holzheim in Germany, has expressed concern that the technology has been rolled out “before full tests were done.”

Mr Warwick said that International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines—used by the British National Radiological Protection Board and hence the Government as a basis for declaring that the system was safe—did protect against the “heating” effect of TETRA technology. But he said recent studies confirmed that TETRA handsets used by police did not comply with these regulations.

Mr Warwick said, “If heating were the only effect that this radiation could exert all would be well. If not, however, then the ICNIRP guidelines offer no protection whatsoever from any other possible health effects but leave users totally exposed to those health effects.

“The crucial question is: are there any non-thermal health effects associated with exposure to TETRA radiation that might entail adverse health consequences? Can we be reasonably certain that there are no possible adverse health effects arising from exposure to TETRA radiation?

“The plain fact is that we just don’t know because the technology was rolled out before the necessary experimentation that might have provided an answer was undertaken—a scandalous situation.”

Mr Warwick said in his report that TETRA could cause effects other than heating from the fact that microwaves are waves. They have a carrier frequency and in some cases a distinct pulsing rate. With TETRA these frequencies are 380-395MHz and 17.6Hz respectively. Mr Warwick said that most significantly the latter is in the range of certain electrical brain rhythms and close to the frequency range (15-20Hz) at which a flashing light can provoke fits in people with photoepilepsy. It is also close to the frequency (16Hz) at which pulsed RF radiation has been reported to cause increases in the leakage of calcium ions from the brain.

The NRPB report concluded signals from TETRA base stations were not pulsed and it was “unlikely” that TETRA handsets posed a hazard. But Mr Warwick said this was a “gross misrepresentation” as pulsing did still take place from base stations—albeit on a “less marked” scale.

Mr Warwick said it was also concerning that TETRA waves penetrated deeper into the body than mobile phone signals and argued that TETRA pulsing was “arguably more biologically aggressive.” He said that before taking reassurance from the alleged absence of health problems with TETRA, it should be noted there had been no published studies to confirm or refute this.

Fife campaigners, along with Green MSP Mark Ruskell, have already called for a moratorium on the system. Mobile phone company Airwave mm02 and Fife Police who plan to use the system are satisfied that it is safe.