Bells Mill Radiation Levels in Classrooms MCPS Maryland USA

 
Bells Mill  Elementary School Radiation Levels

UNSAFE FOR CHILDREN!

WiFi Radiation levels were measured at several rooms in Bells Mill Elementary by Montgomery County School Staff. The radiation measurements   show:

• The levels in Bells Mill  classrooms were thousands of times higher than radiation levels allowable in the  Los Angeles School District.
• The levels were far higher than what leading experts in the field consider “safe”.
• The radiation levels can damage our children’s immune system, reproductive system and increase their lifetime cancer risk significantly.

Harvard pediatric neurologist and autism expert Dr. Martha Herbert stated, “In fact, there are thousands of papers that have accumulated over decades – and are now accumulating at an accelerating pace – that document adverse health and neurological impacts of EMF/RFR. Children are more vulnerable than adults..." Read the Harvard  letter Here.

UNSAFE Levels

Our children are not lab rats.  They deserve proof of safety before exposure to radiation. 

Q: Why is the radiation high and where does it come from? 
A: The  radiation comes from the wifi access points which are hundreds of times more powerful than home routers. They are "robust" meaning high powered. One of the highest readings was in the room with just one chromebook on. The computers also have radiation emissions. However we are concerned that the radiation in the room with 30 computers on at a time would be far far higher. We want this situation to be measured.  Our kids are in classrooms with dozens of computers on at a time. Each device adds a stream of radiation.  

Fact: PTAs and Teacher Unions are calling for removal of wifi networks because of the radiation.

Q: Can it be fixed?
A: Yes. Just install a technology network that does not emit radiation. Schools around the country are doing it to set a healthier environment. We can do it!

Q: Why are you comparing levels to the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)?

A: The LAUSD has investigated this issue because wireless radiation (also known as radio frequency radiation) is linked to brain damage and immune system damage. The LAUSD set their own “safety” levels. Why is MCPS not taking similar care for our children's health?

“Since 2007, District staff has utilized a precautionary threshold level that addresses these non-thermal exposures. Our threshold is 0.1 µW/cm2 or 10,000 times lower than the FCC standard. It is believed that a more conservative level is necessary to protect children, who represent a potentially vulnerable and sensitive population.” -Comment by the LA School District on WIFI Radiation.

We ask this question: If FCC levels are so “safe” as MCPS states, then why is LA employing thresholds 10,000 times lower?

Q: What is the Bioinitiative 2012?

A: The Bioinitiative 2012 was written by  29 independent scientists and health experts from around the world about  the health risks of electromagnetic fields. The authors include Harvard trained Dr. David O. Carpenter MD, Director, Institute for Health and the Environment, University at Albany, pediatric neurologist Martha Herbert MD of Harvard Medical School, Prof. Yury Grigoriev, MD, Chairman of the Russian National Committee on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection and Prof. Leif Salford, MD, PhD Chair of Neurosurgery at Lund University Hospital.

“It is essentially an unregulated experiment on childrens’ health and learning. Microwave from wireless tech disrupts thinking – what could be worse for learning?  Technology can be used more safely with wired devices that do not produce these biologically-disruptive levels of microwave radiation” said Cindy Sage, Co-Editor of the BioInitiative Report.

Bells Mills Elementary Radiation Levels

Room #	Radiation Power Density
109	15  μW/cm² the same as 150000 μW/m²
149 with ONE Chromebook on	4.3 μW/cm²  the same as 43000 μW/m²
208 Computer Lab	2.0 μW/cm²   the same as 20000 μW/m²
223	6.3 μW/cm² the same as 63000 μW/m²
125, 214	1.5 μW/cm² the same as 15000 μW/m²
Rooms 132, 10, 14, 18,19	.1 μW/cm² the same as 1000 μW/m²

Radiation levels were recorded at microwatts per centimeter squared. So we converted these measurements to microwatts per meter squared to compare them to recommended standards.

(1 μW/cm² = 10,000 )

Q: What is a Safe Level?

A: No medical organization states this radiation is safe.

Several Groups have proposed recommended public exposure limits. Please see this table.

	Guideline for Wireless Radiation
Los Angeles Unified School District	.1 μW/cm² the same as 1000 μW/m²
Bioinitiative 2012	.0003 to .0006 μW/cm²  is the same as 3 to 6 μW/m²
Salzburg Public Health Department (2002) indoor exposures	.0001 μW/cm²  the same as 1 μW/m²
Natural Background levels (before WIFI) The level humans evolved with for thousands of years.	0.0000000001 μW/cm²  the same as 0.000001 μW/m2 For an excellent chart on this please see http://buildingbiology.ca/ wd/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Wi-Fi-Exposure-Levels-2012.pdf

Q: Is our government doing anything about this?

A: The FCC is reviewing radiation guidelines now and even the Academy of Pediatrics has called for more protective standards. Please read all the official FCC submissions  HERE. Please note that the US never created federal safety standards based on health research.

Q: What can schools do?

A: Turn OFF radiating devices. Use Safe Tech. They can simply install safe ethernet connections for internet access and turn off the wifi routers which emit radiation. It is cheaper to install safe technology. The reason the radiation is so high is because of the industrial strength routers in all the classrooms. Each router puts out a lot of radiation to accommodate the 30 plus devices in each room. School routers are far more powerful than home wifi routers.

Q: What can we parents do?

A: We must talk to our teachers, schools principal and school boards and ask them to install safe technology now! They can simply install safe non radiation emitting internet connections. The cost is worth the benefit. In fact, research shows that over ten years it is cheaper to use wired connections because once it is installed it will last for years. It will not need to be constantly replaced and upgraded as MCPS is doing now. 

Safe Technology is Cheaper and Safer

What Is Not To Love?

Why we must act NOW: Every school with wireless routers probably has similar radiation levels. Worse, these radiation measurements were taken without ALL the computers on. When all the computers are on in a room kids are absorbing radiation from the router plus all 30 devices in the room. This is not safe. 

We parents can do this.  We can ASK for Safe Technology. 

Please sign up for blog updates and to get more information please contact us at safetechforschoolsmaryland@gmail.com


Want to Understand the Research? Read This:
Shallow Minds: How the Internet and Wi–Fi in Schools Can Affect Learning 
by Cindy Lee Russell, MD, VP for Community Health,
 Santa Clara County Medical Association

See the Bells Mill  Report HERE