Item - 2013.HL25.5
Tracking Status
- This item was considered by Board of Health on November 4, 2013 and was adopted with amendments.
HL25.5 - Prudent Avoidance Policy for Radiofrequency Emissions from Cell Towers: 2013 Update
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Amended
- Wards:
- All
Board Decision
1. The Board of Health encouraged Industry Canada to:
a. conduct regular monitoring for radiofrequencies arising from telecommunications structures in Toronto, and to make this information publicly available and accessible; and
b. ensure that information regarding the locations and estimated emissions of all cellular phone antennas is publicly available and accessible.
2. The Board of Health encouraged Health Canada to continue to use prudence and to actively review health evidence including most recent scientific research and studies and to allow public and expert consultation pertaining to human exposure to RFs and to revise Safety Code 6 whenever appropriate to protect human health.
Origin
Summary
This report responds to a motion by the Board of Health (BOH) to review the City of Toronto's Prudent Avoidance (PA) policy related to radiofrequencies (RFs) emitted from cell phone towers and to provide an update on evidence regarding public health impacts from exposure to cell tower RFs. Under the policy, adopted by City Council in 2008 as recommended by the BOH, Toronto Public Health (TPH) reviews the predicted RF values provided by companies applying to install new cell phone base stations (cell towers) in Toronto and requests that providers keep RF emission levels 100 times below Safety Code 6, Health Canada's public exposure guideline. Compliance with the PA policy is voluntary as the authority to regulate cell phone towers (including siting and the development of appropriate RF exposure levels) rests with the federal government.
Since 2008, 33 applications for towers have been assessed by TPH and compliance with the PA policy has been high. With few exceptions, RF emissions estimates typically have met the PA policy level and all have been well below Safety Code 6. The application of the policy is however restricted to a relatively small subset of cell towers in the City that are subject to municipal consultation and enforceability is constrained by a lack of municipal jurisdiction.
From its review of recent health evidence, TPH notes that the majority scientific opinion indicates that the health risk to the public from cell towers and other telecommunications sources of RFs is low.
Toronto Public Health responds regularly to resident concerns and councillor inquiries about cell phone towers and antennas. Response strategies have involved site visits, requesting information on emissions from the provider and/or Industry Canada and most recently, taking field measurements of RFs from specific antennas. The information reviewed by TPH has indicated that the RF levels from these antenna systems have consistently been well below Safety Code 6 and have met the PA policy level.
Based on a review of evidence and TPH's experience implementing the policy, continued application of the PA policy in the form of a stricter exposure guideline is no longer necessary as it does not confer a health benefit to the residents of Toronto. The Medical Officer of Health therefore recommends that the Board support discontinuation of the PA policy. Toronto Public Health will continue to monitor the health evidence related to RFs from cell towers and will continue to respond to and address public concerns as they arise.
Background Information
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2013/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-62787.pdf
(October 21, 2013) Appendix A: Resources Consulted in the Health Evidence and Risk Assessment Review
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2013/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-62798.pdf
Communications
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Sandra Wash (HL.New.HL25.5.2)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Walter McGinnis (HL.New.HL25.5.3)
(November 4, 2013) Letter from Shelley Wright (HL.New.HL25.5.4)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Dr. Perry Kendall (HL.New.HL25.5.5)
(November 4, 2013) Letter from Melissa Chalmers (HL.New.Hl25.5.6)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Sharon Noble (HL.New.Hl25.5.7)
(October 31, 2013) Letter from Dr. David O. Carpenter (HL.New.HL25.5.8)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Gloria Blizzard (HL.New.HL25.5.9)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Isabel Kaplan (HL.New.HL25.5.10)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Ian Farr (HL.New.HL25.5.11)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Judi Francioso (HL.New.HL25.5.12)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Marie-Claude Hamel (HL.New.HL25.5.13)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Dr Devra Lee Davis, PhD, MPH Environmental Health Trust (HL.New.HL25.5.14)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from David O. Carpenter, M.D. Director, Institute for Health and the Environment, University of Albany (HL.New.HL25.5.15)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Amy L. Dean, DO, FAAEM, DABEM, DAOBIM (HL.New.HL25.5.16)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Stacey Black (HL.New.HL25.5.17)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Jim Wilson (HL.New.HL25.5.18)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Lennart Hardell, MD , PhD Professor of Oncology University Hospital, Orebro, Sweden (HL.New.HL25.5.19)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Jeff Kline (HL.New.HL25.5.20)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Martha R. Herbert, PhD, MD, Assistant Professor, Pediatric Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital (HL.New.HL25.5.21)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Mark Novak (HL.New.HL25.5.22)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Michelle Lewin (HL.New.HL25.5.23)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Iola Biancolin (HL.New.HL25.5.24)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Meg Sears, PhD, Adjunct Investigator, CHEO Research Institute Senior Clinical Research Associate, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (HL.New.HL25.5.25)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Frank Lee (HL.New.HL25.5.26)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Christopher Heppner, PhD (HL.New.HL25.5.27)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Michael Lizotte (HL.New.HL25.5.28)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Louise Lunn (HL.Main.HL25.5.29)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Tina Bolton (HL.New.HL25.5.30)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Cecilie Davidson (HL.New.HL25.5.31)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Nerina Murray (HL.New.HL25.5.32)
(November 4, 2013) Letter from Anthony B. Miller, MD FRCP (HL.New.HL25.5.33)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Ron McNutt (HL.New.HL25.5.34)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Kate Pocock (HL.New.HL25.5.35)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Rob Metzinger, Electronics Engineering Technologist, BBEC President Safe Living Technologies Inc. (HL.New.HL25.5.36)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Nancy Miller (HL.New.HL25.5.37)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Dr. Dorothy Shostak (HL.New.HL25.5.38)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Dr. Stephen T. Sinatra, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.A.C.N., C.N.S. (HL.New.HL25.5.39)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Walt McGinnis (HL.New.HL25.5.40)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Adiel Nissim (HL.New.HL25.5.41)
(November 4, 2013) Letter from Olle Johansson, Ph.D (HL.New.HL25.5.42)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Dianne Knight (HL.New.HL25.5.43)
(November 4, 2013) Letter from Maritza Orozco (HL.New.HL25.5.44)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Colin Morrison (HL.New.HL25.5.45)
(November 4, 2013) E-mail from Barbara Wallace, PhD (HL.New.HL25.5.46)
Speakers
Dan Welland, Canadians for Safe Technology
Darlene Litman
Julie Fredette
Gord Phippen, Director, Dearcroft Montessori School
Deborah McCutcheon
Wendy Perkins, Canadians for Safe Technology
Arlene Dewdney
Motions
That Recommendation 1 of the report (October 21, 2013) from the Medical Officer of Health be adopted.
That Recommendation 2 of the report (October 21, 2013) from the Medical Officer of Health be adopted.
That Recommendation 3 of the report (October 21, 2013) from the Medical Officer of Health be amended and replaced with the following:
"The Board of Health encourage Health Canada to continue to use prudence and to actively review health evidence including most recent scientific research and studies and to allow public and expert consultation pertaining to human exposure to RFs and to revise Safety Code 6 whenever appropriate to protect human health."