Halt the Construction of a 105-Foot Cell Phone Tower in Lakewood Park
Halt the Construction of a 105-Foot Cell Phone Tower in Lakewood Park
The Issue
I am a resident of the neighborhood where this tower is set to be built, and I am deeply concerned about its impact on our community. The city council has unanimously approved the construction of a 105-foot cell phone tower in Lakewood Park, Prosper, TX. This decision was made without considering the potential harm it could cause to our environment and quality of life.
Cell phone towers are known to emit radiofrequency radiation which can potentially have harmful effects on human health (source: World Health Organization). Moreover, this towering structure would drastically alter the landscape of our beloved park and disrupt its natural beauty.
Furthermore, there are other alternatives for improving cellular service that do not involve constructing such massive structures. For instance, smaller distributed antenna systems (DAS) can be installed across multiple locations instead (source: Federal Communications Commission).
We understand that improved cellular service is important for our community's connectivity. However, we believe that it should not come at the expense of our health or environmental aesthetics.
We urge you to reconsider this decision and explore safer alternatives for enhancing cellular coverage in Prosper. Please join us in protecting our neighborhood from potential harm by signing this petition today.
RESEARCH ON CELL TOWER RADIATION
A 2017 study entitled the “Impact of radiofrequency radiation on DNA damage and antioxidants in peripheral blood lymphocytes of humans residing in the vicinity of mobile phone base stations” published in Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine found higher RFR exposures in people living near mobile phone base stations was linked to changes in the blood that are considered biomarkers predictive of cancer.
A 2018 study Mobile Phone Base Station Tower Settings Adjacent to School Buildings: Impact on Students’ Cognitive Health published in the American Journal of Men’s Health found school-aged adolescents exposed to higher levels of RFR exposure had delayed fine and gross motor skills, spatial working memory, and attention in comparison to those exposed to lower RFR levels.
A 2015 study Association of Exposure to Radio-Frequency Electromagnetic Field Radiation (RF-EMFR) Generated by Mobile Phone Base Stations with Glycated Hemoglobin (HbA1c) and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health on elementary students found higher Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in students exposed to higher levels of RFR.
A 2011 review found a year of operation of a powerful cell base station resulted in a dramatic increase in cancer incidence among the population living nearby.
A large-scale animal study published in Environmental Research which exposed rats to cell tower levels of RF found increased cancers, the same tumor types as found by the National Toxicology program animal studies (Falcioni 2018).
A 2020 study considering liability issues for wireless companies recommends that “although direct causation of negative human health effects from RFR from cellular phone base stations has not been finalized, there is already enough medical and scientific evidence to warrant long-term liability concerns for companies deploying cellular phone towers. In order to protect cell phone tower firms from the ramifications of the failed paths of other industries that have caused unintended human harm (e.g. tobacco)” the author recommends, “voluntarily restrictions can be made on the placement of cellular phone base stations within 500 m of schools and hospitals.”
An analysis of studies found ~80% showed biological effects near towers. “Many biological effects have been documented at very low intensities comparable to what the population experiences within 200 to 500 ft (*60–150 m) of a cell tower, including effects that occurred in studies of cell cultures and animals after exposures to low-intensity RFR. Effects re- ported include: genetic, growth, and reproductive; increases in permeability of the blood–brain barrier; behavioral; mo- lecular, cellular, and metabolic; and increases in cancer risk.” (PDF).
A 2021 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Found higher cell tower RFR radiation exposures linked to increased mortality for all cancers including breast, cervix, lung, and esophagus cancers.
A study from Germany found that stress hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline significantly increased over the first 6 months after cell tower antenna activation and after 18 month dopamine and PEA levels decreased.
A study by a Municipal Health Department and several universities in Brazil found a clearly elevated relative risk of cancer mortality at residential distances of 500 meters or less from cell phone towers.
A review published in the International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health of epidemiological studies found in 80% of the studies, people living <500 m from base stations had an increased adverse neuro-behavioral symptoms and cancer.
An analysis by human rights experts published in Environmental Science & Policy argues that cell tower placement near schools is a human rights issue for children because “protection of children is a high threshold norm in Human Right law” and “any widespread or systematic form of environmental pollution that poses a long-term threat to a child’s rights to life, development or health may constitute an international human rights violation.” The authors document numerous studies indicating a myriad of effects and conclude that, “because scientific knowledge is incomplete, a precautionary approach is better suited to State obligations under international human rights law.” (PDF)
A 2014 study entitled “RF radiation from mobile phone towers and their effects on human body” published in the Indian Journal of Radio & Space Physics surveyed residents 6 years after the cell tower was erected. They measured the RF and notably found very high levels when the antennas were closest to homes and also very high levels when the antennas were directly facing the antennas without any obstructions. Residents living within 50 meters had more health complaints (fatigue, nausea, sleep, headache etc.) than those living over 50 meters from the antennas.
A 2021 research study with a total of 268 surveys completed by residents of a Madrid neighborhood surrounded by nine telephone antennas, and 105 measurements of electromagnetic radiation both outside and inside the houses found people who are exposed to higher radiation values present more severe headaches, dizziness and nightmares. Moreover, they sleep fewer hours.“
LINKS TO OTHER STUDIES
https://ehtrust.org/health-effects-of-cell-towers-near-homes-and-schools/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35843283/
575
The Issue
I am a resident of the neighborhood where this tower is set to be built, and I am deeply concerned about its impact on our community. The city council has unanimously approved the construction of a 105-foot cell phone tower in Lakewood Park, Prosper, TX. This decision was made without considering the potential harm it could cause to our environment and quality of life.
Cell phone towers are known to emit radiofrequency radiation which can potentially have harmful effects on human health (source: World Health Organization). Moreover, this towering structure would drastically alter the landscape of our beloved park and disrupt its natural beauty.
Furthermore, there are other alternatives for improving cellular service that do not involve constructing such massive structures. For instance, smaller distributed antenna systems (DAS) can be installed across multiple locations instead (source: Federal Communications Commission).
We understand that improved cellular service is important for our community's connectivity. However, we believe that it should not come at the expense of our health or environmental aesthetics.
We urge you to reconsider this decision and explore safer alternatives for enhancing cellular coverage in Prosper. Please join us in protecting our neighborhood from potential harm by signing this petition today.
RESEARCH ON CELL TOWER RADIATION
A 2017 study entitled the “Impact of radiofrequency radiation on DNA damage and antioxidants in peripheral blood lymphocytes of humans residing in the vicinity of mobile phone base stations” published in Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine found higher RFR exposures in people living near mobile phone base stations was linked to changes in the blood that are considered biomarkers predictive of cancer.
A 2018 study Mobile Phone Base Station Tower Settings Adjacent to School Buildings: Impact on Students’ Cognitive Health published in the American Journal of Men’s Health found school-aged adolescents exposed to higher levels of RFR exposure had delayed fine and gross motor skills, spatial working memory, and attention in comparison to those exposed to lower RFR levels.
A 2015 study Association of Exposure to Radio-Frequency Electromagnetic Field Radiation (RF-EMFR) Generated by Mobile Phone Base Stations with Glycated Hemoglobin (HbA1c) and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health on elementary students found higher Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in students exposed to higher levels of RFR.
A 2011 review found a year of operation of a powerful cell base station resulted in a dramatic increase in cancer incidence among the population living nearby.
A large-scale animal study published in Environmental Research which exposed rats to cell tower levels of RF found increased cancers, the same tumor types as found by the National Toxicology program animal studies (Falcioni 2018).
A 2020 study considering liability issues for wireless companies recommends that “although direct causation of negative human health effects from RFR from cellular phone base stations has not been finalized, there is already enough medical and scientific evidence to warrant long-term liability concerns for companies deploying cellular phone towers. In order to protect cell phone tower firms from the ramifications of the failed paths of other industries that have caused unintended human harm (e.g. tobacco)” the author recommends, “voluntarily restrictions can be made on the placement of cellular phone base stations within 500 m of schools and hospitals.”
An analysis of studies found ~80% showed biological effects near towers. “Many biological effects have been documented at very low intensities comparable to what the population experiences within 200 to 500 ft (*60–150 m) of a cell tower, including effects that occurred in studies of cell cultures and animals after exposures to low-intensity RFR. Effects re- ported include: genetic, growth, and reproductive; increases in permeability of the blood–brain barrier; behavioral; mo- lecular, cellular, and metabolic; and increases in cancer risk.” (PDF).
A 2021 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Found higher cell tower RFR radiation exposures linked to increased mortality for all cancers including breast, cervix, lung, and esophagus cancers.
A study from Germany found that stress hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline significantly increased over the first 6 months after cell tower antenna activation and after 18 month dopamine and PEA levels decreased.
A study by a Municipal Health Department and several universities in Brazil found a clearly elevated relative risk of cancer mortality at residential distances of 500 meters or less from cell phone towers.
A review published in the International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health of epidemiological studies found in 80% of the studies, people living <500 m from base stations had an increased adverse neuro-behavioral symptoms and cancer.
An analysis by human rights experts published in Environmental Science & Policy argues that cell tower placement near schools is a human rights issue for children because “protection of children is a high threshold norm in Human Right law” and “any widespread or systematic form of environmental pollution that poses a long-term threat to a child’s rights to life, development or health may constitute an international human rights violation.” The authors document numerous studies indicating a myriad of effects and conclude that, “because scientific knowledge is incomplete, a precautionary approach is better suited to State obligations under international human rights law.” (PDF)
A 2014 study entitled “RF radiation from mobile phone towers and their effects on human body” published in the Indian Journal of Radio & Space Physics surveyed residents 6 years after the cell tower was erected. They measured the RF and notably found very high levels when the antennas were closest to homes and also very high levels when the antennas were directly facing the antennas without any obstructions. Residents living within 50 meters had more health complaints (fatigue, nausea, sleep, headache etc.) than those living over 50 meters from the antennas.
A 2021 research study with a total of 268 surveys completed by residents of a Madrid neighborhood surrounded by nine telephone antennas, and 105 measurements of electromagnetic radiation both outside and inside the houses found people who are exposed to higher radiation values present more severe headaches, dizziness and nightmares. Moreover, they sleep fewer hours.“
LINKS TO OTHER STUDIES
https://ehtrust.org/health-effects-of-cell-towers-near-homes-and-schools/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35843283/
575
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Petition created on January 30, 2024