Optus and Vodafone (via CPS technology and infrastructure) are planning to install 6 (5G) and 6 (4G) antennas along with 30 remote radio units atop residential premises at 817 Centre Road, East Bentliegh -50 meters away from Buckets childcare centre and amidst family homes. Help stop this installation and send a message to the big telcos to keep these harmful installations away from residential buildings and childcare centres.

Many residents including those directly neighbouring the proposed installation have not been informed! Ask your neighbours if they are aware.

We have till Friday the 25th of November 2022 to voice our concerns to Reinier Hanekom - Plan Consult Town Planning (employed by CPS).
Email: info@planconsult.com.au

Their proposal can be found here: https://www.rfnsa.com.au/3165014/consultation.

Our message to Optus, Vodafone and CPS: 

We the undersigned implore you to use the  Precautionary Principle (UNESCO) in regards to the proposed installation RFNSA:3165014 at 817 Centre Road, East Bentleigh. That ”When human activities may lead to morally unacceptable harm that is scientifically plausible but uncertain, actions shall be taken to avoid or diminish that harm.” We implore you to consider the scientific literature, including those referenced below, replete with examples of detrimental health outcomes for people living and working in close proximity to cell towers and the lack of adequate long term, accumulative safety data on RF-EMF exposure particularly pertaining to 5G. We implore you to consider the risk especially for those living directly near the proposed installation and for the children attending Bucket’s childcare. We ask you reconsider other sites for this installation. 

 

WHY WE ARE CONCERNED:

 

LIVING IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO CELL TOWERS LEADS TO DETRIMENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES

The proposed installation is barely 50m away from Buckets Childcare centre. A 2008 study examining the cognitive impact of cell towers 200m away from school buildings demonstrated significant cognitive decline in students over a 2-year period including delayed spatial working memory, delayed fine and gross motor skills, and attention deficit. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1557988318816914 

In similar studies, students in classrooms 200m away from cell towers were shown to have a statistically increased levels of glycated haemoglobin and increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes shorturl.at/awFJT.   

An Australian study published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology also found that children in kindergartens with nearby antenna installations had nearly three-and-a-half times higher RF exposures than children with installations further away by more than 300 meters. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27759027/ 

In adult studies participants living 80 meters away from cell towers also exhibited significant changes in blood compared to people living over 300 meters away of note increases in micronuclei and lipid peroxidase which are considered biomarkers predictive of cancer. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15368378.2017.1350584  

Other studies have similarly shown an increase in incidence of cancer in people living close to cell tower base stations http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21716201 And increased cancer mortality rates. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18031229  

A 10 year study in Brazil found residents living within 500 meters of cell towers had a higher risk of developing cancer. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969711005754 

A cross sectional, case controlled study in India examining genetic damage from cell tower RF-EMF revealed people living within 300m from base stations has significantly elevated levels of DNA damage markers compared to control groups. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25006864/    

In the worlds largest study of its kind, conducted over a 10 year period, the National Toxicology Program in the US showed shows a statistically significant increase in the incidence of brain and heart cancer in animals exposed to EMF at levels below the ICNIRP (International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection) guidelines followed by most countries. https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/whatwestudy/topics/cellphones/index.html 

Examples of other detrimental health outcomes linked to cell towers in research studies include neuropsychiatric problems, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16962663/  headaches, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16621850  and sleep problems, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12168254. Such research continues to accumulate after the 2010 landmark review study on 56 studies that reported biological effects found at very low intensities of wireless radiation, including impacts on reproduction, permeability of the blood-brain barrier, behaviour, cellular changes, and metabolic changes, and
increases in cancer risk https://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1139/A10-018 

 

OTHER STATES AND COUNTRIES HAVE ADOPTED THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE HALTING 5G ROLLOUT UNTIL PROVEN SAFE FOR CITIZENS. 

Over 450 Scientists and Medical Doctors in Europe have called for a moratorium on the deployment of 5G arguing RF-EMF has been proven to be harmful to humans and the environment. http://www.5gappeal.eu/  Switzerland’s environmental agency announced national moratorium on 5G https://www.ft.com/content/848c5b44-4d7a-11ea-95a0-43d18ec715f5 as have Belgium https://www.brusselstimes.com/news/belgium-all-news/103718/5g-brussels-left-behind-in-belgian-rollout. 

To date, there is a lack of independent, comprehensive epidemiological or biological or molecular studies into the safety of living next to 5G installations specifically and accumulatively with other RF-EMF fields including 4G, 3G, and GSM. Current safety guidelines are largely theoretical and based on antiquated ICNIRP guidelines demonstrated to be inadequate and do not consider long term exposure or the impact on flora and fauna.   

 

CELL TOWERS IMPACT PROPERTY VALUES

In a report published by the Wall Street Journal, it was found that cell antennas lower property values “because of the potential health risks… Increasing numbers of people don’t want to live near cell towers… In some areas with new towers, property values have decreased by up to 20%.” https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-electrifying-factor-affecting-your-propertys-value-1534343506.

A US study demonstrated a relationship between property values and cell tower proximity finding that values declined between 2.46% and 9.78% for homes within 0.72km of an installation. https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jrefec/v56y2018i4d10.1007_s11146-017-9600-9.html  

Further reading on the impact of cell towers on property value https://ehtrust.org/cell-phone-towers-lower-property-values-documentation-research/