The Precautionary Principle: Dolan and Rowley Respond

Abstract

Vol. 118, No. 1 PerspectivesOpen AccessThe Precautionary Principle: Dolan and Rowley Respond Mike Dolan Jack Rowley Mike Dolan Search for more papers by this author and Jack Rowley Search for more papers by this author Published:1 January 2010https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.0901370RAboutSectionsPDF ToolsDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InReddit We thank Zinelis for his interest in our article (Dolan and Rowley 2009). However, it appears from his comments on the recommendations of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), that he misunderstands the scientific basis and scope of the evidence used to establish those exposure guidelines. The ICNIRP (1998) stated clearly that for the frequencies relevant to mobile communications the restrictions are “provided to prevent whole-body heat stress and excessive localized tissue heating.” This is based on evidence of established health effects. In respect to claims of effects from low-level and modulated exposures, the ICNIRP (1998) stated thatOverall, the literature on athermal effects of AM [amplitude modulated] electromagnetic fields is so complex, the validity of reported effects so poorly established, and the relevance of the effects to human health is so uncertain, that it is impossible to use this body of information as a basis for setting limits on human exposure to these fields.The ICNIRP keeps the scientific evidence under review and recently restated that the 1998 recommendations remain valid (ICNIRP 2009), again noting in respect of claims of nonthermal affects thatWith regard to non-thermal interactions, it is in principle impossible to disprove their possible existence but the plausibility of the various non-thermal mechanisms that have been proposed is very low.Zinelis makes an analogy with risks from asbestos; however, this is flawed. By way of example, animal studies show evidence of harm from exposure to asbestos (International Agency for Research on Cancer 1987), whereas in respect to radiofrequency exposures, the animal studies consistently show that carcinogenic effects are not likely, even at exposure levels above those from mobile telephones (Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks 2009).We do accept the involuntary nature of exposure to radio signals from base stations; this in integral to providing the mobile phone services that almost 4 billion people voluntarily use and is a matter for risk perception, not risk assessment. We conclude by reiterating that the precautionary principle cannot be used to justify measures to restrict radio frequency exposures from mobile phones or base stations when there is no scientifically plausible evidence of a hazard to human health.ReferencesDolan M, Rowley J. 2009. The precautionary principle in the context of mobile phone and base station radiofrequency exposures. Environ Health Perspect 117:1329-133219750093. Link, Google ScholarICNIRP (International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection). 1998. Guidelines for limiting exposure to time-varying electric, magnetic, and electromagnetic fields (up to 300 GHz). Health Phys 74(4):494-5229525427. Medline, Google ScholarICNIRP (International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection). 2009. Guidelines for limiting exposure to time-varying electric, magnetic, and electromagnetic fields (up to 300 GHz). Health Phys 97(3):257-25819667809. Crossref, Medline, Google ScholarInternational Agency for Research on Cancer. 1987. Asbestos. IARC Monogr Eval Carcinog Risk Hum 14(suppl 7):106-116Available: http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/suppl7/Suppl7-20.pdf[accessed 8 December 2009]. Google ScholarScientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks. 2009. Health Effects of Exposure to EMFAvailable: http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/04_scenihr/docs/scenihr_o_022.pdf[accessed 15 September 2009]. Google ScholarFiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Vol. 118, No. 1 January 2010Metrics About Article Metrics Publication History Originally published1 January 2010Published in print1 January 2010 Financial disclosuresPDF download License information EHP is an open-access journal published with support from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health. All content is public domain unless otherwise noted. Note to readers with disabilities EHP strives to ensure that all journal content is accessible to all readers. However, some figures and Supplemental Material published in EHP articles may not conform to 508 standards due to the complexity of the information being presented. If you need assistance accessing journal content, please contact [email protected]. Our staff will work with you to assess and meet your accessibility needs within 3 working days.