Country Considers Requests to Address Environmental Harm Caused by EMF Pollution (aka “Electrosmog”)

By B.N. Frank

Decades of research have already proven that Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) from wireless “Wi-Fi” radiation (including Bluetooth and 5G) and other sources of “Electrosmog” are biologically and environmentally harmful. Kudos to Canadians who are fighting for that to be taken seriously.

From Environmental Health Trust:

Canada National Biodiversity Strategy Milestone Draft Includes Requests to Address EMF Pollution

The interim draft of the “Government of Canada’s 2030 National Biodiversity Strategy on Halting and reversing biodiversity loss” now specifically highlights Canadian people’s call for the need to reduce EMF pollution!

Go to Canada’s 2030 National Biodiversity Strategy Milestone document Figure 6A on results from the online survey on the 2030 Biodiversity Strategy and go to the 4th down on RHS where it states “Reduce pollution (e.g., from fossil fuels, plastics, EMF, forest fires, GHG)”

Figure 5b “Identifying key features for a successful 2030 Biodiversity Strategy” notes how 2% of submissions included as a key feature of the framework “recognizing and mitigating the adverse effects of artificially generated electromagnetic fields”

In Canada, Prevent Cancer Now and Canadians for Safe Technology worked on raising awareness of the environmental impacts of EMF via a campaign developed in collaboration with Environmental Health Trust. See the website at wirelessenviroimpacts.science/

“We applaud Canada in this transparent public process regarding the nation’s National Biodiversity Strategy. The United States does not currently have a National Biodiversity Strategy and we need to follow suit, ” stated Theodora Scarato Executive Director of Environmental Health Trust pointing out that wireless companies define wireless as a pollution in their own policies.

Wireless and non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation is defined as a type of “pollution” by the wireless companies themselves. The product protection plans offered by AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, and T-Mobile exclude coverage for such pollutants. And “Pollution” is defined as “The discharge, dispersal, seepage, migration or escape of pollutants. Pollutants means any solid, liquid, gaseous, or thermal irritant or contaminant including smoke, vapor, soot, fumes, acid, alkalis, chemicals, artificially produced electric fields, magnetic field, electromagnetic field, sound waves, microwaves, and all artificially produced ionizing or nonionizing radiation and/or waste.”

Several organizations submitted expert comments to this important interim draft including Environmental Health Trust and Prevent Cancer Now.

Here are some excerpts:

“We urge the Government of Canada to include the reduction of non ionizing electromagnetic fields (EMFs) in Target 7: Pollution and Biodiversity as EMFs are a rapidly increasing environmental pollution that needs critical attention and mitigation. Inaction on this critical environmental issue will have far reaching and irreversible consequences.

…No agency or international authority has ever acted to review research on wireless radiation effects on the environment nor set environmental exposure limits to ensure protections for birds, bees, trees and wildlife. It is a critical regulatory gap.”

-Environmental Heath Trust The Canada 2030 National Biodiversity Strategy Milestone Document, Target 7: Pollution and Biodiversity Should Address Wireless and EMFs.

“It is a credit to Canada that responses to the 2023 Biodiversity Survey elevated anthropogenic (manmade) EMFs to the Milestone consultation. This reflects the strengthening scientific evidence of environmental harms (see https://wirelessenviroimpacts.science), as well as increasing awareness of risks of EMFs to environmental as well as human health. We now have a rare opening to advance protection of all life forms from EMF pollution, from telecommunications and other infrastructure and devices that generate non-ionizing radiation.”

– Pollution prevention, reduction, and accountability in Canada’s Biodiversity Strategy: Addressing pesticides and non-ionizing radiation Comments on the Canadian Biodiversity Milestone by Prevent Cancer Now

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) is the federal lead on the topic of environmental effects. Following a Parliamentary hearing, an ECCC scientist prepared the report, Canadian Environmental Protection Act (1999): Considerations of electromagnetic fields (radiation) and biota.

Dr. Fernie highlighted: Similar to multiple environmental chemical pollutants, there is scientific evidence of EMFs having similar endocrine, physiological and reproductive effects on some wildlife, although not consistent effects among species or across studies. She concluded: Across Canada, increased urban development and an increased reliance on new technologies is likely increasing EMF exposure of wildlife through additional power lines, telecommunications networks, and new technologies (e.g., 4G, 5G). It is conceivable that the RF-EMFs from power lines, telecommunication networks and technologies, may become or already are an environmental stressor to exposed wildlife, in conjunction with other, widely recognized environmental stressors that can affect wildlife, e.g., habitat destruction, climate change, chemical pollutants, heavy metals, among others. The potential of increasing EMF exposure as a contributing or confounding factor to adverse changes in wildlife, in conjunction with recognized environmental stressors, should be considered. –Reorienting federal regulation of pesticides to reduce risk: A health and environmental imperative

If you are in Canada please learn more at Prevent Cancer Now and Canadians for Safe Technology