Wi-Fi health fears to be examined

Fears that wireless networks in schools could be harmful to the health of children are to be investigated in a documentary due to be screened tonight.

The health risks of Wi-Fi has been a contentious issue recently, with no real research having yet been carried out in the area. However, the World Health Organisation (WHO), an agency of the United Nations, states that there are no "adverse health effects from low-level, long-term exposure".

The government agrees with the WHO's view but a senior government adviser, Sir William Stewart, said: "I believe that there is a need for a review of Wi-Fi and other areas. I think it's timely for it to be done now."

Stewart has researched the health risks of mobile phones and phone masts in the past, and concluded that children, who have much thinner skulls than adults, are more at risk to radiation. This led him to recomment that masts should not be placed close to schools.

The documentary-makers contacted 50 schools in the UK with Wi-Fi networks but only one said that it had been warned of any health risk. Currently around 70 per cent of secondary schools and half of primary schools have wireless networks.

Philip Parkin, general secretary of the Professional Association of Teachers, said: "I am asking for schools to consider very seriously whether they should be installing Wi-Fi networks now and this will make them think twice or three times before they do it."

BBC One's Panorama programme, which last week ran a report on the Scientology movement, will be shown tonight at 8.30pm.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/panorama/

More news via RSS Post item to Del.icio.us Post item to Digg.com