The rapid evolution of technology is marveling some but frightening others. Indeed, although new technologies allow us to accomplish incredible things, the flip side is sometimes too heavy, especially in terms of health. This history of proliferation of cancers in children after a cell tower has been installed in the yard of their school is the proof. The story is relayed by our colleagues from CBS.
The story takes place in a primary school in Ripon, California, where parents of students revolted against the installation of a cell tower in the school yard after eight students from the school developed different cancers: brain, liver, kidney, etc. Parents suspect that the cell tower is the cause behind this proliferation of cancers in the school. Sprint, the company that had installed the tower has since moved it even though officials assured parents that the frequency levels were quite correct, or even below the threshold imposed in the United States.
Several cases of cancer
In 2016, kidney cancer was discovered at Kyle Prime, a student at Weston Elementary School when he was only ten years old. Six months later, classmate Mason Ferrulli also developed brain cancer. The cases of cancer then spread like wildfire within the primary school and within its perimeter: several other students aged 10 and under as well as three teachers and two young children living near the school have developed cancers between 2016 and 2019.
Parents of students are convinced that the cell tower located in the school yard is responsible for these cancers, although tests revealed that the tower was functioning normally and that the radiation it emitted was below established standards. in the USA. Monica Ferrulli, Mason Ferrulli's mom, told CBS News: "Transmission towers are classified as potentially carcinogenic. This reveals that there is evidence. We are not naïve, we understand that there may be other elements - other environmental factors ... but in the end we still think that this transmission tower has nothing to do here if there is the slightest doubt about his safety.
Sprint has denied any risk and assures that the radiation levels are correct or even exemplary, but the students' mothers claim that their private detectives discovered levels much higher than those revealed by the company, even if they were all likewise below the limit. Monica Ferrulli and Kelly Prime fought for two years for the cell tower to be removed and removed from the school yard, and they eventually won their case with the help of their lawyers.
This story reminds us of the case of this primary school in the Pyrénées-Orientales which had experienced in 2011 the same problem as reported by our colleagues at L'Express
Radioelectric radiation: should we worry?
Nearly 180 scientists have warned about high or prolonged exposure to radio-frequency radiation from cell tower and other cellular devices. This would be associated with different health risks.
In reality, and according to our colleagues at Le Figaro, although these waves are not harmless, their effects depend on their level of frequency. Concerns shared by activists "anti-waves" as explained capital, including Pierre Marie Theveniaud, president of the national association for safety in wireless technologies. However, these statements are not unanimous. The newspaper Le Monde also devotes an episode in its video section with The Decoders, explaining that these delegations are "fragile, even fallacious". This argument is based on the phenomenon of Cherry picking, which consists in favoring certain studies over others. Thus, in the absence of a scientific consensus, further research is needed to confirm or refute the effects of waves on health.