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| This page in our website chronicles our 1990s action in the UK to campaign for warning stickers on mobile phone handsets. The warning label we would like to see on every new mobile phone sold is: | ||
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The saga began with a letter from a member of the public to me enclosing a letter from Motorola to him stating that mobile phones were safe to use. We wrote to them saying that they should not make such statements in view of the growing evidence there may possibly be health hazard from excessive handset use. Motorola's German office disagreed with our view, saying that they are in compliance with CPA1987 because they are complying with NRPB guidelines. Our own view is that the science has moved on, and there is now sufficient evidence to justify asking for warning stickers, in order to comply with the strict liability requirements of CPA 1987. The CPA 1987 is enforced not by NRPB but by UK Trading Standards Officers, whom we have asked to consider our formal complaint. They made two visits to our laboratory, and we gave them a large dossier of scientific evidence supporting the view that handsets may pose a health risk. They considered this evidence, but advised us that they would not proceed. The Magistrate agreed to hear the case, despite representations from the trading standards officers that I should not be allowed to bring the case. Thanks to a law student Brenda Short I was able to cite a century old but unrepealed law which stated that any private citizen may bring a criminal action under an Act of Parliament, provided there is no clause in the Act to debar him or her.Accordingly the magistrate agreed to hear the case. It was duly heard, after massive media attention throughout the world, and witnesses included Alistair McKinlay of the NRPB, Alasdair Philips of Powerwatch, Dr Chris Busby of the Low level Radiation Campaign, and myself. The magistrate found for the defendant on the grounds that he had actually tried to find out more about the possible health hazards of cellphones, but was at pains to point out that this did not mean that cellphones were safe. The media interviewed Michael Clarke of NRPB and myself after the case. I said that there may come a day when those against the health hazard campaign may find themselves ashamed of their action that day. It is widely held that my action led to the formation of the Stewart Committee to look into the possible health hazards of cellphones, and initiated thereafter a £7.4 million research initiative. Unfortunately most of this money was given to scientists with known negative attitudes to the issue , while the funding applications of those who believed there is a problem were ignored. |
