Electric Magnetic Feilds Essay, Research Paper

Homes are filled with electric magnetic fields (EMFs), EMFs

are created every time anything electrical is used. Hair dryers, alarm

clocks, micro waves and radios are just a few examples. All these

appliances cause leukemia, a form of cancer.

High EMF fields are not very unusual. EMFs can

pass through walls, so one can also be exposed to them from power

lines and transformers. Using a hair dryer for 3 minutes would give

the same exposure that one would get living next to a high voltage

power line.

Just in the last 18 years health researchers found out that EMFs

are dangerous. That is why this is such a new topic.

In 1979, two scientist found a connection between electrical

systems and childhood cancer (leukemia). This then set off more

studies on this topic around the world. They found in their research

that children who lived near power lines were at three times the risk of

contracting leukemia, than children who did not live close to the lines.

A later test concluded that the risk of living near a high voltage line

doubled the chances of getting cancer. This test was conducted by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), it also showed that electrical workers are at three times the risk of contracting cancer.

The NCI test was different in many ways from the first test.624 children were used in the study, The strength of the magnetic fields were measured with a device that was placed underneath the child?s bed. The NCI also measured the nearby power lines EMF levels. The people collecting the data did not know if they were collecting data from patent or the control. All the investigators were neutral meaning that they did not care one way or another.

EMF exposure can be reduced by standing farther away from

electrical appliances. If possible stand 3-5 feet away from

microwaves, electric mixers, dryers, washing machines and toasters.

Hair dryers also put out high levels of EMF?s along with Alarm clocks,

radios, Televisions, VCR?s, computers and cell phones. Keep all of the

Items listed at least 5 feet away from any sleeping areas and do not use

electric blankets. Electric blankets give a rather high exposure of

EMF?s for an average of 8 hours a day over the whole body. EMF?s

dissipate rapidly as distance from the appliance is increased.