Dear Editor:

I was very disappointed with Bob Gibney’s (area supervisor with FortisBC) one-sided opinion on why we should have smart meters installed in our homes or businesses here in Osoyoos.
Without further discussion, his statement that “you would be the first municipality in the province to show official support” should make our decision a “no brainer.”
There are very valid reasons why people are so objectionable to smart meters. Gibney conveniently avoided the adversities of smart maters all through his presentation to Mayor Stu Wells and members of town council.
Plain and simple, research has documented the potential health hazards of excessive EMF (electromagnetic field) emissions.
Certain people, and some more than others, are very sensitive to the adverse effects of EMF emissions.
In other parts of the world, notably the United States and Australia, where smart meters have been installed, numerous symptoms and sickness have been documented, necessitating the removal of such meters.
The list of health challenges is long. Fortunately, most of these short-term effects usually diminish or resolve with the removal of these meters.
Of a more serious nature, with long-term exposure to EMF is, of course, cancer.
Even though smart meters have not been in existence long enough to make this claim, other wireless devices have.
Reports from California indicate that monthly power bills increased, not decreased. And if these electrical utility companies are saving money, why are the savings not passed on to us, the consumer, rather than going back to FortisBC, as stated by Gibney?
I, for one, don’t want a smart meter hanging on the opposite side of a wall of a room I’m spending hours in per day, or worse yet, sleeping in.
There has been no long-term research to determine what effect these smart meters will have on the health of people or animals.
Again, research has documented various health issues associated with wireless modalities when used in excess or in close proximity to people.
Smart meters, being a wireless device, have the same hazardous potential.
Smart meters are also an invasion of privacy. They will allow the power companies to know what appliances you have, how often and when you use them.
According to Dr. Karl Maret, MD and biomedical engineer, smart meters emit a pulsed wave of microwave energy that is always on.
Unlike using a cellphone or sitting too close to your television, you have no control in turning your smart meter off.
The pulsating waves are always on or emitting frequencies that are potentially hazardous to your health.
Children are more vulnerable, thus much more readily susceptible to absorbing these waves, especially in brain tissue.
In fact, nearly 50 per cent of children’s cancers involve brain tumours.
Electro Magnetic Hypersensitivity Syndrome (EHS) effects approximately five per cent or more of the general population. These people often experience any one or more of the symptoms, including headaches, sleep problems, ringing in the ears, ear pain, nausea, dizziness and agitation.
This EHS phenomenon, also recognized by the World Health Organization, is also known as Ideopathic Environmental Intolerance (IEI-EMF). Known biological effects of high frequency electromagnetic fields are damaging to DNA and genes, disruption of cell communication, potentially long-term increased cancer risk, danger to electroencephalogram and brain blood flow and genotoxic effects.
These are all findings from an extensive study carried out by 16 European countries and Japan between 2000-2004.
The research is very clear that high frequency EMF waves are potentially hazardous to our health.
Smart meters utilize high frequency pulsed waves which are always “on.”
EMF waves penetrate through building walls in the surrounding area and not only the individual buildings they are attached do.
There have been zero safety tests carried out by the manufacturers and installers.
EMF radiation is accumulative in our bodies over time. It does not accumulate and clear from our bodies day-to-day, but rather builds up to damaging levels over time.
Say no to smart meters as they are a potential health hazard and an invasion of our privacy.
Let’s keep meter reader jobs and, most importantly, our health and privacy.

Gordon P. Reinhold,
Chiropractor
Osoyoos, B.C.