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Impacts of communication towers on avians: A review

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Bhattacharya, R, Roy, R. · 2013

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Multiple studies show increased cancer and health problems within 350-400 meters of cell towers at surprisingly low exposure levels.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

This comprehensive review examined health effects from living near cell phone towers, analyzing studies on both humans and animals. Researchers found consistent evidence of health problems in people living within 350-400 meters of base stations, including increased cancer rates and reduced wellbeing. The review suggests harmful effects may occur at power densities above 0.5-1 mW/m², which is lower than many current exposure guidelines.

Why This Matters

This review exposes a critical gap in EMF research that regulatory agencies have actively discouraged studying. Despite WHO recommendations against investigating base station health effects, the available evidence paints a concerning picture. Multiple studies found increased cancer rates and health complaints in communities near cell towers, with effects appearing at distances of 350-400 meters. What makes this particularly relevant is that these base stations operate continuously, creating chronic exposure scenarios that differ fundamentally from the brief, high-intensity exposures from handheld devices. The review's finding that effects may occur at power densities of 0.5-1 mW/m² is significant because many people living near towers experience exposures in this range or higher. The authors correctly argue that base station exposure deserves independent study rather than being dismissed based on handset research, as the exposure patterns are completely different.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Cite This Study
Bhattacharya, R, Roy, R. (2013). Impacts of communication towers on avians: A review.
Show BibTeX
@article{impacts_of_communication_towers_on_avians_a_review_ce4811,
  author = {Bhattacharya and R and Roy and R.},
  title = {Impacts of communication towers on avians: A review},
  year = {2013},
  doi = {10.1016/j.pathophys.2009.01.008},
  url = {https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19261451},
}
DOI: 10.1016/j.pathophys.2009.01.008PubMed: 19261451

Quick Questions About This Study

Two ecological studies found strong increases in cancer incidence within 350-400 meters of base stations. While study design limitations prevent definitive conclusions, the consistent findings across different locations suggest a concerning pattern requiring further investigation.
Studies consistently found health effects within 350-400 meters of base stations. The review suggests harmful effects may occur at power densities above 0.5-1 mW/m², but notes that no clear threshold exists below which no effects occur.
WHO's International EMF Project and COST 281 have actively discouraged base station health studies, stating in 2006 that cancer research near towers is 'low priority.' This has resulted in very few investigations despite community health concerns.
Experimental studies found weak evidence that UMTS and GSM base station signals reduce wellbeing in people who report being EMF-sensitive. Cross-sectional studies also found health effects that appeared independent of people's concerns or attributions about towers.
Base station and handset exposures have almost nothing in common according to researchers. Towers create continuous, lower-level exposures over large areas, while phones create brief, high-intensity exposures directly to the head during calls.