• 08 OCT 08
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    #966: Taiwanese Government urged to act to dissuade teenagers from using cell phones

    Central News Agency English News
    7 oct 2008
    From Sylvie:

    Government urged to act to dissuade teenagers from using cell phones

    (By Elizabeth Hsu)

    Taipei, Oct. 7 (CNA) A civic group urged the government Tuesday to take action to dissuade children and teenagers from using mobile phones, out of concern over possible electromagnetic radiation hazards.

    To back its appeal, the Taiwan Electromagnetic Radiation Hazard Protection and Control Association (TEPCA) presented results of a survey on Taiwanese children and teenagers’ use of cellular phones and tests on the levels of electromagnetic radiation among mobile phones marketed in Taiwan.

    The survey, conducted between August and October among children and teenagers aged between 6 and 18 around Taiwan, showed that 34.4 percent of polled elementary school students, 67 percent of surveyed junior high school students, and 89.6 percent of surveyed senior high school students are cell phone users.

    Based on the survey, the association estimated that around 2.2 million Taiwanese children and teenagers in the 6-18 age group possess mobile phones.

    It also concluded that the older the young people are, the longer they talk on the phone, and that 390,000 of them speak on the phone for an average of at least five minutes per call and 170,000 people talk for over 10 minutes per call.

    Meanwhile, tests on the electromagnetic radiation levels of 33 types of mobile phones currently marketed in the country showed that more than 60 percent of the handsets release electromagnetic radiation 1 million times higher than the background level.

    The association said that although cell phones have become a necessary device in modern life, industrial countries, including Britain, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy and Russia, have all advised children, teenagers and pregnant women, to refrain from using cell phones out of health concerns.

    The TEPCA is a nonprofit organization committed to bringing together the victims of electromagnetic radiation hazards, self-relief organizations, nongovernmental organizations, individuals and groups aware of the risk to promote electromagnetic radiation hazard protection and related legislation.

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