Although the Council did not support her recommendation of precautionary measures, she believes that their initial approach is evidence of concern, especially as they receive substantial revenues from the seventy-five base stations erected on their property. She has now recommended adoption of precautionary approaches to all six councils that she advises. She believes that children could be at greater risk than adults, so no more base stations should be sited on school premises. Dr Irvine is concerned that the technology is spreading too rapidly, and that antennas, often disguised in church spires and lampposts, may be erected without prior consultation or the knowledge of local residents. Under these circumstances there needs to be a debate with full involvement of the public, so that they can consider what risks they are prepared to tolerate, and understand likely costs, both financial and in terms of signal degradation.
Public anger results from inadequate consultation.
Dr Irvine accepts that exposures from base stations are generally much lower than those from handsets, but questioned whether they were always low enough. She noted that phones operated without problems in Italy, although they have much lower guidelines. Dr Irvine believes that the mobile phone issue exhibits all the hallmarks of a major public health concern, and noted the following in support of her argument. The technology is available to the general public, but there is insufficient experimental evidence to allow scientists to confirm that it is safe in the long term. The technology is rapidly expanding, both qualitatively and quantitatively.