Posted on April 14, 2018 at 6:00 AM

We are close to the health scandal in France because of the waves emitted by a mobile phone. Is it the only one that emits too much? Where are we in Belgium?

A telephone has been removed from the sale in France because it exceeds the health threshold of the waves emitted. A first that has never happened in Belgium. Yet, according to Test-Achats and scientists, it could soon happen.

A phone not on sale at us

The phone removed from the sale in France is the Hapi 30 brand Mobiwire, a model that is not for sale at home, according to Test-Achats. This phone marketed by Orange has been recalled. It is the National Frequency Agency (ANFR, which has no equivalent in Belgium) that forced the telephone operator to recall this product.

The device exceeds, in fact, the sanitary threshold of 2 W / kg. 2.1 W / kg have indeed been measured on the back of the Hapi 30, so the level of waves emitted is even greater at the place where we put our ear.

The scandal could be much bigger: “All users in the world are concerned”

A French doctor, Marc Arazi, poses as a whistleblower: for him, it’s a health scandal. The French are calling today the “Phonegate”. Dr. Arazi explains that for 20 years we have been overexposed to electromagnetic waves. The phones are 2 to 10 times higher than the standards.

Mobilwire is not the only manufacturer who would lie on the airwaves of his phones. In 2015, 9 phones out of 10 tested by the ANFR were above the threshold, even though the manufacturers indicate the opposite. “All users around the world are concerned, and this overexposure is not minor,”said Dr. Arazi, who then compared the scandal to that of Dieselgate. “Mobile phone manufacturers have deceived users on the true values ​​of exposure,” he insisted.

What are the risks of waves for our health? 

The health risks range from electro hypersensitivity to cancer. “A panel of international scientists decided to consider increasing the link between 2G and 3G mobile phone waves and the development of heart and brain cancers ,  said Dr. Arazi.

In 2011, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified GSM waves as possibly carcinogenic.Today, many scientists are asking for the level of danger to be raised.

And in Belgium? 

The Hapi 30 is not for sale here, but Test-Achats teams are keeping an eye on the Phonegate, and think it will soon explode at home.

It should be known that very little or no study is done at home in terms of electromagnetic waves on GSM. These are very expensive studies that are mainly done in France and, to a lesser extent, in the Netherlands. The other European countries are based on the research of these two countries.

How to avoid waves? 

Whenever possible, use the speaker, you really have to keep these phones away from the body, we do not put it in the pocket, we do not put it in the bra, we do not put it under the pillow, you do not put it beside you to sleep. The mobile phone should be kept away from the body.

Another recommendation from the California Department of Health, the use of the hands-free kit should be reviewed, it should be used only for short conversations.

To find out what your phone is sending in terms of electromagnetic waves, you can click here. But as much to warn you, it is not reassuring: https://data.anfr.fr

Camille Mathoulin