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5G expansion: Cell phone crisis at Chiemsee - citizens' initiative forms against "electrosmog"

2022-01-12T09:17:03.750Z


5G expansion: Cell phone crisis at Chiemsee - citizens' initiative forms against "electrosmog" Created: 01/12/2022, 10:06 AM From: Kathrin Braun The municipality of Rimsting am Chiemsee has 4109 inhabitants. Not all are looking forward to the fast mobile network connection. © IMAGO / Panthermedia The expansion of the 5G network is progressing. But the technology also creates uncertainty. Many


5G expansion: Cell phone crisis at Chiemsee - citizens' initiative forms against "electrosmog"

Created: 01/12/2022, 10:06 AM

From: Kathrin Braun

The municipality of Rimsting am Chiemsee has 4109 inhabitants.

Not all are looking forward to the fast mobile network connection.

© IMAGO / Panthermedia

The expansion of the 5G network is progressing.

But the technology also creates uncertainty.

Many citizens defend themselves against transmission masts.

For example in the municipality of Rimsting.

A site visit.

Rimsting - It is particularly easy to switch off around the former Rimsting train station. No cell phone reception. That's bad for Josef Werner. He has been running a sawmill there for 32 years - and still has to use the landline network in everyday work. "I've never used my cell phone in my company," he says. "The network is catastrophic, nothing works!"

Actually, the rest of the community on Chiemsee in the Rosenheim district has a good reception.

Just not in the industrial area at the old train station - the bars on the smartphone disappear there *.

The network is also dead in the hardware store around the corner. “We don't mind,” says one employee, “we have telephones.” Josef Werner cannot understand the indifference.

“We are out and about on the premises of our sawmill all day and have to be available at all times,” explains the boss.

“That's why we have extra portable landline phones with us.

But that cannot be normal in 2021. "

5G expansion in Rimsting: The big point of contention is the radiation load

Sabine Lang lives about two kilometers further. She doesn't use her cell phone to make calls at home either - although the reception is good. “I only turn on the cell phone when I need it,” she says. The WLAN is also rarely turned on. Lang is concerned about cell phone radiation. That is why she launched the “Rimsting 5G-free” citizens' initiative last year. "You don't know what this technology can do in the body."

The fifth generation cellular network, or 5G for short, promises extremely fast Internet.

It is the successor to LTE or 4G technology.

The federal government speaks of new opportunities for industry, agriculture and health care - for example by connecting hospitals with ambulances in real time.

Everyone should benefit from 5G: Films can be downloaded in four seconds, the 5G network * should remain stable in trains, as well as in the stadium or at concerts.

And 5G should enable autonomous driving.

Rimsting am Chiemsee: Telekom plans 5G masts - "no areas without electrosmog"

In Rimsting there is already some 5G, now Telekom is planning a new mast, and the mobile operator Telefónica * had also requested a location of its own in the community.

"It all makes me very insecure," says Sabine Lang.

The middle school teacher fears that at some point there will be “no more areas without electrosmog”.

“Especially for electro-sensitive people.” The radiation has not been researched well enough.

"Many scientists and the World Health Organization (WHO) are of the opinion that 5G can have cancer-promoting effects."

A cell tower in the Austrian countryside.

According to a citizens' initiative, it should not come that far in Rimsting.

© IMAGO / Michael Kristen

That's not entirely true: The WHO International Cancer Research Agency (IARC) classified cell phone radiation as potentially carcinogenic in 2011, but it did not take into account how much radiation people actually receive in everyday life.

The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) has not yet been able to determine any carcinogenic effects in everyday life.

The IARC also classifies pickled vegetables as “possibly carcinogenic”, as well as smoking, eating meat and flying on a plane as “probably carcinogenic”.

Citizens' initiative “Rimsting 5G-frei” is critical of careless handling

Lang puts a pile of documents on the table. This contains limit values ​​that are set higher in Germany than in other countries. And arguments gathered by the 31 members of the initiative. “Our members include teachers, farmers, beekeepers, engineers, nurses and doctors,” says Lang. “We are all critical of 5G when it comes to carefree use.” They are also aware that mobile communications are part of everyday life. The Rimstinger wants to "inform and sensitize" the initiative.

Lang mainly informs himself about the “Alliance for Responsible Mobile Communications Germany”, an amalgamation of more than 150 citizens' initiatives against 5G.

And through the “Diagnose Funk” association, which warns against pain, sleep disorders or cancer from cell phone radiation, for example, and calls for protests against the 5G expansion.

The information provided by the association is controversial: In the past, for example, the BfS took a position on a message from "Diagnose Funk", according to which cell phone radiation is said to be responsible for the death of insects.

That is wrong, so the BfS.

5G crisis in Rimsting: is mobile communications really dangerous?

In the case of high-frequency fields such as mobile communications, a single effect on humans has so far been proven: "The mobile communications radiation can warm the human body," says Blanka Pophof from the BfS.

As when heating food in the microwave, mobile phone radiation sets water molecules in motion.

“The whole thing only becomes relevant to health when the warming exceeds one degree.” The limit values ​​are set in such a way that this value cannot even come close to being reached by radiation from transmitter masts.

By the way: Our Bavaria newsletter informs you about all the important stories from the Free State.

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Critics point out that the higher the frequency, the lower the range of the cellular network.

Since the 5G network reaches higher frequencies, more transmission masts have to be erected for the same area.

That is true, but the limit values ​​are usually only exhausted in the one percent range, says Pophof.

“The radiation exposure comes mainly from the devices that you use,” she says, “so smartphones and tablets, for example.

But even there we don't see any health risks. ”There are a few studies that see a slightly higher risk of brain tumors in people who talk a lot with their mobile phones to their ears.

"Other studies claim something different, so further research has to be done here."

Rimsting in the 5G dilemma: the mayor is also "skeptical"

Andreas Fenzl, CSU * Mayor of Rimsting, sits between the chairs.

"There are many citizens and companies who see the need for better cellular coverage," he says.

“On the other hand, people have concerns.” Fenzl understands that. “I don't want to downplay the fears.

I am skeptical myself. ”However, a congregation is overwhelmed with the technical questions.

"Building up everything with masts across the board and irradiating everything, I have to agree with the 5G opponents: I also see risks, but I can neither assess nor refute the dangers."

5G expansion in Bavaria: Rimsting has been negotiating with Telekom for months

The community has been negotiating the location with Telekom for months.

“Actually, we have absolutely no influence whatsoever on which masts come into our community,” says Fenzl.

One can only argue about the location.

And so does the church.

Officially, it's about the landscape, but there are also 5G skeptics in the local council.

Rimsting is just one example.

5G is also an issue in many other communities.

In order to create a better negotiating position, Rimsting has now drawn up guidelines for action and hired an expert.

The guideline is the result of an extraordinary citizens' meeting requested by Sabine Lang.

And lo and behold: The measures are bearing their first fruits: Telefónica now wants to use the Telekom mast instead of building its own.

"Rimsting 5G-free" calls for "adequate cellular coverage"

When Lang clears away the documents, she says: “We are not fundamentally against mobile communications.” They are in favor of “nationwide adequate mobile communications *”.

So as little 5G as necessary.

The name "Rimsting 5G-free" comes from the beginning.

“We still thought we could prevent 5G.

We can't. ”But one has to“ take more precautionary measures ”.

"This careless use of the technology leaves a lot of question marks," says Lang.

Your cell phone is therefore still off.

* Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-01-12

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