Electromagnetic Fields: Better To Be Safe Than Sorry, Say Meps

摘要

A heated battle raged this week among MEPs in the European Parliament's Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee over whether the precautionary principle should be applied to electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure to safeguard "vulnerable populations." The precautionary principle implies that there is a responsibility to intervene and protect the public from exposure to harm where scientific investigation discovers a plausible risk, but there is no firm proof. Belgium Liberal MEP Frederique Ries, draftswoman for the report on the health concerns related to EMFs, urged the committee to "restore [public] confidence where it is lacking" and put an end to this "ping-pong game among experts" over the weight of scientific evidence available on the subject.