Greens issue study on antenna-cancer link

ELEVEN out of a 350 sample of people living between a 500-700 radius from the radar antennas at the Ayios Nikolaos British base at Vrysoulles, have been diagnosed with cancer in the past three years; over four times higher than the island’s average, according to a study conducted on behalf of the Greens Party.

For the same period in the neighbouring village of Ayios Georgios, which is further away from the radar antennas, only six people out of 2,300 residents were diagnosed with cancer, the Greens said.

The study also claimed that measurements taken in areas within a two kilometre radius from the British base in Ayios Nikolaos were over 20 times higher than the levels suggested by international environmental organisations.

Dr Andreas Papaxenopoulos, who conducted the study, said that in the past few years, Ayios Nikolaos witnessed both rising numbers of cancer cases, while also high levels of electromagnetic field emissions (EMF), suggesting that there could be a correlation between the two phenomena.  

Greens MP, Giorgos Perdikis accused the government of not setting clear limits on EMF emissions, claiming that other EU countries had recognised the health hazard they may cause.

Perdikis also suggested that the Electricity Authority of Cyprus’ mobile phone power lines and pillars also constituted a health hazard.

Perdikis called the Health Ministry to inform the public about the health hazards linked to mobile phone use, suggesting a special emphasis on primary school pupils.

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