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Group asks THSRC to reduce waves

Electromagnetic wave-free environment advocates urged the Taiwan High-Speed Rail Corp (THSRC) yesterday to attach "electromagnetic wave-free carriages" to their trains to ensure the safety of people with cardiac pacemakers.

Members of the Taiwan Electromagnetic Wave Hazard Prevention and Control League made the call at a press conference at the high-speed railway's Tsoying Station in Kaoshiung City.

Chiu Chien-fang (邱千芳), an executive member of the advocate organization's Yulin branch, said volunteers had examined 65 high-speed train carriages over the past several months for the presence of electromagnetic waves.

Data showed that electromagnetic waves of an intensity of between 10,000 milliwatts per square meter and 100,000 milliwatts per square meter were detected in the train carriages or an average intensity of 60,000 milliwatts per square meter, Chiu said, adding that the results lead them to believe train carriages are equipped with repeaters for microwave transmissions.

Chiu added that volunteers also examined trains operated by the Taiwan Railway Administration and public buses and that no electromagnetic waves were detected.

During the press conference, Chiu and her colleagues scanned the Tsoying Station with an electromagnetic wave detector. The device revealed the presence of electromagnetic waves with an intensity of between 3,000 milliwatts per square meter and 10,000 milliwatts per square meter at different spots in the station.

Chiu said that people with serious diseases, elderly people, pregnant women and people with pacemakers are at risk of acquiring certain disorders if exposed to excessive levels of electromagnetic waves.

In response, Environmental Protection Administration officials responsible for air quality protection and noise control said in Taipei that the average intensity of electromagnetic waves detected by Chiu's group was far below the maximum acceptable safety level of 9 million milliwatts per square meter.
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