Residents in Kingston have petitioned the council to halt a 5G rollout for the borough until it can be proven safe.
Fifth Generation technology, more commonly known as 5G, is a speed upgrade from 4G with a stronger signal and faster download capabilities.
So far, 193 people have signed the petition, which asks for further testing to be done before setting up 5G in Kingston to ensure that there are no harmful side-effects.
Part of the petition reads: “Once 5G is deployed fully, it will expose people 24/7 to mandatory radiation without their informed consent, which constitutes a direct breach of their Human Rights.”
Some of the health concerns outlined in the petition include “increased cancer risk”.
A Kingston council spokesperson commented: “[The council] should not seek to set health safeguards different from the International Commission guidelines for public exposure. The Council will continue to monitor the advice coming from central government on 5G.”
The International Commission, based in Germany, is comprised of scientists who have studied 5G technology, and have stated that a revision of the current 5G guidelines “is underway” .
The technology used in 5G exposes the human body to radio frequency and electromagnetic fields, which according to the World Health Organisation, raises the human body temperature.
“It’s unnecessary,” said mother Sage Palmer, a signatory.
“I don’t think people are thinking about the future when developing these things.”
The organisers of the petition declined to comment.
It’s not just in Kingston-Upon-Thames where residents are hoping to stop 5G; similar petitions in Glastonbury (Somerset Live) and Totnes (The Sun) have also called for bans.
