In 8 June 2009, the Taiwan Electromagnetic Radiation Hazard Protection and Control Association (TEPCA) organized a meeting in Chi Gu Yen-Cheng village, with the participation of Hua Shin, Secretary of Earth Charter Taiwan, Province of China and Alicia Jiménez, ECI Secretariat staff member. In this village, a weather-radar was installed in 2002. Since then, TEPCA has been conducting research on the effects of electromagnetic radiation (mobile towers and other sources) on the villagers, finding an abnormal increase of people with cancer and mental illnesses.
The meeting held on 8 June was open to all the villagers, and it took place in front of a Buddhist temple. Around 40 villagers attended and expressed their concerns about the risks they face living in the proximity of this radar. Policemen were present during the meeting, surrounding the area and taking pictures of the attendees. The government is skeptical about the results of TEPCA’s research and do not agree on the negative effects of the radar on people’s health.
TEPCA has been raising awareness about the risks of electromagnetic radiation from other sources as well, like cell phones base stations, and high voltage cables. In many densely populated neighborhoods in Taiwan, a large amount of these radiation sources can be found. TEPCA members are concerned about the risks of intense and continued radiation not only to human health, but to other living beings and the ecosystems.
TEPCA claims for having legislation with stricter standards on the level of radiation for a saver electromagnetic-radiation environment.
To learn more about TEPCA, please read the following brochure or visit their website http://tepca.blogspot.com. If you would like to offer your support, please contact them to [email protected]