Greens raise cancer concerns about BC Hydro’s smart meters
Posted July 27, 2011 6:39 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The BC Green Party wants BC Hydro to stop installing wireless smart meters in people’s homes because of health and privacy concerns.
Leader Jane Sterk says any such plan should be put before the BC Utilities Commission.
Her federal counterpart, MP Elizabeth May, says they’re concerned about the health effects of the wireless meters.
“The World Health Organization only came down with this decision in the last number of weeks. Electromagnetic frequencies, such as you get from cell phones and wi-fi, should be considered what they call a class B carcinogen. They are rating it as a possible human carcinogen.”
May says privacy concerns also need to be addressed.
“[The meters register] What appliances we turn on and when,” she says. “Some have suggested in the media that BC Hydro intends to sell this information to other users who would find this information for marketing purposes very useful. BC Hydro says it isn’t going to do that.”
BC Hydro says it doesn’t believe the wireless smart meters are a health risk and people can move the devices on their properties as long as they’re willing to pay for it.
