An Important Factor in Electromagnetic Exposure

Low frequency electromagnetic fields, whose frequencies, harmonics and sub-harmonics coincide with the range of frequencies used by our brains, hearts and cells. Subtly and at extremely low intensities, they strongly interact, through resonant absorption, with primary functions of our bodies with significant elevations in depression, sickness and death. (Dr. Neil Cherry: See full text )

"When these health-damaging frequencies ride on the "clean" 50/60 Hz current of our electric utility transmission systems, they are known as "electrical pollution." After entering our buildings via wiring, water and gas pipes and phone lines, they broadcast from these filling our living spaces with frequencies that damage our health.

Body impedance of electrical current decreases and current passing through the body increases as frequency increases . We have good resistance to 50/60 Hz but less as the frequency increases. Above 1.7 KHz, all the energy dissipates internally into the human body.

"Today the earth has a higher conductivity than the utility's neutral circuit return wires, and therefore, carries the majority of neutral current returning to the substation (Gonen 1986; Morrison 1963, Hendrickson,Michaud, Bierbaum 1995).

Substantial grounding grids are buried in the earth below substations. Electric currents in the ground that emanate from the grounding of the neutrals of the distribution lines and other sources converge on these grounding grids. Consequently greater ground currents are present near substations and in structures in their immediate vicinity. Ground currents also have a greater probability of being present in direct paths between large users of electricity and between these users and the substation.

In the case of 60 Hz electrical power, storage is not feasible. If the demand for electrical energy falls below the output of power plants, it may be necessary to shunt some electric current into the earth until the output is adjusted to match the demand. Current that is shunted into the earth adds to the ground current.

The grounding practice in the utility industry forces all living organisms to be continuously in physical contact with the electrical distribution system. The extensive grounding of the neutral in the distribution system also forces electrical currents to be present to a greater or lesser degree in all materials making up the environment of living organisms. Of course the living organisms, since they are themselves conductors of electricity and in contact with materials carrying electric currents, are basically plugged into the electrical circuitry of the distribution system.

Worldwide research and investigations of both animal and human health problems in dairy barns have demonstrated that small continuous currents (as low as a fraction of a microamp) can affect well being."

The effect of grounding the electric distribution system to the earth is a national electric distribution system in which 65 to 75% of the current returns to the substations through the earth rather than through the wires. (Hendrickson 1995, Gonen 1986, Morrison 1963.)

The scientific research and advising body of the American electric utilities is EPRI, The Electrical Power and Research Institute. An EPRI study by Kavet, et. al, printed in Bioelectromagnetics 21:538-553 (2000), found that the contact current caused by the present system is very likely a cause of childhood leukemia. Contact current of as little as 18 microamps is implicated. Many of us are exposed to 30 times that much every time we touch our kitchen counters or other items in our homes.

Kavet's paper brings together ground currents and 60 Hz magnetic fields as co-contributors to leukemia in children. It is not surprising to draw this conclusion, since both magnetic fields and contact currents resulting from ground currents increase electric current in the body.

Source: Life Energies Author: Dr. Duane A. Dahlberg, Ph.D