Prof Stalian Gelberg affidavit to the supreme court in support of WIFI deployment in schools

Following is my translation into English of Prof Stelian Gelberg affidavit to the Supreme Court in support of WIFI deployment in schools.

The original Affidavits is available at - https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0QsuOEB4bKBMHExalBKSEo1aG8/view?usp=sharing

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1. I am Prof' Stelian Gelberg, Head of the Radiation and Noise Department in the Environment Protection Ministry and according to the Non-ionizing Act, 2006, I serve as the supervisor in the Ministry of Environmental Protection.
2. My affidavit is given in support of the respondents position regarding the arrangements that were defined in the CEO memorandum Circular 3.6-11 "The Integration of Communication Equipment and End User Devices in Schools - Health and safety projections", which became valid on 27/08/2013, referred hereunder as "2013 CEO memorandum”.
3. By the power invested in me as the Head of the Radiation and Noise Department in the Ministry of Environmental Protection, I served as a member of the first inter-ministry committees which created the document dated 10/07/2012 “Adjustment of the Education System to the 21'st Century, The Integration of Communication Equipment & Computers in Schools - Health and safety projections (referred hereunder as “2012 CEO memorandum”. In addition I was a member of the second inter-ministry committee that created the 2013 CEO memorandum and it’s appendix. These committees included specialists from other relevant government ministries, as detailed in the reply affidavit, were requested to recommend the Ministry of Education on the adjustment of the education system to the 21'st century, the integration of communication equipment computers in schools - Health and safety projections.
   
   My appointment as a committee member in the above committees was done as part of inter-ministry consultation and not as from my authority as the supervisor for non-ionizing radiation according the non-ionizing law, because the minimal radiation levels that are created from wireless routers (which transmit up to 100mWatts), the installation and use of which do not require a permit according to the non-ionizing law.

4. By the power invested in me as a member in the above committee, I took part in forming the recommendation of the second inter-ministry committee, the recommendations of which were unified into the 2013 CEO memorandum and its appendix. The non-ionizing law determines that regarding the exposure to non-ionizing radiation, the "precautionary principle" will be adopted. As part of this principle, wired internet network should be preferred in order to reduce the exposure of students to non-ionizing radiation, but the position of the second inter-ministry committee acknowledged also the need of using wireless internet networks according to limitation and guidance that are detailed in the 2013 CEO memorandum and it's appendix.
5. The use of wireless internet according to the conditions detailed in the 2013 CEO memorandum and it's appendix, can guarantee safe use of the wireless internet connection, which will not create an higher exposure than the thresholds determined by the Ministry of Environmental Protection, based on the recommendation of the World Health Organization, as far as the known effect - the thermal effect - for all population, including children, sick and elderly people.
6. The Ministry of Education policy in the 2013 CEO memorandum, reflect the committee recommendations which were formed together with the other representatives of the respondent as detailed in the reply affidavits. It should be clear, because the technical field in general, and the field of radiation effects in particular, is a developing field, therefore a need might come up in the future to make further updates to the 2013 CEO memorandum. Therefore , it has been decided that the second inter-ministry committee will re-adjourn twice a year, and among other topics will examine new research findings, will discuss and decide on changes and improvements to the instructions set forth in the CEO memorandum according to the need (see the section of implementation and follow-up, page 4 in the 2013 CEO memorandum.

7. In addition, the outcomes of non-ionizing radiation level tests that were done in schools, as detailed in the reply update from 5/02/2015, and that were presented to me, were done according to the Ministry of Environment Protection instructions, and by a professional radiation specialist certified by the Ministry of Environment Protection Ministry. The test results show radiation level lower than the threshold determined by Ministry of Environment Protection as noted in section 5 above.
8. This is my name, this is my signature, and the content of this affidavit is the truth.

Signed, Prof' Stelian Gelberg.