Powerwatch - About Us

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Powerwatch has been researching the links between electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and health risks for about 20 years, and is completely independent of government and industry. We gather information from around the world about EMFs, in order to help the lay person understand this complex issue. We have designed a number of instruments so that the general public can find out what they are exposed to, and have written numerous publications on the latest research, what is understood and what is not known, and what you can do to minimise any high fields you may be regularly exposed to. These, and high quality EMF shielding material (including paint), are sold by EMFields.

Powerwatch was formed in 1988 to fight a proposal for a large new electricity substation in Norfolk, England, UK. This was on a greenfield site and was to be built to free up an existing one on a valuable industrial site. The original driving force behind it was Neil Mayhew, a road safety engineer working for Norfolk County Council. The issues included electromagnetic effects on health, appropriate power use and energy efficiency. Powerwatch was commended by the Inspector for its professional and appropriate input to the Inquiry.

Around the same time, Alasdair Philips was Newsletter Editor for a group called Electronics and Computing for Peace. He and colleagues had been investigating the claimed (mis-)use of non-lethal electromagnetic weapons by the military, one particular example being the 'zapping' of the women peace protestors at Greenham Common ~ a RAF base being used by the American military as a Cruise Missile base. When they visited the Greenham Airbase they measured microwave beams, amplitude modulated at extremely low frequencies, aimed directly at the women by the US military. Interestingly, this was confirmed to Alasdair by senior Home Office officials at a Mobile Phones and Health Effects conference held in Whitehall, London, in 1996.

As well as building up a database of both Russian and American military electromagnetic weaponry literature, it soon became clear that low frequency electric and magnetic fields from power lines and electrical appliances were also suspect of being able to cause, or at least promote, adverse health effects, especially childhood leukaemia.

In 1990 ECP amalgamated with other groups to form Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR), and Alasdair Philips moved most of his non-ionising electromagnetic field work to Powerwatch, although staying a member of SGR.

Until the summer of 1998 Powerwatch was a membership organisation open to members of the general public. Although we had about 600 members, most of them just wanted news and advice and it was not proving possible to find the time and resources to run it properly. It was decided to transfer existing membership subscriptions into subscriptions to the ElectroMagnetic Hazard and Therapy Quarterly Newsletter.

Since then Powerwatch has been an association of skilled people, Directed by Alasdair Philips, maintaining this web site and providing a consultancy service on a commercial basis to businesses and to the general public, and providing technical input to local Councils and Government.

Alasdair Philips in qualified in both Electrical and Electronic Engineering and in Agricultural Engineering. Since 1986 he has built up a considerable knowledge of EMF bioeffects, and is one of the leading 'alternative' voices on the subject in the UK. Powerwatch is used as a forum for a small group of knowledgeable engineers and scientists who are concerned about the consequences of irradiated 'blue world' we are creating.