A FORMER military physicist is set to warn members of the public about the adverse effects of Wi-fi at a meeting tomorrow night.

Independent research scientist Barrie Trower, who trained in microwave technology in the Royal Navy in the 1960s, will give a talk on the dangers of wireless internet systems, as Digital City UK’s plans for town-wide wi-fi move forward.

Mr Trower, who has two bachelor of education degrees in advanced physics and environmental influences on thinking processes, will be appearing at the Pilgrim Centre in Regent Circus tomorrow night.

Now retired, his background in microwave technology has seen him tour the UK to speak about the risks of microwaves, which are used in wi-fi networks to transmit data.

He said: “There are two different areas – normal microwave frequencies and modulation or pulse frequencies and that’s the bit that can do real damage.

“Imagine you have a bag carrier going up to an aeroplane – the conveyer belt would be the microwave and the bags would be the pulse.

“There is no difference between if you are having it outside or inside. Microwaves are penetrative and they will encompass everything – every child’s cot, every pregnant woman. Microwaves have no respect for buildings and go right through them.

“If you have wi-fi in your home that is a risk you are taking for your family and if your neighbour has it that is a risk they are taking.

“When two wi-fi signals meet you can have constructive interference – in effect you get double the dose. With so many thousand signals it is going to increase the intensity of microwave radiation.”

Mr Trower claimed the Government was not bound by the radiation safety levels recommended by the international scientific community.

He said: “The long-term low level exposure is variable. The level at the moment that’s generally accepted, known as the Salzburg level, is set at the level that’s considered safe.

“The Government can make its mind up and is not bound by this.”

Mr Trower said this could have particular impact if the system was installed in schools, and could have legal implications now the government quango the British Education Communications Technology Agency has been scrapped.

Becta was a Government agency promoting the use of information and communications technology in schools.

In February the Digital City UK proposal for a wi-fi mesh went before Swindon Council’s health scrutiny and overview committee, which raised no objections to the scheme.

The CEO of the firm, Rikki Hunt, said in response to health fears: “First of all the Government, and that’s the only thing I can go by, the Government, says there is no sustainable proof that wi-fi causes any health problems.

“I’ve got to do everything I do based on the trading laws – I believe it is safe and all the evidence tells me that it is safe.”

The deputy leader of Swindon Council, Coun Garry Perkins, who represents the council on the board of directors of Digital City UK, said: “Government bodies have looked into it and said there are no issues. The information we have from the Government is all there.

“Schools are already on secure networks – they are tied up with a South West Grid network and for legal reasons they need to have their own network.”

Dr Jenny Harries, the director of Public Health for Swindon Primary Care Trust, said: “We have looked at studies from all over the world and there is no consistent evidence that exposure to wi-fi adversely effects the health of the general population.

“Wi-fi is a source of RF radiation, commonly known as radiowaves. “Evidence shows that people are exposed to sources of RF radiation every day through radios, televisions, mobile phones and baby monitors.

“There are a number of ongoing national and international studies investigating the potential adverse health effects of RF radiation and we actively review this evidence, and will revise our position if and when there is any major change in expert opinion on this topic.”

Mr Trower will be speaking at the Pilgrim Centre, Regent Circus, tomorrow. Entry is free and doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start. Admission is on a first-come-first-served basis and there will be a question and answer session afterwards.