For more than 20 years, researchers have been trying to answer the question of whether electricity - either in powerlines or used in various appliances - increases your risk of cancer. We don't have clear answers yet, but here is a summary of what has been discovered so far.

Powerlines are not the only source of EMF. Only a quarter of the cases in the English report were linked to transmission powerlines, the rest were linked to other sources of EMF, including distribution powerlines and electricity sub-stations.

Which powerlines are we talking about?

Transmission lines are the powerlines on large steel towers, and distribution lines are the powerlines on smaller concrete or wooden poles on road reserves. The strongest magnetic fields are produced by the transmission lines, but distribution lines that carry a lot of electricity can cause quite strong fields too.

The amount of EMF from a powerline falls as you get further away from it, and once you are 200 metres away, you are out of its range. In England about one in 800 children live close enough to transmission powerlines to possibly be at risk; in Australia the number is probably less.

Electric appliances around the home

It is unlikely that electrical appliances around the home increase your risk of cancer because the amount of EMF from them is small. But if you are worried, there are a few simple steps you can take to reduce exposure to EMF:

1. Don't sleep with an electric blanket switched on - just use it to warm up the bed before you get in.
2. Sit at least 50 cm away from your TV screen.
3. Don't have your bed against a wall that has an electric hot water service on the other side.

There have not been a lot of good quality studies on this subject, but here is a summary of what has been done so far. Remember that sometimes results from a single study can be due to chance, so scientists usually reserve judgement until more than one study has been done.

Electric blankets: Of the seven studies so far, six found no increased risk of cancer. In one study, the risk of leukaemia was higher in children whose mothers used an electric blanket while they were pregnant.

• Electric massagers: Only one study, and this found an increased risk of leukaemia in adults.
• Hair dryers: One study found an increased risk of leukaemia in children, another study found a lower risk of leukaemia in adults, and another found no difference.
• Heated water beds, bedside electric clocks and electric razors: Only one study, which found no increase in risk.
• Black and white TV: Only one study, which found an increase in leukaemia in children who had a black and white TV in their bedroom.

None of these studies showed any convincing effect of higher risk if the appliance was used more often
or for longer periods.

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