Sensible separation of people and cables

The Cancer Society hopes the Government and electricity authorities will take seriously the British study linking cancer and power pylons.

The society's medical director, Dr Peter Dady, said yesterday that any study by epidemiologist Sir Richard Doll had to be respected.

But he also acknowledged that "it's a risky old world. I think the message I would take from that is that there should be proper separation of people and power lines."

The epidemiologist, who established a link between smoking and lung cancer in the 1960s, has found evidence of a slightly increased risk of cancer in people living near power lines.

Dr Dady said that if it was the case that other countries had corridors between pylons and residential areas, and New Zealand did not have similar guidelines, then he would hope the authorities would take notice.

"Let's not panic, but I think it does point to sensible guidelines and adhering to those guidelines about where you route your power cables and where you site your substations and things like that."

Transpower, the owner of New Zealand's high-voltage electricity grid, said yesterday that traditionally it tried to build power pylons away from residences, but houses were often built under the pylons after the pylons were erected.

Spokesman Kevin Mackey said houses were allowed to be built relatively close to high transmission lines - he thought only 6m to 8m away.

Mr Mackey said he had been following the research on pylons and cancer for about 25 years, and acknowledged there was a possible "weak" link.

But he said any changes would be for the Government and the Ministry of Health to decide.

Mr Mackey said Transpower's legislation followed guidelines set by the World Health Organisation, which was studying the effects of electrical radiation on humans.

- NZPA