https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/swedish-mother-wanted-radiation-free-meters-vattenfall-responded-with-forced-installation/

Sweden

Swedish mother wanted radiation-free meters – Vattenfall responded with forced installation

Single mother Cilla and her son moved to the countryside in Dalarna to reduce exposure to radiation that makes them both very ill.
For the same reason, she has been in contact with Vattenfall over the summer to inform the company and try to keep her old electricity meter, or a new one that is not wireless.
Disturbing images show how the energy giant responds by hiring an eight-person team, including security guards and a locksmith, to forcibly install the wireless smart meter in the family's home.

Published 20 December 2024

– By Editorial Staff

Photo: Private

Vattenfall sent out a team of eight people to force the “smart meter” on Cilla's home.

Single mother Cilla and her son have moved to the countryside due to health issues caused by exposure to certain types of radiation. Despite her informing Vattenfall, a state-owned Swedish energy company, of this, the company decided, against her explicit wishes, to forcibly install a new wireless electricity meter on her property.

Disturbing footage shows the electricity company setting out with a team of eight people, including a locksmith, two security guards and the support of the Swedish Enforcement Authority, to force their way into Cilla’s home.

Cilla says that people are particularly sensitive to radiation from wireless technology and react with severe symptoms at levels that most people do not even notice. The symptoms she can suffer from exposure to such radiation emitted by cell towers, mobile phones, wireless networks and so-called smart meters include headaches, nosebleeds, rashes, eczema, heart arrhythmias, insomnia, vomiting, nausea, tinnitus and blood in the urine at higher levels. This is why Cilla chose to move from Stockholm to the countryside to Garpenberg in Dalarna, where she and her son have now lived for several years.

During the summer, she was informed by her electricity company, Vattenfall, that they wanted to replace the previous electricity meter with a new so-called “smart electricity meter”, which will transmit data on, among other things, electricity consumption using wireless communication via the 4G network. In conversations and letters to Vattenfall, Cilla has informed the company that she is not opposed to the replacement of the electricity meter, but she is opposed to the installation of a microwave transmitter because she and her son cannot tolerate this radiation. She has also clearly emphasized to Vattenfall that there are other technical solutions, such as transmitting information via the electricity grid or via fiber.

Vattenfall responded by sending security guards

Even in spite of the provisions of the Environmental Code, which states that the best possible technology should be used if there is reason to believe that there is a risk to human health, Vattenfall chose to force its way into Cilla’s home to install the wireless transmitter, along with a new electricity meter, one day in mid-August. To gain access to the family’s property, Vattenfall hired three people from the Swedish Enforcement Authority, a locksmith and two security guards to forcibly install the wireless transmitter. Two fitters from Vattenfall without name tags also showed up. In total, eight people entered Cilla’s property against her will.

She describes it as a shocking experience.

– I couldn’t even imagine in my wildest dreams that we wouldn’t be heard and put a stop to the madness, Cilla told The Nordic Times.

Can no longer live in the house

After the installation of the microwave transmitter, Cilla and her son have suffered from the very symptoms they were worried about: headaches, nosebleeds, difficulty sleeping, swallowing food and other acute symptoms. The family cannot now live in the house or be out in the yard without getting sick and she expresses great despair at what the electricity company, with the support of the authorities, has forced on them.

– To be subjected to this legal abuse that violates several laws including human rights, the land code, property law, the environmental code and face this cold-blooded ignorance, despite the threat to our lives, feels like something out of a horror movie and not out of our seemingly safe life in Sweden. The right to decide over our lives and avoid being forcibly irradiated applies, regardless of what a company like Vattenfall has on its agenda, says Cilla about the incident.

Vattenfall refers to the fact that it is “forced” to change its electricity meters due to the new regulation on functional requirements for electricity meters adopted by the government in 2018. However, there is no requirement in the regulation that electricity meters must transmit information using wireless technology.

Vattenfall: “Complies with EU health and safety requirements”

Vattenfall’s press service states to TNT that they do not want to comment on individual cases, but confirms via email that further back in time, about 15-20 years ago, a dialog was conducted with the Swedish Association of Electricity Hypersensitive People, where they have since had agreements with some customers regarding manual meter reading. However, this will cease completely after the turn of the year to 2025. This refers to “laws and regulations” on the website of the Energy Markets Inspectorate (a government agency for which Ebba Busch (KD) is currently the responsible minister), an agency that in turn falls under the Ministry of Climate and Business.

“From 2025, all of Sweden’s electricity meters must meet new statutory functional requirements and the new regulations no longer support this type of customer agreement that handles manual meter reading”, writes Sofia Quant, Head of Stakeholder and Impact Communication at Vattenfall.

The Environmental Code stipulates that the best possible technology should be used, especially if “there are reasons to assume nuisance” to human health. Do you offer alternatives to eliminate potential health impacts of wireless technology from your electricity meters?

“Our electricity meter, like other electrical products, must meet certain requirements and we follow the laws and regulations in place regarding safety and health. The electricity meter is CE marked, which means that the manufacturer certifies that the products meet EU health and safety requirements. The electricity meter is also within the reference values from the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority”, continues Sofia Quant, who adds that “no other assessments are made”.

“All electricity meters from Vattenfall Eldistribution are type-approved and properly installed to meet all regulatory requirements. We do not make any further assessments in our role as a power grid company. Customers can always contact us with questions related to meter replacements and their electrical installations”, says Quant.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/swedish-criminologists-no-link-between-immigration-and-violent-crime/

Sweden

Swedish criminologists: No link between immigration and violent crime

Deteriorating safety

Published today 16:11

– By Editorial Staff

Photo: iStock/ovjo12

“The proportion of immigrants does not explain violent crime in a municipality”, according to criminologist Amber Beckley.

– Based on our analysis, we have seen that there is little to no link between the proportion of immigrants in a municipality and reported violent crime, said Amber Beckley, associate professor of criminology and senior lecturer at Örebro University.

The study, conducted by criminologists at five Swedish universities, claims to have compared the 20 municipalities in Sweden with the highest increase in violent crime between 2000 and 2020 with the 20 municipalities with the least negative trend, controlling for the number of immigrants living in these 40 municipalities.

– Most violent crime in a municipality can be explained by other factors, such as the number of people working and education, Beckley further argues in an interview with Swedish public radio SR.

It should be noted that the researchers only looked at people who had immigrated to Sweden and obtained Swedish residence permits or citizenship – not asylum seekers or children of immigrants. According to previous studies, second-generation immigrants have been identified as a group with the highest proportion of criminal suspects.

Violent crime increased in all municipalities

The main author of the report, which has received a lot of attention in the establishment media, is the well-known left-wing activist criminologist Jerzy Sarnecki, and Amber Beckley, who is the report’s second author, also admits to Samnytt that violent crime has increased in almost all of the municipalities analyzed.

– Almost all have increased. There was almost no municipality in these twenty years where violent crime decreased.

– What we have shown was that the proportion of immigrants in the municipalities with the largest increase in violent crime was not that different from the proportion in the municipalities with the smallest increase… The proportion of immigrants does not explain violent crime in a municipality, and it cannot explain the increase in the twenty municipalities, she concludes.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/environment/planetary-alignment-six-planets-to-appear-together-in-night-sky/

Environment

Planetary alignment – six planets to appear together in night sky

Published today 8:57

– By Editorial Staff

Photo: Josh Gordon/Unsplash

By the end of January, several planets will be visible from Earth and at least four will be visible to the naked eye, without the aid of telescopes.

The phenomenon, known colloquially as planetary alignment, occurs when several of the solar system’s planets are visible simultaneously in the night sky, usually close to the ecliptic – the path the Sun follows across the sky. The term “planetary alignment” can be misleading because the planets do not line up perfectly, either in the sky or in the solar system as a whole.

The planets become visible because they are on roughly the same side of the Sun and are therefore well-positioned relative to the Earth, allowing them to be seen in the night sky. These events are relatively rare and vary in magnitude depending on the number of visible planets and their brightness.

In January, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune and Saturn will be visible in the night sky, CNET reports. They are estimated to become visible a few days before January 21 and remain visible for about four weeks. The fifth week of the year, during the new moon, is expected to be the best time for observation because of the darker skies.

Seen with the naked eye

Provided there is no interference from artificial light where you are, the planets may become visible as soon as the Sun sets. Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn can be seen with the naked eye from northern Europe, according to Astroinfo. Jupiter and Venus are the easiest to observe, while Saturn can be difficult to spot in poorer visibility conditions. To see Neptune and Uranus, however, a telescope is required, as well as good visibility conditions.

If you want a chance to see all six planets, head out early in the evening, as Venus and Saturn will soon dip below the horizon. However, Mars and Jupiter will be visible for most of the night.

In the first week of March, Mercury will also become visible, which means a new planetary parade with all the planets in the solar system except Earth. March 8 is predicted to be a good day to see Mercury. The planet will be difficult to see, but the best chance is in the southern parts of Sweden. If you are going out with a telescope at this time, you should be careful as some of the planets will be close to the Sun, and as it can damage your eyes, you should be careful where you point the telescope.

However, this planetary parade is short-lived, as Saturn, Neptune and Mercury will be too close to the Sun shortly afterwards and will no longer be visible.

Finding the planets

Locating the planets in the sky can be challenging. Venus and Saturn are low in the southwest, while Jupiter is high in the east-southeast, according to Astrokonsult. Mars is in the east-northeast, Uranus in the constellation Aries and Neptune in Aquarius. Mercury can be seen low above the horizon in the south-east. Tools such as the Stellarium and Star Walk 2 apps can help you navigate the night sky.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/environment/pepparholm-the-nordic-regions-largest-biological-laboratory/

Environment

Pepparholm: “The Nordic region’s largest biological laboratory”

Published yesterday 13:42

– By Editorial Staff

Montage. Photo: Richard Bartz, Nick-D/CC BY-SA 4.0

The European green toad (Bufotes viridis) has settled on Pepparholm.

On the artificial island of Pepparholm, plant and animal life thrive without any human interference. Since the island was created during the construction of the Öresund Bridge in 1999, hundreds of plant species and several animal species have been found, and new species are still being discovered.

The Öresund Bridge, also known as the Öresund Link, was inaugurated on July 1, 2000, and spans 15.9 kilometers between Malmö and Copenhagen, both above and below the Öresund Strait via a tunnel.

The original plan for the link was to build it along Saltholm Island. However, this would have required either building the bridge straight across the island or expanding the island. However, due to the risk of disturbing the island’s wildlife, the plan was abandoned and the decision was made to build an artificial island south of Saltholm instead.

Pepparholm, in Danish Peberholm, was designed by bridge and landscape architect Inger Berglund from Falun and built between 1995 and 1999. The island got its name from a naming competition in the Danish newspaper Politiken.

The bridge construction faced opposition from various quarters, including arguments that it would disrupt the natural flow of water. Saltwater, being heavier than freshwater, flows more effectively in deeper areas. However, Pepparholm was built in a shallow area that did not affect the water flow, and Öresund was further deepened to improve the existing water flow. The excavated material was then used to construct the island.

“The largest biological laboratory in the Nordic countries”

The tunnel to Copenhagen starts at Pepparholm, where both a railway and a highway pass through the island. However, no trains stop on the island, and the highway exit can only be used by people with special permission. Only biologists and staff from the Öresund Bridge are allowed to visit the island, which has thus remained untouched by human activity since its creation.

Pepparholm, together with Saltholm and the surrounding sea, is part of Natura 2000 site 142. Natura 2000 is a network of valuable natural areas within the EU with species and habitats that are considered particularly worthy of protection from a European perspective. Because nature on Pepparholm has been allowed to develop without human interference or conservation, the island is also seen as an experiment and has been called “the Nordic region’s largest biological laboratory”.

Unusual species

Pepparholm today has a rich plant and animal life with hundreds of plant species and a large number of animal species identified on the island.

Marschall’s wallflower (Erysimum marschallianum) and early marsh orchid (Dactylorhiza incarnata). Montage. Photo: Aleksej Yabs, Ivar Leidus/CC BY-SA 3.0

Several rare species have also been discovered on Pepparholm. For example, the wild and protected early marsh orchid thrives in colonies on the island, having first been found in 2004. In 2007, the plants true salad burnet (Poterium sanguisorba), creeping willow, pale toadflax and Siberian iris were identified. In total, the island is estimated to harbor around 600 plant species, according to Natursidan. Another unusual discovery is the plant Marschall’s wallflower (Erysimum marschallianum), which is not found in either Sweden or Denmark, but is believed to have arrived by train from Finland, according to the state broadcaster SVT.

In 2010, a hare was discovered on the island, believed to have made its way there over the ice. Five years later, white rabbits were found, which it is suspected may have been released from a car. Grey herons, western marsh harriers and peregrine falcons also nest on Pepparholm, which is also popular with other bird species. In total, around 40 different species nest on the island.

The rare European green toad was discovered on the island in 2005. The species is otherwise only found in a few places in Denmark and along the west coast of Scania. A large number of insect species have also been identified, including over 300 beetle species and more than 400 butterfly species. Even the rare and poisonous hobo spider has been found at Pepparholm.

Eurasian spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia). Photo: Andreas Trepte/CC BY-SA 2.5

New species discovered every year

Every year, biologists and botanists survey Pepparholm and new species continue to be discovered. In 2023, it was noted that a colony of spoonbills had begun to move in the area, as reported by Natursidan. The following year, in 2024, the grasshopper species Aiolopus thalassinus was identified, which is completely new to Denmark. In addition, the rare plant species of hawkweed and denseflower mullein were found during the same period.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

The Öresund Bridge, also called the Öresund Link, is a combined rail and road connection between Malmö, Sweden, and Copenhagen, Denmark, spanning 15.9 kilometers. It includes a cable-stayed bridge, a tunnel, and the artificial island Pepparholm, created to facilitate the transition between the bridge and tunnel. Construction began in 1995 and was completed in 2000 at an estimated cost of €4 billion. Officially opened on July 1, 2000, the bridge is considered an engineering marvel, with its dual design of bridge and tunnel allowing it to navigate the busy Öresund Strait without disrupting marine traffic. It has since become a vital infrastructure for travel and commerce between the two countries.

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/sweden-sees-rise-in-hazardous-waste-exports/

Sweden

Sweden sees rise in hazardous waste exports

Published 18 January 2025

– By Editorial Staff

Press Photo: Mette Ottosson/Tullverket

Swedish Customs stopped a record amount of hazardous waste last year. The biggest increase was in the Stockholm area.

More than 1 529 tons of hazardous waste were stopped from being exported from Sweden to countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia in 2024. This is a significant increase compared to the 627 tons stopped in 2023 and a new record. The previous peak was measured in 2022 and was 1 043 tons. Waste exports are linked to organized crime and are estimated to generate around SEK 6.1 billion (€530 million) annually, according to the police.

– We know that waste exports to developing countries are a growing source of income for organized crime. That is why I am particularly pleased that we managed to stop so many exports of hazardous waste in 2024, says Director General of Customs Johan Norrman in a press release.

Six times as many cases

In total, Swedish Customs handled 88 cases of illegal waste exports to countries outside the EU, an increase from 47 cases the year before. The biggest increase was in the Stockholm area, where the amount of waste more than sixfold compared to the previous year.

The most common type of waste exported is still vehicles and vehicle parts. Of the 88 stopped exports, 71 contained either whole vehicles, such as cars, tractors and trucks, or parts, such as tires, engines, gearboxes and rims.

However, few of the cases lead to legal consequences, according to the Swedish Customs. The most common action is to issue an export ban for shipments of environmentally hazardous waste, while serious cases can lead to fines.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Polaris of Enlightenment

Polaris of Enlightenment