TAMPA, Fla. (WFTS) — A 5G cell tower disguised as a tree in a Westchase neighborhood has residents more worried than ever, especially after the federal government announced new studies on the health effects of cellphone radiation.
David Duroure has been fighting the tower's installation for more than a year, but his concerns have intensified since the structure went up just weeks ago. The tower sits roughly 400 feet from his home, where his 95-year-old father-in-law with a pacemaker lives on the second floor.
WATCH: West Chase residents' 5G tower concerns grow amid federal health study announcement
"We're only like, 400 feet from it. You know, that's close. It's very close, very close," Duroure said.
The tree-like tower now dominates the view from Duroure's backyard, creating what he calls an eyesore that "doesn't belong" in the residential area. But his concerns go beyond aesthetics.
"I worry about the school here, these kids. I've got grandchildren that come over. And I've got my father in law, 95 year old with a pacemaker. He lives in an apartment in the second story of our house, and, you know, he's like, right in the kill zone," Duroure said.
The neighborhood's fight against the tower has been unsuccessful despite its opposition.
"It doesn't matter what we've tried to do. It just, it's happening," Duroure said.
The residents' concerns have gained new relevance in light of recent federal developments. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced it is launching a study on cellphone radiation and its health effects. Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. has cited links between cellphone radiation and health issues such as cancer.
However, the scientific community remains divided on the issue.
A World Health Organization study published in September 2024 analyzed 63 studies from 22 countries spanning nearly three decades of research and found no evidence that cellphone use increases the risk of brain cancer or other tumors.
The WHO study initially examined more than 5,000 research papers and found "moderate certainty evidence" that cellphone use likely does not increase the risk of glioma, meningioma, acoustic neuroma, pituitary tumors, salivary gland tumors in adults, or brain tumors in children and adolescents.
The research also found no evidence that environmental exposure from cell towers and base stations was associated with childhood leukemia or pediatric brain tumors, regardless of proximity to transmission sources.
Despite these findings, Duroure said the ongoing scientific debate should pause tower construction until definitive answers emerge.
"I don't think the argument has been actually decided," Duroure said. "You'd think that everything would stop and wait until you know things are decided."
The Centers for Disease Control cast slightly more doubt on the data.
The CDC's website on the matter says: "There is no scientific evidence that provides a definite answer to the question. Some organizations recommend caution in cell phone use. More research is needed before we know if using cell phones causes health effects."
The debate has also reached the state level, where advocates are pushing for policy changes. Lauren Mones, president of the Florida Coalition for Safe Technology, wants state lawmakers to give residents more say in where towers are placed.
"We have been meeting with a lot of lawmakers, and we are trying very hard to get Florida statute, which allows these small cell towers and these macro towers in the right-of-way, or next to schools. We're trying to get this legislature a little bit more pro-resident, or a little bit more balanced, so that it's not so industry-focused, but that the residents have a say," Mones said.
Mones cited more than 25,000 independent studies concluding that radio frequency radiation has biological effects. Her coalition seeks to make Florida's current industry-focused statutes more balanced, giving residents and parents a voice in tower placement decisions.
"We're not saying no technology. We're saying responsible technology," Mones said. "We don't want them in our neighborhoods. We don't want them at our schools. We don't want them in our parks."
The coalition has been working directly with Florida's Surgeon General, who, Mones said, supports further research and making Florida statutes more accommodating to residents.
"Surgeon General is on board with doing further research, and also, making the Florida statutes, more agreeable, more balanced, so that the end user, the residents, the parents, have a say," Mones said.
Mones described the current situation as particularly concerning for families and property owners.
"We have small cell towers going up 5 feet from people's homes. We have macro towers going up right next to schools," Mones said. "This RF radiation is quite damaging to our biology, to our finances, you know, property values."
Next week, the coalition will head to Tallahassee for conversations with state legislators. Mones believes the issue requires collaboration between multiple stakeholders but emphasizes the urgency of the situation.
"It's a three-prong issue. Telecom can have a say. Local authorities can have a say, and residents can have a say. And I think all three really need to come together and work together," Mones said.
However, she stressed that immediate action is needed.
"This is a major issue, and this needs to be at the forefront of the conversation right now," Mones said. "It's bad now. The situation is bad now."
The coalition encourages concerned Florida residents to join its efforts through its website at floridacoalitionforsafetechnology.com, where people can sign up for monthly calls and participate in lobbying.
"If you are a resident of Florida, and you are concerned about this issue, please go to my website, input your email, and join the coalition. It's free to join, doesn't cost anything. Just a little bit of your time," Mones said. "We're a great group of people, and we're very passionate, and we're getting things done here, making things happen."
For now, West Chase residents like Duroure continue to live with their concerns as the tower operates in their neighborhood, hoping that future research and policy changes will address their worries about health and safety, even as the most comprehensive scientific evidence to date suggests their health fears may be unfounded.
Duroure plans to take a scientific approach to monitoring potential health impacts. He intends to take baseline electromagnetic field readings around his property and compare them to levels once the tower becomes fully active.
"We'll take some base readings and have them on file, and we'll check when it goes up and it's active, and we'll see what happens," Duroure said. "We'll see how, if they go up and how high and so forth, and figure out what, at what levels, you know, the health concerns are, are at risk."
If EMF levels increase significantly, Duroure said he's exploring options to create a protective environment for his family, including investigating how to "Faraday cage" his home to shield against electromagnetic radiation.
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