Metered out: Gary Oraniuk and Issy Bitic at the installation site. Picture: Tommy Ritchie 75373
MICHELLE HERBISON
A GEELONG West resident is fighting the installation of up to 16 smart meters on the back of his bedroom wall amid health concerns.
Disability pensioner Issy Bitic said he was worried radiation from the smart meters set to be installed between January 10 and 23 could further impact his health.
“The government is telling us they’re safe but they said that about asbestos. They may as well put a mobile phone tower on our block,” he said.
Mr Bitic said he had written letters to Powercor and local State Labor member Ian Trezise arguing against the meters’ installation but had received little support.
The letters included a petition with signatures from most residents of the Lawton Ave housing commission block.
Radiation protection products company YSHIELD’s David Mould said Mr Bitic’s case was “worrying”.
“He is going to experience 16 times the intensity of radiation than other people and it’s from an external influence he has no control over.”
A Government report by EMC Technologies found radiation levels inside houses with smart meters were between 0.000001 per cent and 0.0113 per cent of limits.
A Powercor spokesperson said smart meters sent radio messages four times a day that were “half the strength of a mobile phone sending a text message”.
Residents could arrange to have meters relocated but they must first employ an electrician then arrange a truck appointment at a cost of $464.
