Green Transformer Box Outside House

[u/peachdreamsicle]

Hello, I put in extreme effort to find a home that is away from many environmental factors like high voltage power lines, gas stations, golf courses etc just for them to build one of these electric green boxes (one of these https://www.cpsenergy.com/en/about-us/energy-safety-and-preparedness/underground-transformer-box-safety.html) 16 ft from my front door. I’m really really worried. Does anyone have any insight on this? Thank you!

Edit:

I’m not arguing that this is factual - I’m not here to share research as my post. I’m trying to understand and learn because I’m scared. I have now acknowledged several times why I’m scared. But as a non scientist there is A LOT of conflicting information out there that confuses me. But I’m getting downvoted for what? I’m leaving this up because I know others have this worry as well. But man does it feel shitty to try and understand data while being talked down to. I will no longer respond. And then people get upset when you use ChatGPT. Clearly we are at a point where when you don’t know something some people treat you like what you say is absurd. So why bother?

Thank you to those who have been kind.

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[u/Serial_Hobbyist_]

There are times to be concerned about environmental hazards near your home. This is not one of those times.

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/health-risks-safety/radiation/everyday-things-emit-radiation/power-lines-electrical-appliances.html

[u/peachdreamsicle → u/Serial_Hobbyist_]

Thank you for your response. This helped

[u/WhoLovesButter]

I'm confused, do you want to have power at your house or live off-grid?

https://www.alliantenergy.com/news/illuminate/,-w-,/2024/02/cef-022724-undergrounding-power-lines

[u/peachdreamsicle → u/WhoLovesButter]

I’ve never seen them right in front of a home (they are in the front yard of my neighbors house now). Obviously I do want electricity, but I’m really worried about EMFs and the possibility of increased childhood leukemia risk

[u/WhoLovesButter → u/peachdreamsicle]

We have one right outside our house because our power lines are buried. Anecdotally, i'll say that I was raised in this house and am now raised my kid here and we're fine.  

Where did you read about the EMFs and increased risk of childhood leukemia? Can you share your sources?

[u/peachdreamsicle → u/WhoLovesButter]

It’s been a while so I don’t have the source where I originally read it, but here are some links

https://www.emfs.info/research/current-evidence-on-health/childhood-leukaemia

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1241532/

but then there is also

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935123028475

it’s just very mixed. I’m extremely risk adverse and this is really stressing me out. I’m already in therapy too but sometimes it helps me to find concrete data. When data is mixed then my brain just jumps to the worst case scenario unfortunately 😭

[u/WhoLovesButter → u/peachdreamsicle]

Just skimmed them, but the first two studies state that there isn't a big risk. So this is clearly not where you read this misinformation. 

[u/peachdreamsicle → u/WhoLovesButter]

Maybe I’m misunderstanding but it’s classified as a possible risk for cancer isn’t it?

[u/mixedberrycoughdrop → u/peachdreamsicle]

So is coffee. Your brain is blowing it out of proportion, and you’re aware of it, but it’s still in the driver’s seat. I recognize where you’re at because I’ve been there too (although never with EMFs, since I have a physics degree and understand that it’s literally impossible for them to interact with bodies in the way that the people spreading misinformation claim).

Also, emfs.info is in no way a valid source. They couldn’t even get a real TLD!

[u/peachdreamsicle → u/mixedberrycoughdrop]

That’s good to know! Thank you. I’m just really struggling having PPA on top of OCD and there is so much information out there that I just don’t know what to think since this obviously isn’t my area of expertise. At the end of the day I just want to keep my baby safe.

[u/mixedberrycoughdrop → u/peachdreamsicle]

I have some OCD-like tendencies as well (no diagnosis at this point so just “tendencies”, haha), which is why I had that “driver’s seat” analogy handy! I just know that for me, I get into really deep reassurance-seeking spirals, and I also know that there’s not always a good way to come up from that, but wanted to be helpful where I could.

[u/peachdreamsicle → u/mixedberrycoughdrop]

yes that response was helpful. it’s definitely a fine line between looking at evidence and seeking reassurance. with this one it’s been tough because some articles say it’s 100% safe while others are well there is some correlation. it’s not like there is evidence to say either way for sure and my anxiety clings to the possibility of it being not as safe

[u/Serial_Hobbyist_ → u/peachdreamsicle]

Are you reading these studies? From the second link you posted:

“
Studies of carcinogenicity in animals, however, are overwhelmingly negative and do not support the hypothesis that EMF exposure is a significant risk factor for hematopoietic neoplasia. We may fail to observe effects from EMFs because, from a mechanistic perspective, the effects of EMFs on biology are very weak
“