Dr. Sheila A. Johnstonsajohnston@btinternet.com

Interpreting The ScienceMobile Phones Is there a Health Risk

November 9th,1999

The Science Criteria • anon peer reviewed• Published in Science J. • follows WHO criteria• Replicated• reviewed by the expert

groups• used to set standards

-ve Bioeffects ?• Cancer, 1,2,3,4• 1. Epi, human effects• 2. In-vivo lifetime assay• 3. Promotion & mutant

mice • 4. in-vitro- mechanisms

DNA, ODC, HSP70• human sleep, EEG, BP• endocrine effects• human cognition

1.Measurement 2.Research 3.Exposure Limits

BASE SITES• measurement 1,2,3• 1. reactive near field &• 2. near field discussions• 3. far field established.

V/m, SAR, CE approved• research established• same limits ww *• * Russia, China

MOBILE PHONES• measurement 1,2• 1.SAR: near field draft

standardising variables• 2. Power emissions W,

CE approval• research underway• 2 slightly different

limits N/A vs EC

ICNIRP/EC STANDARDS

BASE SITES• PUBLIC EXPOSURE LIMITS 0.08 W/kg SAR

frequency E field power power

900 MHz 41 V/m 4.5 W/m2 450 mW/cm2

1800MHz 58 V/m 9W/m2 900 mW/cm2

Planning Policy : Town and Country Planning Order 1995 gives exemption to a widerange of development known as permitted development to a licensed PublicTelecommunications Operator.

LPA respond in writing 42 days after ground based masts with a volume in excess of 2.5cubic meters written notice re: prior approval required or not

LPA 28 days non ground based masts in excess of 2.5 cubic meters

Code of Best Practice

ICNIRP/EC STANDARDS MOBILE PHONES• 1. PUBLIC EXPOSURE LIMITS 1.6 to 2 mW/g SAR• 2. All EC models of mobile phones CE approved

according to power class specification. The EC electrical standard for POWER EMISSION.

• If you feel your phones doesn’t’ comply you can complain under the Consumer Protection Act.

• Companies can be asked to test their phones.• Testing of phones and base stations can be carried out

by NRPB or Microwave Consultants in the UK.

2 kinds of research, limits, dosimetry: Base sites• SAR limits 0.08 W/kg• whole body ex • Ratio, whole body (0.08) to• total heat dissipation• 6 min equilibrium (1948

Pennes, Foster 1999)• so far no time-course dose-

effect at/below limit

Mobile phones• SAR limits 2 W/kg• part body ex• part (2) (0.08x25=2) 1:25• part heat dissipation• 6 min equilibrium (‘ 87,

‘89 L& Lagendijk ‘99)• so far no time-course dose-

effect at/below limits

The 10-50x Whole Body Safety Margin• THRESHOLD for Adverse Effects 4W/kg

WHOLE body. Adverse human health effects, nausea, dizziness, confusion (NOT CANCER), found with whole body exposures above 4W/kg.

• The WORKERS limits set 10x below this at 0.4W/kg for workers

• the PUBLIC limits set at 50x below this at 0.08 W/kg (50 x 0.08 = 4 W/kg)

• NO adverse effects no t-c,d-c below the threshold

SAFETY MARGIN of exposure limits

Whole body exposure• base station exposure• public limit 0.08 W/kg• adverse effects above 1oC

(‘48 ‘89,’93)• Typical ex factor 100x to

1000x less than limit

Part body exposure• mobile phone exposure• public limit 2 W/kg• adverse effects above 1oC

(‘99, ‘89, ‘87)• at 2W GSM (.25W) brain

0.1oC (‘99)• Typical ex factor 100x to

1000x less than limit

GSM Class 4full rate

GSM-1800Class 1 full rate

Maximum peak power (Highestpower control level)

2W 1W

Peak power (across power controllevels)

0.003-2W 0.001-1W

Maximum average power, noDTX (highest power controllevels)

240mW 120mW

Average power, no DTX (acrosspower control levels)

0.36-240mW 0.12-120mW

Maximum average power, DTX 29-240mW 14-120mW(highest power control levels) (135 mW) (67 mW)Minimum average power) , DTX 43-361 W 14-120 W (lowest power control level) (202 W) W)

Examples of peak and average power emission for class 4 GSM & class 1 GSM-1800 mobile phone

Pedersen and Andersen, 1999

CANCER• Ionizing radiation• nuclear energy• radiation: Xrays,

gamma rays• no threshold: follow

precautionary approach• any dose is hazardous• any dose can cause

mutations and cancer• continuous time-course

dose effect

• Non-ionizing radiation• mobile industry • radio waves: kHz-

300GHz• threshold (1oC) • no dose below threshold

has adverse effects• no dose below threshold

causes mutations or cancer• there is no t-c,d-e below the

threshold

Independent Industry Contributions to Research

• GSMA ‘82, MMF (25), (WTR/CTIA(38))

• Motorola (39), Fifth Framework EC (9M)

• FGF(64), COMOBIO, ELLETRA, NRPB’74 Japan (ARIB

• Finland, Sweden, Australia

• NCI, FDA, NIEHS (USA) ?

• MTAG UK, DoH (1B licensing fee)

? Gaps In Measurement & Research Whole body:Base stations• near field measurement:

workers exposure -gap• public exp:far field- no gap• CE measurement no gap• research in vivo 2 yr assay

Adey, Zook -no gap• rats cogniton’99 replication• promotion Pim-1’98

(replication)• toxicology, ODC, DNA-no

gap (replication failed)

Part Body:Mobile phones• near field SAR

measurement-gap• CE measurement- no gap• research dosimetry-ear

Kuster, Gandhi’99, no gap• Heat measurement

Lagendijk ‘99 (replication) • epid‘96, IARC’03• research in vivo 2yr assay• human cognition ‘98 repl• EEG, Sleep, endocrine repl

• Gap: Research scientist don’t know power class specifications-engineering physics- gap filled by Industry- expertise in experimental exposure setups- money isn’t enough

• Gap: NO WTR Firewalls: gap partly filled by Institutions who administer funds & Scientists carry out research & publish in indep scientific journals.

• Gap: Data Bases: Research, past, underway, planned & Funding, Standards , Regulations, Power Class Specifications: information is advancing faster than can be tracked- -gap partly filled by EMF project, COST, Aachem data base

• GAP: Industry a major stakeholder may NOT be providing enough technology & research information on its products for public dissemination to avoid technology misperception

CAUSES of technology misperception

• Rapid increases in penetration means rapid increases in antennas. Each antenna can only carry a fixed number of calls. More antennas mean ?? RF

• Rapid increases in research on mobile phones have occurred in every country-increases in media stories. More research studies are ??

• Rapid expansion of the uses of mobile technology is underway- fax, email & electronic data transfer.??

SIGNS of Technology misperception• Repetition of health scares in the media

• Governments under pressure to base standards on political pressure rather than scientific information

• Pressure to shut down base sites due to fear rather than scientific information

• Government members and local authorities, missing the information to make planning decisions.

• Private individuals especially the vulnerable ones afraid and lacking the information to evaluate RF risks

Solutions to Technology Misperception

• Industry funding NEUTRAL information banks on technology & research into health & mobile communications to inform governments and local authorities and stakeholders.

• Industry supporting the local dissemination of technology & health information by independent scientists and government Health Authorities: Video +£ 50,000 In the Air

• The Director, Femme Michelle Wagenaar- a communicator, base sites issues: Nokia, Netherlands

Dr. Sheila A. Johnstonsajohnston@btinternet.com

Questions

Femme-Michelle Wagenaar

In The Air ext-femme-michelle.wagenaar@nokia.com