Emf what is safe

Due to the close distance between the mobile phone and the head and because of the higher power levels involved with mobile phone use, the level of exposure for frequent mobile phone users is considerably higher than the potential exposure to those persons working in areas in which WiFi systems exist. Epidemiological studies by reputable scientists have consistently failed to demonstrate convincing evidence of any adverse health effects from RF exposure below the regulatory limits and guidelines cited below.

The references cited at the end of this discussion provide more detailed information regarding these studies and their conclusions. The technical literature is conflicted regarding EMF exposure and health effects. It ranges from extremely long wavelengths extremely low frequency exposures such as those from power lines to extremely short wavelengths x-rays and gamma rays and includes both non-ionizing and ionizing radiation.

There are both natural and human-made sources of non-ionizing EMFs. Human-made EMFs fall into both the ELF and radiofrequency categories of non-ionizing part of the electromagnetic spectrum. These EMFs can come from a number of sources. Sources of ELF-EMFs include power lines, electrical wiring, and electrical appliances such as shavers, hair dryers, and electric blankets.

Radiofrequency radiation. The most common sources of radiofrequency radiation are wireless telecommunication devices and equipment, including cell phones, smart meters, and portable wireless devices, such as tablets and laptop computers 1. In the United States, cell phones currently operate in a frequency range of about 1.

For household appliances and other devices used in the home that require electricity, magnetic field levels are highest near the source of the field and decrease rapidly the farther away the user is from the source. Magnetic fields drop precipitously at a distance of about 1 foot from most appliances.

For computer screens, at a distance of 12—20 inches from the screen that most persons using computers sit, magnetic fields are similarly dramatically lower. Power lines and electrical appliances that emit non-ionizing EMFs are present everywhere in homes and workplaces. Unlike high-energy ionizing radiation, EMFs in the non-ionizing part of the electromagnetic spectrum cannot damage DNA or cells directly. Some scientists have speculated that ELF-EMFs could cause cancer through other mechanisms, such as by reducing levels of the hormone melatonin.

There is some evidence that melatonin may suppress the development of certain tumors. The few high-quality studies in animals have provided no evidence that Wi-Fi is harmful to health 7. Although there is no known mechanism by which non-ionizing EMFs could damage DNA and cause cancer, even a small increase in risk would be of clinical importance given how widespread exposure to these fields is.

Numerous epidemiologic studies and comprehensive reviews of the scientific literature have evaluated possible associations between exposure to non-ionizing EMFs and risk of cancer in children 12 — Magnetic fields are the component of non-ionizing EMFs that are usually studied in relation to their possible health effects.

Most of the research has focused on leukemia and brain tumors , the two most common cancers in children. Studies have examined associations of these cancers with living near power lines, with magnetic fields in the home, and with exposure of parents to high levels of magnetic fields in the workplace. No consistent evidence for an association between any source of non-ionizing EMF and cancer has been found. Exposure from power lines. Although a study in pointed to a possible association between living near electric power lines and childhood leukemia 15 , more recent studies have had mixed findings 16 — Most of these studies did not find an association or found one only for those children who lived in homes with very high levels of magnetic fields, which are present in few residences.

Several studies have analyzed the combined data from multiple studies of power line exposure and childhood leukemia:. For the two pooled studies and the meta-analysis, the number of highly exposed children was too small to provide stable estimates of the dose—response relationship. This means that the findings could be interpreted to reflect linear increases in risk, a threshold effect at 0. The interpretation of the finding of increased childhood leukemia risk among children with the highest exposures at least 0.

Exposure from electrical appliances. Another way that children can be exposed to magnetic fields is from household electrical appliances. And moving even a short distance from most electrical appliances reduces exposure dramatically.

Again, studies have not found consistent evidence for an association between the use of household electrical appliances and risk of childhood leukemia Exposure to Wi-Fi. In view of the widespread use of Wi-Fi in schools, the UK Health Protection Agency now part of Public Health England has conducted the largest and most comprehensive measurement studies to assess exposures of children to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields from wireless computer networks 29 , A review of the published literature concluded that the few high-quality studies to date provide no evidence of biological effects from Wi-Fi exposures 6.

Exposure to cell phone base stations. Few studies have examined cancer risk in children living close to cell phone base stations or radio or television transmitters. None of the studies that estimated exposures on an individual level found an increased risk of pediatric tumors 32 — Parental exposure and risk in offspring.

The results to date have been inconsistent 35 , This question requires further evaluation. Exposure and cancer survival. A few studies have investigated whether magnetic field exposure is associated with prognosis or survival of children with leukemia. Several small retrospective studies of this question have yielded inconsistent results 37 — An analysis that combined prospective data for more than 3, children with acute lymphoid leukemia from eight countries showed that ELF magnetic field exposure was not associated with their survival or risk of relapse Many studies have examined the association between non-ionizing EMF exposure and cancer in adults, of which few studies have reported evidence of increased risk 1.

Residential exposures. The majority of epidemiologic studies have shown no relationship between breast cancer in women and exposure to extremely low frequency EMFs ELF-EMFs in the home 41 — 44 , although a few individual studies have suggested an association; only one reported results that were statistically significant Workplace exposures to ELF radiation.

Several studies conducted in the s and early s reported that people who worked in some electrical occupations that exposed them to ELF radiation such as power station operators and telephone line workers had higher-than-expected rates of some types of cancer, particularly leukemia , brain tumors , and male breast cancer More recent studies, including some that considered exposure measurements as well as job titles, have generally not shown an increasing risk of leukemia, brain tumors, or female breast cancer with increasing exposure to magnetic fields at work 45 — Workplace exposures to radiofrequency radiation.

A limited number of studies have evaluated risks of cancer in workers exposed to radiofrequency radiation. A large study of U. Navy personnel found no excess of brain tumors among those with a high probability of exposure to radar including electronics technicians, aviation technicians, and fire control technicians ; however, nonlymphocytic leukemia, particularly acute myeloid leukemia , was increased in electronics technicians in aviation squadrons, but not in Navy personnel in the other job categories A case-control study among U.

Air Force personnel found the suggestion of an increased risk of brain cancer among personnel who maintained or repaired radiofrequency or microwave-emitting equipment There was no evidence that electrical utility workers who were exposed to pulsed electromagnetic fields produced by power lines were more likely to develop brain tumors or leukemia than the general population This highly-respected international program evaluated the carcinogenicity of RF fields, especially cell phones, as part of its program to evaluate all potential carcinogens.

The Stewart report was one of the first government reviews on possible health effects from cell phones. It recommended precautionary measures to protect the public health. Four of them were accompanied by statements on managing EMF exposures and directions for future research.

OSHA: Computer Workstations external icon This page briefly examines the potential hazards and interventions employers can use to prevent or reduce the potential harmful effects of working with computers. For example, some hair dryers have a very strong field, while others produce hardly any EMF. It all depends on the product design. The strongest electric fields that we encounter in daily life are beneath high-voltage transmission lines. Transformers reduce this high voltage before it goes into your home or business.

Also, the walls of your home act as a shield to some degree. Directly beneath the power lines is where the field is strongest. Both fields electric and magnetic drop off significantly with distance. The further your home is from high-voltage power lines, the weaker the field. In homes not located near power lines, the background magnetic field may be relatively light. Computer screens and television sets work similarly, producing both electric and magnetic fields at various frequencies.

Watching from a couch several feet away is thought to pose little danger. The FCC requires that all wireless communications devices sold in the United States meet minimum guidelines for safe human exposure to radiofrequency RF energy. For wireless devices that operate at 6 GHz or less and are designed for use near or against the body cellphones, tablets, and other portable devices , FCC has set exposure limits in terms of Specific Absorption Rate SAR. This is a measure of the rate at which the body absorbs RF energy.

The FCC limit is 1. The FCC incorporates a safety margin in these limits. You may have to remove the battery to find the number.

Microwaves are used to detect speeding cars, send television communications, raise bread, and even cook potato chips! But most of us use microwave energy the most in microwave ovens. Microwave ovens are considered to be safe if you use them correctly. People have experienced burns and other injuries from microwave radiation and superheating, but mostly from misuse.

Microwave ovens operate at very high power levels, but they have shields to reduce leakage of radiation outside the oven to almost nothing. The FDA limits the amount of microwaves that an oven can leak in its lifetime to 5 milliwatts mW per square centimeter, measured about 2 inches away. The FDA says this limit is far below a level known to harm people. Microwave ovens also must have safety features to prevent the generation of microwaves if the door is open.

FDA tests ovens in its lab to make sure its standards are met. All ovens sold in the United States must have a label stating that they meet the safety standard. Every electrical appliance in your home emits EMFs.

Much of your EMF exposure in your home probably comes from the wires carrying electrical current. You also get short-term high exposures when you are near electrical appliances like refrigerators, microwaves, and washing machines.

The EMF radiation drops off sharply as you move away from these appliances. These handheld devices can be purchased online. Remember that ELF fields vary by location. If you hold your meter to the right of a clothes dryer, for example, you might get a zero reading. A foot to the left, the reading might be higher. So be sure to test in different locations around the electrical appliance, and within your house.

If you find a reading is highest near your bed, for example, consider moving it to a different part of the room where the reading is lower. Research in the coming years may better inform us. Some studies point to various symptoms coming from EMF exposure, but researchers generally say more study is needed.