Health Research and Electrical Pollution

The Council of the European Union, Council Recommendation of 12 July 1999 , Official Journal of the European Communities (199/519/EC).

Whereas:

(1) In accordance with point (p) of Article 3 of the Treaty, Community action must include a contribution to the attainment of a high level of health protection; the Treaty also makes provision for protecting the health of workers and of consumers;

(2) In its resolution of 5 May 1994 on combating the harmful effects of non-ionising radiation (2), the European Parliament called on the Commission to propose legislative measures seeking to limit the exposure of workers and the public to non-ionising electromagnetic radiation;

(3) Community minimum requirements for the protection of health and safety of workers in relation to electromagnetic fields exist for work with display screen equipment(3); Community measures were introduced to encourage improvements in the safety and health at work of pregnant workers and workers who haverecently given birth or are breastfeeding (4) which oblige, inter alia, employers to assess activities which involve a specific risk of exposure to non-ionising radiation; minimum requirements have been proposed for the protection of workers from physical agents (5) which include measures against non-ionising radiation; whereas, therefore, this recommendation does not address the protection of workers against occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields;

(4) It is imperative to protect members of the general public within the Community against established adverse health effects that may result as a consequence of exposure to electromagnetic fields;

See the report at the European Commission web site.

Eurobarometer. Electromagnetic Fields Report, June 2007

Introduction:

Electromagnetic fields (EMF) occur in nature and have thus always been present on earth. However, during the 20th century, exposure to man- made sources of EMF has steadily increased due to electricity demand, wireless technologies, (especially for telecommunication), and changes in work practices and social behaviour.

Virtually every citizen across Europe is exposed to EMF through sources such as high voltage power lines, household electrical appliances, computers, radar, radio and television broadcast facilities, mobile telephones and their base stations, induction heaters and/or anti-theft devices. The frequencies of EMF in the electrical applications vary between 0 Hz to 300 GHz with diverse characteristics.

Over the years, the European Commission (EC) has for long time been monitoring the potential health effects of EMF, requesting the review of scientific literature, financing research, disseminating information and contributing to the establishment of a legal framework for the protection of workers and citizens.

The competences and legal power pertaining to the EC in regard to EMF are embodied in legal texts, the Council Recommendation (1999/519/EC) and Directive (2004/40/EC) limiting the EMF exposure of general public and in workers, as well as in provisions relating to restrictions on EMF originating from products placed on the EU market (1999/5/EC).

In what relates to the exposure of the general public to EMF, the above-mentioned legal restrictions are based on the guidelines of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) from 1998, as endorsed by the Scientific Steering Committee advising the EC on multi-disciplinary scientific issues.

The Council Recommendation (1999/519/EC) requires that Member States, in order to provide for a high level protection of public health, adopt a framework of basic restrictions and reference levels. The recommendations on the limitation of exposure are based on the best available scientific evidence and on the established effects on human health of EMF.

See the report at the European Commission web site.