Electrical Revolution

Myths of Electromagnetic Field (EMF) Radiation Through Mobile Towers

In this post, myth about electromagnetic radiation through mobile tower is discussed on various studies and research. People always believe that electromagnetic radiation through mobile tower is harmful but it is not true 100%.

The EMF radiation is a Radio Frequency/Electromagnetic energy emitted from mobile tower antenna and mobile handset are non-ionizing having very low energy.
According to studies and scientific evidence, it is found that there is no conclusive evidence of the stated danger of EMF radiation from mobile tower. Further, the EMF emissions from a mobile tower, which are below the safe limits prescribed by International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and recommended by World Health Organization (WHO), have no convincing scientific evidence of causing adverse health effects.

Department of Telecommunication, India on electromagnetic radiation of mobile towers

Department of Telecommunication (DoT), through its field units has already taken necessary steps and adopted stricter norms for safety from EMF radiation that are emitted from mobile towers.
DoT has adopted the radiation norms which are 10 times stricter than the norms prescribed by ICNIRP as recommended by WHO.
All the information on Mobile tower radiation is available to the public on DoT’s website:

https://dot.gov.in/journey-emf

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Mobile Tower Installation Rules and Regulation

DoT and Telecom. Service Providers (TSPs) take various measures to ensure the EMF compliance of mobile towers/Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) to safe limits.
All telecom service providers ensure that radiation from mobile towers are within safe-limits prescribed by DoT and self-certification to this effect is submitted to respective DoT, field units on launch, whenever a change occurs and also on a biennial/triennial basis.
All mobile towers start functioning commercially only after the submission of self-certification.

Mobile Towers and EMF Emission Portal

Department of Telecom (DoT), Ministry of Communications has a web portal for Information sharing on Mobile Towers and EMF Emission Compliances. The portal can be accessed at

www.tarangsanchar.gov.in.

The EMF Portal provides a public interface where an easy map-based search feature has been provided for viewing the mobile towers in vicinity of any locality.
The information on EMF compliance status of mobile towers can be accessed.
Additionally, any person can request for EMF emission measurement at his/her premises by paying a nominal fee of ₹ 4000/- online.
Testing of radiation of working mobile towers is regularly carried out by field unit of DoT Delhi on sample basis which is up to 5% of the total working mobile towers (BTS) annually.
Additionally, the BTS sites against which there are public complaints are also tested by License Service Area (LSA) field unit of DoT.

BTS ( Mobile Tower )Site Testing

If the BTS or mobile tower testing site fails to meet EMR criterion, Rs. 20 Lakh per BTS per incidence has been prescribed, BTS whose exposure ratio/index is more than 1.
If the site becomes compliant after removing contribution of that rogue BTS(s).
However, if the site is not compliant even after removing the contribution of that rogue BTS (s), then a penalty in proportion to the exposure ratio (Rs. 20 lakh x Exposure Ratio) is prescribed to be imposed on all the remaining participating BTSs.
In addition to levy of financial penalty as mentioned above, if the BTS is not made compliant to the EMF radiation norms within 30 days by the erring TSP, the same is required to be shut down as per prescribed procedure.

http://www.tarangsanchar.gov.in/

WHO on Electromagnetic Radiation

The World Health Organization referred approximately 25,000 studies around the world, and concluded that – Current Evidence does not confirm that existence of any health consequence form exposure to low level electromagnetic fields.
With reference to Electromagnetic Radiation emanating from cellular mobile towers, World Health Organization (WHO) in its Fact Sheet No. 304, May 2006 on Electromagnetic Fields, and Public Health (Base Stations and Wireless Technologies) has concluded that “considering the very low exposure levels and research results collected to date, there is no convincing scientific evidence that the weak RF Signals from base stations and wireless networks caused adverse health effects. From all evidence accumulated so far, no adverse short- or long-term health effects have been shown to occur from the RF Signals produced by base stations
In September 2013, WHO in online question and answers have mentioned that "Studies to date provide no indication that environmental exposure to RF fields, such as from base stations, increases the risk of cancer or any other disease."
In February, 2020, WHO has again clarified, in Q&A published on its website on “5G mobile networks and health”, that “To date, and after much research performed, no adverse health effect has been causally linked with exposure to wireless technologies.”

(https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/radiation-5g-mobile-networks-and-health).

ICNIRP Review radio frequency

The ICNIRP has reviewed the radio frequency EMF part of the 1998 Guidelines again in the year 2020 and summarized that “The only substantiated adverse health effects caused by exposure to radio frequency EMFs are nerve stimulation, changes in the permeability of cell membranes, and effects due to temperature elevation. There is no evidence of adverse health effects at exposure levels below the restriction levels in the ICNIRP (1998) guidelines and no evidence of an interaction mechanism that would predict that adverse health effects could occur due to radiofrequency EMF exposure below those restriction levels.”

(https://www.icnirp.org/cms/upload/publications/ICNIRPrfgdl2020.pdf).