ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS AND PUBLIC HEALTH: The International EMF Project
http://www.who.int/docstore/peh-emf/publications/facts_press/efact/efs181.html[2011年04月26日 16:03:35]
Fact Sheet N181
Reviewed May 1998
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS AND PUBLIC HEALTH
The International EMF Project
Recent years have seen an unprecedented increase in the number and diversity of sources of
electric and magnetic fields (EMF) used for individual, industrial and commercial purposes.
Such sources include television, radio, computers, mobile cellular phones, microwave ovens,
radars and equipment used in industry, medicine and commerce.
All these technologies have made our life richer and easier. Modern society is inconceivable
without computers, television and radio. Mobile phones have greatly enhanced the ability of
individuals to communicate with each other and have facilitated the dispatch of emergency
medical and police aid to persons in both urban and rural environments. Radars make air
travelling much safer.
At the same time, these technologies have brought with them concerns about possible health
risks associated with their use. Such concerns have been raised about the safety of cellular
mobile telephones, electric power lines and police speed-control "radar guns". Scientific
reports have suggested that exposure to electromagnetic fields emitted from these devices
could have adverse health effects, such as cancer, reduced fertility, memory loss, and
adverse changes in the behaviour and development of children. However, the actual level of
health risk is not known, although for certain types of EMF, at levels found in the
community, it may be very low or non-existent.
There is also confusion about the biological effects of non-ionizing radiations (e.g radio
waves, microwaves, etc.) versus ionizing radiations such as X-rays and gamma rays.
The conflict between concerns about possible health effects from exposure to EMF and the
development of electricity supply and telecommunications facilities have led to considerable
economic consequences. For example, electrical utilities in many countries have had to
divert high voltage transmission lines around populated areas and even halt their
construction. The installation of base stations for mobile telephone systems has been
delayed or has met opposition from the public because of concerns that the RF emissions
from these base stations might cause cancer in children. In the United States, for example,
85% of the total number of base stations needed have yet to be constructed.
Measures to significantly reduce electric and magnetic fields in the environment, below
what is now commonly accepted, are costly. It has been estimated that concerns about EMF
and health are now costing the United States economy alone some US1ドル billion annually.
However, if unacceptable health risks do occur, costly prevention measures will be required.
In May 1996, in response to growing public health concerns in many Member States over
possible health effects from exposure to an ever-increasing number and diversity of EMF
sources, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched an international project to assess
health and environmental effects of exposure to electric and magnetic fields, which became
known as the International EMF Project.
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS AND PUBLIC HEALTH: The International EMF Project
The International EMF Project brings together current knowledge and available resources of
key international and national agencies and scientific institutions in order to arrive at
scientifically-sound recommendations for health risk assessments of exposure to static and
time varying electric and magnetic fields in the frequency range 0-300 GHz. This range
includes static (O Hz), extremely low frequency (ELF, >0 - 300 Hz), intermediate
frequencies (IF, 300 Hz - 10 MHz) and radio-frequency fields (RF, 10 MHz - 300
GHz).
This Project has been devised to provide authoritative and independent peer-review of the
scientific literature, and identify and fill gaps in scientific knowledge by establishing
protocols for the conduct of research using compatible and comparable methodologies, and
by encouraging more focused research that should lead to better health risk assessments in
the EMF domain. The International EMF Project:
reviews the scientific literature on biological effects of EMF exposure;
identifies gaps in knowledge requiring research that will improve health risk
assessments;
encourages a focused agenda of high quality EMF research;
formally assesses health risks of EMF exposure after the required research is
completed;
encourages internationally acceptable uniform standards;
provides information on risk perception, risk communication, risk management; and,
advises national programmes and non-governmental institutions.
An International Advisory Committee (IAC), consisting of representatives of
international organizations, independent scientific institutions and national governments
supporting the Project, provides oversight. All activities are coordinated and facilitated by
the WHO Secretariat.
International organizations supporting and participating in the Project include (in
alphabetical order): European Commission (EC); International Agency for Research on
Cancer (IARC); International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection
(ICNIRP); International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC); International Labour Office
(ILO); International Telecommunication Union (ITU); North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The scientific work is conducted by ICNIRP and independent WHO scientific
collaborating institutions, including National Radiological Protection Board (UK),
Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz (Germany), Karolinska Institute (Sweden), Food and Drug
Administration (USA), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (USA),
National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (USA), National Institute for
Environment Studies (Japan).
Over 40 national governments have contributed to or are interested in the activities of the
Project.
Scientific activities of the International EMF Project include review meetings to arrive at
health risk assessments for various types of electromagnetic fields and their specific
application. Independent expert groups, using accepted assessment criteria, review the
literature on biological effects of EMF. These reviews are timed to allow needed research to
be completed so that the results can be included in the publications on health risk
assessments.
The International EMF Project will publish documents on risk perception, risk
communication and risk management in order to improve communications among those
concerned, including an increasingly sceptical public and workforce, about possible health
risks of EMF exposure. For more information, see the Internet site of the International EMF
Project at http://www.who.int/emf
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS AND PUBLIC HEALTH: The International EMF Project
http://www.who.int/docstore/peh-emf/publications/facts_press/efact/efs181.html[2011年04月26日 16:03:35]
As a result of the International EMF Project, a number of monographs are expected to be
published by WHO in the Environmental Health Criteria series. They will address the health
effects of exposure to RF, ELF and static fields, as well as risk perception, communication
and management, and public and occupational health policy.
It is expected that the Project will facilitate the development of universally acceptable
standards on limits of human exposure to EMF, standards on the measurement and
compliance of EMF emissions for various devices, and a better understanding on how best
to communicate information to the public and workers on possible risks from EMF
exposure.
___________________________________________________________________________
For further information, please contact the Office of Press and Public Relations, WHO,
Geneva. Telephone (41 22) 791 2599, Fax (41 22) 791 4858, Email: info@who.int
All WHO Press Releases, Fact Sheets and Features, as well as specific information on this
subject can be obtained on Internet on the WHO home page http://www.who.int
© WHO/OMS, 1998 | Concept