Regulating radio-frequency fields in Italy

Abstract

Throughout the world, there has been a move to harmonize exposure limits to radio-frequency (RF) energy from sources such as mobile phones, communications transmitters, radar, industrial equipment, and the like. Harmonization, in practice, means the adoption of a consistent set of exposure limits in different nations around the world. Precautions taken in Italy are discussed, as are the Vatican radio transmitters, public controversy, health concerns, politics and the science involved. Comments Copyright 2002 IEEE. Reprinted from IEEE Technology and Society Magazine, Volume 21, Issue 4, Winter 2002-2003, pages 23-27. Publisher URL: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/tocresult.jsp?isNumber=26296&puNumber=44 This material is posted here with permission of the IEEE. Such permission of the IEEE does not in any way imply IEEE endorsement of any of the University of Pennsylvania's products or services. Internal or personal use of this material is permitted. However, permission to reprint/republish this material for advertising or promotional purposes or for creating new collective works for resale or redistribution must be obtained from the IEEE by writing to pubs-permissions@ieee.org. By choosing to view this document, you agree to all provisions of the copyright laws protecting it. This journal article is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/be_papers/29 PRECAUTION AND CONTROVERSIES: Regulating Radio-Frequency Fields in Italy Paolo Vecchia and Kenneth R. Foster IEEE Technology and Society Magazine, Winter 2002/2003 23 chia) serves as a member. The ICNIRP limits (as well as similar limits developed by the IEEE) had been designed by expert committees after a review of a large and in places inconsistent scientific literature. They are designed to avoid all known hazards of RF energy, with a large safety margin. They do not, however, protect against possible hazards from longterm exposures at low levels, such as would be experienced by a resident near a cellular base station. Indeed, a number of independent reviews, by ICNIRP and other expert groups around the world, have consistently failed to identify any such hazards. Not all governments agree with this approach. Italy, the only 0278-0079/02/$17.00©2002IEEE T hroughout the world, there has been a move to “harmonize” exposure limits to radio-frequency (RF) energy from sources such as mobile phones, communications transmitters, radar, industrial equipment, and the like. “Harmonization,” in practice, means the adoption of a consistent set of exposure limits in different nations around the world. For practical reasons related to the extensive and increasing globalization of wireless communications, and for philosophical reasons such as the desire to provide a consistent level of protection to different populations around the globe, harmonization has widespread support of governments and industry alike. In July 1999, for example, the Council of the European Union (EU) passed a recommendation for a common framework of regulations for human exposure to electromagnetic fields including RF energy [1]. The Council urged its member states to adopt the guidelines of the International Commission on Nonionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), an influential commission on which one of the present authors (VecPaolo Vecchia is with the National Institute of Health, Physics Laboratory, Istituto Superiore di Sanita, Viale Regina Elena 299, I00161 Rome, Italy. Kenneth R. Foster is with the Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104. Fig. 1. Vatican radio transmitters located about 20 km north of Rome that have been the source of controversy about possible health effects of radiofrequency energy. vecchia.qxd 12/24/02 12:57 PM Page 23