Summary of Advice from Public Health England on Exposure to Radiofrequency
Electromagnetic Fields
Role of Public Health England
Public Health England (PHE) came into being in April 2013, and advises the Government on
all aspects of public health, including exposure to radio waves, the appropriate standards of
protection for the general population and any measures necessary to protect sensitive
groups. PHE inherited this responsibility from the former Health Protection Agency (HPA)
and it continues to develop and provide a range of published information about
radiofrequency topics. The material includes comprehensive scientific review reports and
position statements, which can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/electromagnetic-fields
Within this suite of information are statements on the following frequently mentioned
topics. The statements highlight assessments that have been done and which support the
PHE view that exposures are small in relation to guidelines and not expected to pose a
hazard to the public,
Wireless networks (Wi-Fi), as used in schools and elsewhere
Mobile phone base stations
Smart meters for monitoring of domestic energy usage
The situation with mobile phones, including their use by children, is somewhat different, as
explained below, but also covered by published information.
Public exposure guidelines for radiofrequency fields: scientific evidence and consistency
of PHE guidance with the international consensus
Central to PHE advice is that exposures to radio waves should comply with the guidelines
published by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP).
ICNIRP is formally recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO). PHE has also issued
precautionary advice to discourage the non-essential use of mobile phones by children. This
precautionary advice recognises that exposures are much higher than occur in other
situations, though still within the guidelines, when mobile phones are held to the head to
make voice calls. Similar advice is not considered necessary with the lower exposures that
occur from Wi-Fi equipment, smart meters and mobile phone base stations.
While exposure to radio waves is not new and health-related research has been conducted
on this topic for many years, a large amount of new scientific evidence has emerged over
the past few years. This knowledge has arisen through dedicated national and international
research programmes that have addressed concerns about rapidly proliferating wireless
technologies. The UK has contributed to the international research effort through various
projects that have been commissioned, including through the Mobile Telecommunications
and Health Research Programme (MTHR). As the research programmes have been coming
to fruition, scientific expert committees have been reviewing the resulting evidence and
coming to considered judgments at international, European and national levels, as explained
below.
Alongside other European Union (EU) member states, the United Kingdom supports
European Council Recommendation 1999/519/EC on limiting exposure to electromagnetic
fields (EMFs), which include radio waves. This recommendation incorporates the 1998
guidelines from ICNIRP, as advised by Public Health England. ICNIRP restated the
radiofrequency (RF) parts of these guidelines in 2009 on the basis of its own comprehensive
review of the scientific evidence published at that time. ICNIRP concluded that
the scientific
literature published since the 1998 guidelines had provided no evidence of any adverse
health effects below the basic restrictions and did not necessitate an immediate revision of
its guidance on limiting exposure to RF fields. The 2009 ICNIRP review and statement on
exposure guidelines can be found at:
http://www.icnirp.org/en/publications/article/hf-review-2009.html
The World Health Organization states that the main conclusion from its own reviews is that
EMF exposures below the limits recommended in the ICNIRP international guidelines do not
appear to have any known consequence on health. WHO is presently preparing an
Environmental Health Criteria (EHC) monograph covering the evidence in relation to
radiofrequency exposures and health. This follows earlier EHCs published in 2006 on static
fields and in 2007 on low frequency fields. Information from WHO about EMF exposure
guidelines can be found at:
http://www.who.int/peh-emf/standards/en/
The European Commission is advised on the health aspects of EMF exposures by the
Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR). SCENIHR
takes account of worldwide studies on EMFs and has produced several reports, known as
Opinions, in which it expresses views broadly in line with those of PHE, ICNIRP and WHO.
The most recent SCENIHR Opinion was published in March 2015 and contains detailed
conclusions on different aspects of the scientific evidence. A plain language summary based
on the Opinion explains that
the results of current scientific research show that there are no
evident adverse health effects if exposure remains below the levels set by current standards.
SCENIHR publications can be found through the following webpage and EMF Opinions are
under the "Physical Risks" category:
http://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/emerging/index_en.htm
PHE publishes comprehensive reviews of the scientific evidence relevant to radio wave
exposures and health from time to time. The most recent PHE-backed review was
undertaken by its own independent expert Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation
(AGNIR) and published at the end of April 2012. AGNIR undertakes comprehensive scientific
evidence reviews of the biological effects of non-ionising radiation and suggests research
priorities to improve public protection. The AGNIR report considered whether there was
evidence for health effects occurring in relation to exposures below the ICNIRP levels. The
overall conclusion was that,
although a substantial amount of research has been conducted
in this area, there is no convincing evidence that radio wave exposures below guideline levels
cause health effects in either adults or children. The AGNIR report can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/radiofrequency-electromagnetic-fields-
health-effects
Exposure to radiofrequency fields and cancer
A Working Group of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) reviewed the
health effects of exposure to RF fields in May 2011 and concluded that such exposures are
“possibly carcinogenic” to humans (Group 2B), based on IARC’s classification scheme. As
explained in the monograph itself (published in 2013) there was a minority opinion in the
Working Group that that current evidence in humans was inadequate, therefore permitting
no conclusion about a causal association. The monograph on RF fields can be found at:
http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol102/index.php
In putting the IARC “possibly carcinogenic” classification into context, it is worthy of note
that, as of March 2017, 292 substances/situations are graded 2B by IARC, 81 as the higher
“probably carcinogenic to humans” classification (Group 2A) and 119 as the highest
“carcinogenic to humans” classification (Group 1). Among all of these classifications are
many widespread and familiar substances/situations, including those listed below:
Group 2B: Pickled vegetables (traditional Asian), talc-based body powder (perineal
use), ginkgo biloba extract, petrol engine exhaust, whole leaf extract of
aloe vera, and bracken fern
Group 2A: Consumption of red meat, shift working that involves circadian
disruption, and drinking very hot beverages (>65°C)
Group 1:
Alcoholic beverages, consumption of processed meat, diesel engine
exhaust, and outdoor air pollution.
The full lists can be found at:
http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Classification/index.php
The IARC classification for radio waves was largely based on personal exposures associated
with mobile phone use and the evidence was evaluated as being
limited among users of
wireless telephones for glioma and acoustic neuroma (cancers of brain/nerve tissues in the
head), and
inadequate to draw conclusions for other types of cancers. The evidence from
environmental radiofrequency exposures, which include wireless telecommunications, was
considered
inadequate to draw conclusions.
Each carcinogenicity classification has to be looked at on its own merits, along with evidence
relating to other health effects, in deciding on what is a proportionate public health
response. IARC explains in the preamble to its monographs that their purpose is that of
carcinogenic hazard identification, which is (only) the first step in performing a health risk
assessment. For some exposures, it may be appropriate to do nothing, while for others it
may be appropriate to seek to eliminate the exposure entirely. For radio wave exposures,
the UK/PHE approach is between these two extremes and features the targeting of
precautionary advice on the situation giving the highest exposure to the largest number of
people, i.e. use of mobile phones held to the head in order to make voice calls. There is also
a particular emphasis in that advice on those considered potentially most vulnerable, i.e.
children, whose use of mobile phones should be discouraged.
HPA (now PHE) issued a response to the IARC classification when it was published and the
classification has been taken into account in PHE advice. The response can be found at:
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140714084352/http://www.hpa.org.uk/News
Centre/NationalPressReleases/2011PressReleases/110531electomagneticfields/
The topic of cancer effects also occupies a substantial part of the 2012 AGNIR report. The
Group reviewed essentially the same evidence as the IARC working group and concluded
that, although some positive findings have been reported in a few studies, overall the
evidence does not suggest that using mobile phones causes brain tumours or any other type
of cancer. The data, however, are essentially restricted to periods of less than 15 years from
first exposure because mobile phones have only been in widespread use for that long.
AGNIR considered it will be important to continue monitoring the evidence over the coming
years, including that from national brain tumour trends, which have so far given no
indication of any risk.
Continuing PHE precautionary advice about exposure to radiofrequency technologies
PHE (as the former HPA) responded to the 2012 AGNIR report maintaining its advice to
follow the ICNIRP guidelines and also maintaining the long-standing precautionary advice in
respect of exposures from mobile phones, which can give rise to exposures that approach
the international guidelines when they are held to the head to make voice calls. The
decision to maintain the precautionary approach reflected the continuing possibility of: (a)
biological effects, although not apparently harmful, occurring at exposure levels within the
ICNIRP guidelines, and (b) the limited information regarding cancer effects in the long term.
Measures that mobile phone users may take to reduce their exposures were described in
the HPA response to the AGNIR report
In responding to the AGNIR report for situations giving rise to exposures that are already
low in relation to guidelines (for example, those from Wi-Fi, smart meters or mobile phone
base stations), PHE advised that community and individual measures to reduce exposures
are not necessary. PHE is also committed to carefully continue monitoring the emerging
scientific evidence, providing any necessary advice and undertaking another comprehensive
review of the science once sufficient evidence has accumulated. The PHE response to the
AGNIR report can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/radiofrequency-electromagnetic-fields-
health-effects
Electrical sensitivity/hypersensitivity
The AGNIR report has carefully assessed whether certain people are especially sensitive to
exposures to RF fields, leading to unpleasant symptoms which affect their health. Many
studies have now been carried out, reflecting the importance ascribed to understanding the
condition and making appropriate help available to sufferers. AGNIR concludes
there is
increasing evidence that RF fields below guideline levels do not cause symptoms and cannot
be detected by people, even those who consider themselves sensitive to RF fields. PHE agrees
with AGNIR that this does not undermine the importance of the symptoms that are
experienced, but it does suggest causes other than those directly related to RF fields should
be considered.
Unfortunately, the symptoms many people complain of are all too common in society, not
just in those who consider themselves to be ill. Such findings are not new, for example in
1990, before the advent of modern communications technology, 27% of people complained
of having had a headache in the last month (Blaxter). HPA published a review of the public
health aspects of electrical sensitivity (EHS) in 2005 and this included comments on the
management of affected individuals and evaluation of treatment options. The report is
available at:
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140722091854/http://www.hpa.org.uk/Public
ations/Radiation/HPARPDSeriesReports/HpaRpd010/
In terms of a practical way forward, WHO advises in its “backgrounder” document on EHS
that
treatment of affected individuals should focus on the health symptoms and the clinical
picture, and not on the person's perceived need for reducing or eliminating EMF in the
workplace or home. EHS has no clear diagnostic criteria and there is no scientific basis to link
EHS symptoms to EMF exposure. Further, EHS is not a medical diagnosis, nor is it clear that it
represents a single medical problem. For more information on WHO’s advice please follow
the link below:
http://www.who.int/peh-emf/publications/facts/fs296/en/index.html)
Acknowledging the range of opinion about the health effects of exposure to
radiofrequency fields
Public Health England keeps emerging scientific studies worldwide under review and
supports the scientific processes and officially mandated organisations described above. It is
also aware of other reports and groups that have made pronouncements on this topic but
gives greater weight to documents that use rigorous review processes and base their advice
on the entire range of scientific information available.
Among the alternative sources of information on this topic are the 2007 and 2012
Bioinitiative Reports. PHE is aware of the contents of these reports, and of many other
reports, and has considered their contents, but it has not responded to them. In part this is
because other organisations have already reviewed these reports and drawn attention to
problems that have affected their conclusions.
The Council of Europe Resolution 1815 (2011) also makes various recommendations and
comes from the Council of Europe’s Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local
and Regional Affairs. It is not clear exactly what evidence was considered or which experts
were approached to submit evidence to their review. The Council of Europe is separate from
the European Parliament and the European Commission,
Government and Public Health England are aware that there are people and organisations
who believe more precaution is warranted for public exposure to radio waves in light of
their view of the scientific evidence. However, the published reviews by AGNIR and
internationally recognised bodies do not, in the opinion of PHE, warrant more precaution
than is already advised with respect to public exposure to radiofrequency fields.
PHE priorities for health improvement
In 2014, PHE published its report “From evidence into action: opportunities to protect and
improve the nation’s health”. The document can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/from-evidence-into-action-opportunities-to-
protect-and-improve-the-nations-health
PHE sets out in the report its seven priorities for the next 5 years, tackling obesity, reducing
smoking, reducing harmful drinking, ensuring every child has the best start in life, reducing
dementia risk, tackling antimicrobial resistance and reducing tuberculosis. Protection from
environmental hazards, including uncertain ones like exposure to radio waves, is an
important consideration for PHE, but it is also important to take a broad view across the
whole range of health topics in deciding what actions are appropriate and proportionate.
Unlike the hazards more specifically mentioned in the “From evidence into action…”
document, and despite much research, there remains no clear evidence of harm to health
from exposure to radio waves below the internationally agreed (ICNIRP) guideline levels
that are already adopted in the UK.
Promotion of UK precautionary advice about exposure to radiofrequency fields
Precautionary advice for the public on radio wave exposures has been published in a leaflet
from the Department of Health on the NHS choices website, and in more technical sources
such as the previously mentioned PHE response to the AGNIR report. PHE’s view is that
provision of this material on the internet reflects the appropriate priority of this particular
topic within the broader context of all messages directed to the public about their health.
Links to this material are below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mobile-phone-base-stations-and-health
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Mobile-phone-safety/Pages/Introduction.aspx
