I
T’S ESTIMATED FIVE BILLION
people from a global population of
seven billion own a mobile phone,
half of which are smart phones. These
devices have revolutionised the world.
Now, friends and family are just a
click away. Films, music, news,
podcasts and shopping are all
available at the swipe of a screen.
Everything has become closer, faster
and easier thanks to smart
technology. And
while the benefi ts
of smart tech are
obvious, the
implications for
long-term health
are not so clear.
Mounting
scientifi c evidence suggests
electromagnetic fi elds (EMFs) emitted
by smart devices may damage health.
In 2011, the World Health
Organisation (WHO) classifi ed
radiofrequency EMFs as a ‘2B
carcinogen’ based on research
showing an increased risk of glioma
(malignant brain cancer) associated
with wireless phone use. Since then,
other scientists have called for a
higher-risk classifi cation of 2A to be
applied, which would put EMFs in
same category as anabolic steroids
and lead compounds.
In 2015, a group of scientists from
across the globe sent an appeal to
WHO calling for greater protection on
EMF exposure and to educate thepublic on the possible health risks. To
date, 247 scientists from 42 nations
have signed this appeal.
Most mobile phone providers in the
UK are not forthcoming with
information on EMFs, simply saying
there is no defi nitively proven risk to
health. This may be true but it isn’t
the whole picture. In the UK, the
offi cial advice from the Department
Of Health is: “Scientifi c studiessuggest electric and magnetic fi elds
are unlikely to be harmful at the levels
normally found in homes, although
there is some uncertainty regarding
certain health effects.” Not very
reassuring. Plus, buried in the small
print of most mobile phone manuals is
advice to use a hands-free option,
such as the built-in speakerphone, the
supplied headphones, or other similar
accessories and to keep the device and
its antenna at least 2.5cm (1 inch)
from your body when in use.SO WHAT ARE EMFS?
Electromagnetic radiation is emitted
by any device with an electrical
current. Electric fi elds are measured in
volts per metre (V/m), while magneticfi elds are measured in microteslas
(μT). Smart tech devices – phones,
TVs, metres, laptops, radios, routers,
speakers and alarm clocks – all emit
EMFs, as do all devices that
communicate with others via WiFi.
Household appliances, i.e. washing
machines, wiring, vacuum cleaners,
electric razors and hairdryers, emit
low-frequency EMFs. Outside the
home, power lines, substations and
phone masts emit
low-frequency
EMFs, too.
Radiofrequency
EMFs are more
intense and are
emitted by devices
likely to be closer
to your body, and for longer periods of
time, such as from mobile phones and
laptops, so the EMFs from them could
pose a higher health risk.
However, radiofrequency and
low-frequency EMFs have not been
found to damage DNA, so in that
case, what’s the problem?
‘Radio frequency is not strong
enough to break DNA strands, which
leads to the conclusion that it cannot
cause cancer,’ says Graham Lamburn
of Powerwatch, a non-profi t UK
organisation (powerwatch.org.uk) that
has been looking into links between
EMFs and health risks for 30 years.
‘However, there’s evidence EMFs at
the levels given off by mobile phones
could cause free radicals to form.EMFs
With the UK gearing up for 5G and
WiFi everywhere we go, should we
look at the health impact of EMFs?
LETS TALK ABOUT
WORDS: ANGELA KENNEDY. ILLUSTRATIONS: SHUTTERSTOCK.
More than 44% of the world’s population
has EMF exposure guideline levels at
least 10 times lower than UK guidelines.
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