In a draft of the Law Decree “Assets and Investments“, otherwise known by the appellation of I decree to allcirculated in recent days, an article was expected which confirmed the Government’s orientation to increase i electromagnetic limits for signals radiated by mobile phone masts. “The exposure limits, the attention values and the quality objectives currently envisaged will be adjusted in the light of the most recent and accredited scientific evidence, in compliance with the rules, recommendations and guidelines of the European Union“, appeared in the text of the article in question.
In practice, the draft of the provision manifested the need to review the rules that mobile telephone operators must comply with by raising the limit of 6 V/m still in force in our country and in fact meeting the requests repeatedly advanced by the protagonists of the world of telecommunications.
Electromagnetic limits in Europe and 5G: a hot potato
We used the imperfect because in the final text of the decree, approved in the Council of Ministers on 7 August 2023, all references to the possible revision of the electromagnetic limits in force have disappeared. It is not known why the Government decided to desist but it is highly probable that the subject, perceived as extremely delicate, is deemed worthy of a more detailed and in-depth discussion to be developed at a later date.
Change the limits of electromagnetic field is a bit of a hot potato: some doctors, health professionals and environmental organizations have often gotten in the way by advising against any upward adjustment of the value in V/m permitted by law.
When we speak of “electromagnetic field limits”, we refer to the maximum levels of exposure electromagnetic radiation to which human beings may be exposed without adverse health effects.
Regulatory bodies, the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and national agencies, establish guidelines and exposure limits to electromagnetic radiation. The prescriptions are the result of scientific research and studies on the effects of electromagnetic fields on the human body.
In the article dedicated to 5G and health we tried to “dismantle” i false myths on the subject trying to access a lighthouse on the aspects that are really important.
The limit value that mobile telephone operators must respect remains fixed at 6 V/m in Europe
In Europe, the provision that fixed the value of 6 V/m as exposure limit to the electromagnetic field in residential and public areas, is the Decree of the President of the Republic (DPR) 8 July 2003, n. 294 (“Regulation containing safety standards relating to exposure to electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields“, EMC Regulation). Framework law number 36 of 2001 ratified this approach.
The limit of 6 V/m is absolutely among the lowest in Europe, despite the recommended value in EU is 61 V/m (Recommendation of the European Council number 519 of 1999). All the member countries have adapted to this value, with some exceptions including Europe. On the other hand, some countries have decided to move towards much more “permissive” limits, even if the European average is around 50 V/m. According to what has emerged, the Government intends to raise the value of the exposure limit to 24 V/m even if to date there are no official confirmations in this sense.
The pressing of the telecommunications operators
Operators in the sector have long complained that the limit threshold of 6 V/m imposes, in Europe, the need to install a more antennas with a further increase in costs, a higher environmental impact and a lower competitiveness compared to other European subjects. All to ensure end users a signal level enough it is indoor That outdoor.
In March 2020 ICNIRP has updated, on the basis of the scientific evidence available to date, its own guidelines for exposure to electromagnetic fields in the frequency range between 100 kHz and 300 GHz bringing the value to 61 V/m, equal to about 10 W/m2. The new indications supersede the previous document which was published way back in 1998.
Strength of the electromagnetic field
The value in V/m mentioned several times above refers to theelectromagnetic field strength measured in volts per metre. The electromagnetic field is a physical phenomenon generated by moving electric charges or by changes in the electric field over time. It can be produced by natural sources, such as the earth’s magnetic fields, or by man-made sources, such as electrical and electronic equipment.
In the context of wireless communications, the value in V/m is used to measure the intensity of electromagnetic fields emitted by antennas and radio stations. Assuming that we are dealing, in this case, with non-ionizing radiation and that the studies conducted over the decades have proved to be inconclusive overall, investigations carried out on mice and rats for physiology, values involved and exposure times cannot be in the least compared to real conditions and to human beings.
It is certainly good, as indicated by ICNIRP, to always apply the precautionary principle but it is also advisable to make some useful reflections. The highest exposure to the electromagnetic field is not caused by the mobile phone mast but by the“immoderate” use of the smartphone (always by ear…) or other equipment very close to the emission source. To understand this, you can try the free ElectroSmart app to measure electromagnetic fields with your smartphone or equip yourself with a RF analyzer (Radiofrequency) e ELF (Extremely low frequency), especially if of a professional type, in order to also verify the out-of-band contributions.
Monitoring of electromagnetic limits on the territory
The proposed amendment, now out of date, provided for the introduction of a mechanism of emissions monitoring electromagnetic fields on the territory involving the Ugo Bordoni Foundation and the regional agencies for the protection of the environment (ARPA). The goal was to verify the correct behavior by the operators by detecting the real emissions caused by the mobile phone towers located in our country.
For now, what has been recorded is a “nothing” but it is highly probable that the topic will soon be the subject of a new discussion.