products can pose a hazard to health, and what can be done to mini-
mize any potential risk. This information may be used to respond to
questions.
Why the concern?
Mobile phones emit low levels of radio frequency energy (i.e., radio
frequency radiation) in the microwave range while being used. They
also emit very low levels of radio frequency energy (RF), considered
non-significant, when in the stand-by mode. It is well known that high
levels of RF can produce biological damage through heating effects
(this is how your microwave oven is able to cook food). However, it is
not known whether, to what extent, or through what mechanism,
lower levels of RF might cause adverse health effects as well. Although
some research has been done to address these questions, no clear
picture of the biological effects of this type of radiation has emerged
to date. Thus, the available science does not allow us to conclude that
mobile phones are absolutely safe, or that they are unsafe. However,
the available scientific evidence does not
demonstrate any adverse
health effects associated with the use of mobile phones.
What kinds of phones are in question?
Questions have been raised about hand-held mobile phones, the kind
that have a built-in antenna that is positioned close to the user's head
during normal telephone conversation. These types of mobile phones
are of concern because of the short distance between the phone's
antenna--the primary source of the RF--and the person's head. The
exposure to RF from mobile phones in which the antenna is located at
greater distances from the user (on the outside of a car, for example)
is drastically lower than that from hand-held phones, because a per-
son's RF exposure decreases rapidly with distance from the source.
The safety of so-called "cordless phones," which have a base unit con-
nected to the telephone wiring in a house and which operate at far
lower power levels and frequencies, has not been questioned.
How much evidence is there that hand-held mobile phones
might be harmful?
Briefly, there is not enough evidence to know for sure, either way;
however, research efforts are on-going.
To Next Page
Loading...