Electromagnetic Fields
GreenFacts was contracted to prepare this summary by the DG Health and Consumers of the European Commission, which authorised its publication. See this publication on europa.eu.
Text copyright© DG Health and Consumers of the European Commission.
Text copyright© DG Health and Consumers of the European Commission.
Electromagnetic Fields Links
- Factual links
Some of the websites providing reliable scientific information on Electromagnetic Fields:
Factual links
1. International standards and reports on EMF
- EU regulations and reports on EMF are available at:
http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_determinants/environment/EMF/emf_en.htm
- The EU EMF-NET project coordinates the results of research activities related to the biological effects of electromagnetic fields, considering also the potential risks related to exposure in the working environment:
http://web.jrc.ec.europa.eu/emf-net/
Standards in the EU and many countries are based on the same scientific data, but due to small differences in interpretation they may vary from one country to another. Most use the guidelines of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) as the reference. The guidelines set by the ICNIRP vary for different frequency ranges. They provide protection against known adverse health effects.
- The 1998 guidelines of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) are available at
www.icnirp.de/documents/emfgdl.pdf.
See especially pages 508 to 515 of this document, as well as a statement on how to use them at: www.icnirp.de/documents/use.htm
- A worldwide database of standards limiting exposure to EMF has been compiled by the WHO International EMF Project. Standards for each individual country are available at:
www.who.int/docstore/peh-emf/EMFStandards/who-0102/Worldmap5.htm
2. Some Questions & Answers and FAQs on EMF
- FAQs presented by the World Health Organization: www.who.int/peh-emf/about/WhatisEMF/en/
. Note that the "Electromagnetic Fields at Low Frequencies" section is relevant to power lines.
Some additional links provided by WHO: www.who.int/peh-emf/about/faq/en/
- Q&A by GreenFacts on Electromagnetic fields from power lines, wiring & appliances – a faithful summary of the 2002 evaluation by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) on Static and Extremely Low-Frequency (ELFs) Electric and Magnetic Fields: www.greenfacts.org/en/power-lines/
- Q&A by GreenFacts on Static electric and magnetic fields – a faithful summary of the 2006 assessment by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Static Fields: www.greenfacts.org/en/static-fields/
- FAQs on electromagnetic fields from the former National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB), now part of the Health Protection Agency
in the UK:
www.hpa.org.uk/
- Q&A booklet on electromagnetic fields by the US National Institute of Environmental Health Services (NIEHS) is available at :
www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/emf/
- Q&A on mobile and wireless phones by the US Food and Drugs Administration
www.fda.gov/cellphones/
The Three-Level Structure used to communicate this SCENIHR Opinion is copyrighted by GreenFacts asbl/vzw.


