Guidelines for EMF Exposure

["Richard C. Mannix" <rcmannix@uci.edu>]

Posted on the CNN Homepage today.
-------------------------------------------------


EU urges limits on
                  electromagnetic exposure

                  June 9, 1999 
                  Web posted at: 11:53 AM EDT (1553 GMT) 

                  LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) -- European Union health ministers
agreed on
                  common guidelines Tuesday to protect the public against
excessive exposure
                  to potentially harmful electromagnetic fields. 

                  Ministers approved a nonbinding recommendation to limit
exposure, based on
                  limits and reference values drawn up last year by the
International
                  Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection. 

                  The measure sets recommended limits for exposure to
everyday sources of
                  non-ionizing radiation, including power lines, electric
appliances, electric
                  railway systems, broadcast transmitters, cellular radio
and mobile phone base
                  stations. 

                  "This is an important step towards ensuring better
protection of the public,"
                  said German Health Minister Andrea Fischer, who chaired
the meeting. 

                  The recommendation follows evidence that overexposure to
non-ionizing
                  radiation can damage humans' cardiovascular and nervous
systems and even
                  cause localized heating of body tissues, for example
through regular use of
                  mobile telephones. 

                  "It may be nonbinding, but this really puts a moral
obligation on member
                  states to make sure they provide the maximum protection
for their citizens,"
                  said Barbara Nolan, spokeswoman for acting EU Health
Commissioner
                  Padraig Flynn. 

                  Italy voted against, saying the measure did not reach far
enough. 

                  Some experts have suggested a link between exposure to
electromagnetic
                  fields and an increased risk of cancer, though the
ministers said in a
                  statement said there was "no convincing evidence" of
this. 

Rick Mannix
Health Physicist
Laser Safety Officer
Univ. of Calif., Irvine
949-824-6098
rcmannix@uci.edu
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