The EMFSA Environmental Health Update: July 2026 brings together research, regulation, and reporting across electromagnetic fields, climate, and public health. From electrical safety hazards facing children to Italian court rulings on the precautionary principle, this edition covers a wide range of topics relevant to environmental health in South Africa and beyond.

Published by EMFSA | 1st August 2026

Children and Electrical Safety

Our lead story examines electrical hazards facing children that extend far beyond wall sockets. From button batteries in greeting cards to lithium-ion fires in e-scooters, the risks span everyday products, wearable tech, and viral social media trends. This article synthesizes recent medical case reports, regulatory updates, and safety guidance — from water safety to e-bikes, LED illumination, and social media challenges.

Mobile Network Exposure Follows Human Activity

A new study tracking RF-EMF exposure across ten European countries found that mobile network radiation rises and falls in lockstep with human activity. Nighttime levels dropped by up to 48% compared to daytime peaks. Over 17 months of continuous monitoring, researchers documented predictable daily cycles and modest weekend dips. It’s a reminder that a quick spot measurement can miss the bigger picture. [Read a breakdown of the study.]

Heat, Climate, and Technology

This month’s newsletter explores three interconnected climate stories.

• First: heat domes in the U.S. Midwest are creating atmospheric conditions causing radio, TV, and microwave signals to travel hundreds of miles farther than usual — disrupting communications across the region. 
• Second: data centres contribute to localized “data heat islands” with significant environmental impact, warming land around them by up to 16°F. 
• Third: extreme heat events are triggering new liability trends in insurance, with engineers potentially facing professional liability claims where infrastructure design proves inadequate.

Nature, Tranquillity, and Public Health

Two studies reinforce the importance of considering not only environmental hazards but also the health benefits of restorative environments. A review in Noise & Health proposes tranquillity should be regarded as an environmental determinant of health. Another experimental study found that both restored forest and birdsong promote psychological well-being. These findings have particular relevance for South Africa, where access to safe, well-maintained green spaces remains limited in many townships and underserved communities.

The Precautionary Principle in Consumer Law

Italy’s Supreme Court (Court of Cassation) issued a new ruling on manufacturer responsibilities. Manufacturers may now have a duty to warn consumers when scientific uncertainty surrounds potential risks.

The decision shifts focus from proven harm to informed consumer choice. Companies must provide sufficient information even when risks remain unproven.

Importantly, the ruling does not establish that mobile phone RF exposure causes disease. However, it acknowledges that scientific uncertainty does not remove the need for precautionary information where potential risk cannot be excluded.

 Prefer the full newsletter format? Read the complete July 2026 edition here https://mailchi.mp/emfsa/emfsa-july-2026-newsletter

• Credit for the image used in the post above: Zetong Li on Unsplash

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Children and toys are a natural combination, and mandatory safety standards and regulations are intended to reduce the risk of injury from electric toys and other electrical products for children. However, it is still important for parents and caregivers to understand potential hazards and supervise children appropriately.

Published by EMFSA | 30th July 2026

Electrical Safety

Electrical toys and products powered by batteries or connected to mains electricity might introduce additional hazards that parents and caregivers should understand. These include: 

• Electric shock
• Burns
• Fire
• Short circuits

Water and Electricity

Explain to children that water and electricity don’t mix.

• Don’t allow children to play with electrical toys near water
• Never let children touch buttons, switches, or plugs with wet hands
• Never immerse battery-powered toys unless the manufacturer specifically states they are waterproof. (1)

Electrical Installations

• Electricity pylons, transformer houses, substations and railway electrical infrastructure can present serious hazards. Children should not play near these structures.
• High-voltage and overhead power lines: Adults and children should avoid flying helium balloons and kites near overhead power lines.

Fatal Electrocution of a Child During Kite Flying: A Case Report

A 2026 case report described the fatal electrocution of a child during kite flying after the kite string came into contact with an overhead power line. The case illustrates the potentially fatal consequences of flying kites close to electrical infrastructure.  (2)

Drones

• Remote-controlled drone: Remote-controlled drones should be operated in accordance with applicable aviation regulations and kept well away from overhead power lines and substations. (3, 4)
• Electric fences: Electric fences typically deliver brief high-voltage, low-current pulses and are designed not to be life-threatening under normal operating conditions. Nevertheless, children should never be left unattended near them. (4)

Batteries and Magnets

Take extra care with toys that contain small batteries (button or lithium coin cells) and small magnets, especially high-powered (rare-earth) magnets. These can become loose and pose a serious hazard to young children. Young children may swallow batteries or magnets, or insert them into their nose or ears. Swallowing powerful magnets can cause serious internal injuries. (5)

Button Batteries

Button batteries are a medical emergency if swallowed or inserted into the nose or ear. They can cause serious tissue injury within a short period of time. 

Button batteries can be found in small remotes, car key fobs, mini remotes that control MP3 speakers, calculators, bathroom scales, reading lights, flameless candles, talking and singing books, singing greeting cards, watches, thermometers, hearing aids, flashing jewelry, ornaments, games and toys. (6)

In 2022, the U.S. government enacted Reese’s Law to improve child safety regarding button batteries. (7)

Battery Safety Tips

• Keep spare and used button batteries out of children’s reach.
• Ensure battery compartments are secure and cannot be easily opened by children.
• Stop using toys with damaged batteries or battery compartments.
• Use only the charger recommended by the manufacturer.
• Replace damaged rechargeable batteries promptly.

Lithium-ion Batteries

In 2025, a medical journal documented the case of a young boy who was burned when a portable lithium-ion charger caught fire in his pocket while he was using his phone. The experience had an impact beyond his physical injuries. The family subsequently changed the way they approached battery safety, and both the child and his parents went on to share their experience to help raise awareness of the potential risks. (8)

E-bike and Electric Scooters/bicycles (e-scooters/bikes)

The Canadian Paediatric Society advises that children younger than 16 years should not operate or ride as passengers on e-bikes or e-scooters. The Society states that e-scooters and e-bikes are not toys and were not designed for children.  (9)

Riding Toward Danger: A Scoping Review of Burns Associated With Personal Mobility Devices, Including Electric Bikes (E-Bikes) and Electric Scooters (E-Scooters)

Burns associated with lithium-ion batteries in personal mobility devices, including e-bikes and e-scooters, are an emerging safety concern. The review highlights the importance of safety education, compliance with applicable regulations and careful use of personal mobility devices, including products involving battery modifications or DIY conversion kits. (10)

Electric Scooter Battery Detonation: A Case Series And Review Of Literature

Lithium-ion battery failures can result in intense fires and thermal runaway, which can spread rapidly. 

Thermal runaway can result from several failure mechanisms and is not limited to batteries that are actively charging. (11)

Injuries Associated With Electrical Flash Burns in Children Caused by E-bike Batteries

A published report describes electrical flash-burn injuries in children associated with e-bike batteries and highlights the importance of recognising this type of injury and providing appropriate safety information to families. (12)

Hoverboards and Self-balancing Boards 

The batteries in these devices can present a serious fire risk if used, charged or sourced incorrectly. Counterfeit and substandard battery chargers can also pose serious safety hazards. (13) 

Heated Clothing

Full-Thickness Burn Resulting From an E-Sock: A Case Report

A published case report described a full-thickness burn associated with a lithium-ion battery-powered heated sock. The case highlights the need for caution when using battery-powered heated clothing and the importance of following manufacturer safety instructions. (14)

Laser Toys

A published case series has reported retinal injuries following childhood exposure to laser products marketed as toys, highlighting a potential public-safety concern. (15)

LED Toys

Some children’s toys—including cuddly toys, dolls, drawing tablets, toy trucks, spinning tops and illuminated board games—contain LEDs. Children’s eyes do not yet filter blue light as effectively as adults’ eyes, allowing more blue light to reach the retina. Some LEDs emit a high proportion of blue light, and ANSES has expressed concern that current toy eye-safety standards may not adequately protect children. 

Excessive close-range exposure to high-blue-light-emitting LEDs may pose a risk of retinal photochemical injury and may also affect circadian rhythms and sleep, particularly when used in the evening. (16)

Social Media Toy Challenges

Severe pediatric burn injuries following a social media trend involving a microwaved toy: A case report and warning

A 2026 case report described significant facial burns in a 10-year-old girl following an online activity involving a microwaved frozen stress ball. The authors highlighted the case as an example of the potential for social-media trends to expose children to serious injury risks. (17)

Additional Resources: 

Toy safety regulations 2026: Key updates for the EU, UK, US, and China https://www.eurofins.com/en/consumer-product-testing/softlines-hardlines/news-articles/toy-safety-regulations-2026-key-updates-for-the-eu-uk-us-and-china

References

[1] ESFI. Electrical Gifts for Children. https://www.esfi.org/electrical-gifts-for-children/

[2] Vadysinghe AN, Seneviratne P, Ekanayake KB, Ekanayake NK, Wickramasinghe CU, Sanjaya B. Fatal Electrocution of a Child During Kite Flying: A Case Report. Arch Med Sadowej Kryminol. 2026 May 28;76(1):76-81. doi:10.4467/16891716AMSIK.26.007.23583. PMID: 42325150. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42325150/

[3] National Grid UK. Drone Safety. https://customer.nationalgrid.co.uk/advice-and-guidance/staying-safe/drone-safety

[4] VDE. Children and Electricity. https://www.vde.com/topics-en/consumer-protection/children-and-electricity

[5] Montreal Children’s Hospital. Toy Safety. Trauma Injury Prevention. https://montrealchildrenshospital.ca/trauma-injury-prevention/toy-safety/

[6] UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals. The Dangers of Children Swallowing Button Batteries. https://www.ucsfbenioffchildrens.org/education/the-dangers-of-children-swallowing-button-batteries

[7] Steelman SH, Carpenter C, Jordan KS. Button Battery Ingestion: A Tiny Object with the Potential for a Catastrophic Outcome. Advanced Emergency Nursing Journal. 2025;47(2):122–128. doi:10.1097/TME.0000000000000565. Copyright © 2025 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.

[8] van de Warenburg MS, Riesmeijer SA, Hummelink S, Ulrich DJO, Vehmeijer-Heeman MLA W. Burn by Battery, the Dangers of Portable Devices – A Case Report. Burns Open. 2025;9(Supplement C):100388. doi:10.1016/j.burnso.2024.100388. Open Access under CC BY 4.0 License

[9] Canadian Paediatric Society. Electric Scooters and Bikes: Not Safe for Kids. Caring for Kids. Safety and Injury Prevention. https://caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/safety-and-injury-prevention/electric-scooters-and-bikes

[10] Warner-Levy J, Herieka M, Sheikh Z. Riding Toward Danger: A Scoping Review of Burns Associated With Personal Mobility Devices, Including Electric Bikes (E-Bikes) and Electric Scooters (E-Scooters). Journal of Burn Care & Research. 2024 Sep 6;45(5):1154-1159. doi:10.1093/jbcr/irae115. PMID: 38878005. Open Access under CC BY 4.0 License. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11379144/

[11] Hsieh MKH, Lai MC, Sim HSN, Lim X, Fok SFD, Joethy J, Kong TY, Lim GJS. Electric Scooter Battery Detonation: A Case Series and Review of Literature. Annals of Burns and Fire Disasters. 2021 Sep 30;34(3):264-276. PMID: 34744543. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8534310/

[12] Zhao X, Shen Y. Injuries Associated With Electrical Flash Burns in Children Caused by E-bike Batteries. Journal of Burn Care & Research. 2023;44(2):347–352. doi:10.1093/jbcr/irac072. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Burn Association

[13] Electrical Safety First. Hoverboards and Self-Balancing Boards. https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/safety-advice/products-and-appliances/transport/hoverboards-and-self-balancing-boards/

[14] Greenberg K, Chang KM, Supple MD, Goverman J. Full-thickness Burn Resulting From an E-Sock: A Case Report. Wounds. 2024;36(10):327-330. doi:10.25270/wnds/24024. Copyright © 2024 HMP Global. All Rights Reserved.

[15] Ophthalmology Times. Laser ‘Toys’ Can Cause Ocular Damage in Children. https://www.ophthalmologytimes.com/view/laser-toys-can-cause-ocular-damage-children

[16] ANSES. LEDs in Toys: ANSES Calls for a Revision of the “Eye Safety” Section of the European Standard. https://www.anses.fr/en/content/leds-toys-anses-calls-revision-eye-safety-section-european-standard#

[17] Bonner R, Munro KJ. Severe Pediatric Burn Injuries Following a Social Media Trend Involving a Microwaved Toy: A Case Report and Warning. JPRAS Open. 2026 Mar 26;50:84-90. doi:10.1016/j.jpra.2026.02.017. PMID: 42099753. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13147427/

• Image credit: Generated with Lumo by Proton

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Published: 29 April 2026 | Editor

In our EMFSA April 2026 Roundup, you can read about a new study in which the authors provide the first experimental evidence that atmospheric electrical charges alone can cause pollen rupture, generating respirable subpollen particles—one of the key triggers of thunderstorm asthma. Source: Venkatesan et al. (2026).

 Historical

In 2016, Melbourne faced the world’s worst thunderstorm asthma event. A single storm affected about 10,000 people, overwhelmed hospitals, and led to 10 deaths. Ruptured rye grass pollen filled the air, causing sudden breathing crises—even among those with no history of asthma. Source: Huang et al., Asia Pacific Allergy (2022).

Electrohypersensitivity (EHS)

Explore an excerpt discussing an Electrohypersensitive  (EHS) study, as per the Swiss expert group on electromagnetic fields and non-ionising radiation (BERENIS), Newsletter No. 44, April 2026.

Tattoo-associated cutaneous sarcoidosis

Lara Saeid and colleagues from the Department of Hematology of Tishreen University Hospital, Lattakia, Syria, reported an unusual case, that underscores the systemic nature of sarcoidosis and reminds clinicians that tattoo-associated cutaneous sarcoidosis can be the first visible manifestation of a multisystem granulomatous disease.

In EMFSA April 2026 Roundup we look at Ghost Signals: Science vs speculation—what EMF can actually do today vs what’s being claimed.

Are there Static Magnetic Fields (SMF) near smartphone surfaces?

Read about a study where the authors mapped the spatial distributions of Static Magnetic Fields (SMF) near smartphone surfaces and evaluated their potential biomedical relevance using computational exposure models.

What did the authors find?

The Clock is Ticking: Ongoing IARC, WHO Research into RF-EMF. In this section we look at timelines for ongoing research.

We included a quote by Leszczynski (2023) to prompt further reflection on this topic.

And a gentle reminder that sunlight when viewed through normal glass is not the same as natural outside light.

Link to our April 2026 Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/emfsa/magnetic-field-mats-what-to-know

Further reading

References:

Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH). (2025, July 1). Magnetic field mats https://www.bag.admin.ch/dam/en/sd-web/LWdHoJeMwMjk/Fact-sheet-magnetic-field-mats.pdf 

Venkatesan S, Zare A, Alinaghipour B, Lamont J, Ristovski ZD, Morton DAV, Stevanovic S. Impact of Atmospheric Charge Regimes (Static Fields and Arcing) on Airborne Tree Pollen Rupture under Dry and Wet Conditions. Environ Sci Technol. 2026 Apr 7;60(13):10129-10138. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5c16155. Epub 2026 Mar 26. PMID: 41887923. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41887923/ 

Huang F, Wang DH, Foo CT, Young AC, Fok JS, Thien F. The Melbourne epidemic thunderstorm asthma event 2016: a 5-year longitudinal study. Asia Pac Allergy. 2022 Oct 27;12(4):e38. doi: 10.5415/apallergy.2022.12.e38. PMID: 36452015; PMCID: PMC9669468. Copyright © 2022. Asia Pacific Association of Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36452015/

Swiss expert group on electromagnetic fields and non-ionising radiation (BERENIS), Newsletter No. 44, April 2026  https://www.bafu.admin.ch/en/berenis-newsletter-en 

Woman Develops Systemic Sarcoidosis After Eyebrow Tattoo – Medscape – April 27, 2026 https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/woman-develops-systemic-sarcoidosis-after-eyebrow-tattoo-2026a1000d87 

L. Zastko, L. Kubičková, J. Míšek, I. Kuchta, L. Makinistian and I. Belyaev, “Characterization of Static Magnetic Fields Produced by Smartphones,” in IEEE Journal of Electromagnetics, RF and Microwaves in Medicine and Biology, doi: 10.1109/JERM.2026.3683318. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11494332

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6th Dec 2023

The ban on mobile phones in Russian school classrooms is now legally mandated by the Russian Parliament- State Duma, effective today.

The ban was established for the first time in the mandatory Sanitary Regulations from January 2021. Now the ban on the use of mobile phones in school lessons has been included in the Russian Education Law. 

This outcome is the result of work the Russian National Committee on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection began in conjunction with Professor. V. Kuchma’s team in the summer of 2020 – reducing the risk to children’s health from a complex of harmful factors associated with information and communication technologies. Among the sources of risk in the first place is a cell phone or smartphone.

Source:

Dr.  Oleg A. GRIGORIEV

Dr. Sc.  (radiobiology), Ph.D.  (radiobiology & hygiene of non-ionizing radiation)

Chairman, Russian National Committee on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection

Chairman of the Non-ionizing Radiation Departments, Scientific Consul for Radiobiology of the Russian Academy of Science and Radiobiology Scientific Society of the Russian Academy of Science.

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Key Points

Question  Is artificial light at night (ALAN) associated with sleep disorders in Chinese children?

Findings  In this cross-sectional study including 201 994 participants from the National Chinese Children Health Study, children with high levels of outdoor ALAN exposure had increased sleep scores and increased odds of sleep disorder symptoms. Children’s age modified the associations of outdoor ALAN with sleep score and sleep disorders, and the associations were generally stronger in children younger than 12 years.

Meaning  These findings suggest that reducing the amount of outdoor light pollution in China could reduce the severity of sleep disorders among children.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2792494

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The app is a major source of raw location data for a multibillion-dollar industry that buys, packages, and sells people’s movements

By: Jon Keegan and Alfred Ng

December 6, 2021

Life360, a popular family safety app used by 33 million people worldwide, has been marketed as a great way for parents to track their children’s movements using their cellphones. The Markup has learned, however, that the app is selling data on kids’ and families’ whereabouts to approximately a dozen data brokers who have sold data to virtually anyone who wants to buy it. 

Through interviews with two former employees of the company, along with two individuals who formerly worked at location data brokers Cuebiq and X-Mode, The Markup discovered that the app acts as a firehose of data for a controversial industry that has operated in the shadows with few safeguards to prevent the misuse of this sensitive information. The former employees spoke with The Markup on the condition that we not use their names, as they are all still employed in the data industry. They said they agreed to talk because of concerns with the location data industry’s security and privacy and a desire to shed more light on the opaque location data economy. All of them described Life360 as one of the largest sources of data for the industry. 

“We have no means to confirm or deny the accuracy” of whether Life360 is among the largest sources of data for the industry, Life360 founder and CEO Chris Hulls said in an emailed response to questions from The Markup. “We see data as an important part of our business model that allows us to keep the core Life360 services free for the majority of our users, including features that have improved driver safety and saved numerous lives.”

A former X-Mode engineer said the raw location data the company received from Life360 was among X-Mode’s most valuable offerings due to the sheer volume and precision of the data. A former Cuebiq employee joked that the company wouldn’t be able to run its marketing campaigns without Life360’s constant flow of location data. 

Read more at: https://themarkup.org/privacy/2021/12/06/the-popular-family-safety-app-life360-is-selling-precise-location-data-on-its-tens-of-millions-of-user

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High levels of exposure can increase risk of short-sightedness by up to 80%

Date: October 7, 2021

Source: Anglia Ruskin University

Summary: A new study has revealed a link between screen time and higher risk and severity of myopia, or short-sightedness, in children and young adults.

A new study published in one of the world’s leading medical journals has revealed a link between screen time and higher risk and severity of myopia, or short-sightedness, in children and young adults.

The open-access research, published this week in The Lancet Digital Health, was undertaken by researchers and eye health experts from Singapore, Australia, China and the UK, including Professor Rupert Bourne from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU). The authors examined more than 3,000 studies investigating smart device exposure and myopia in children and young adults aged between 3 months old and 33 years old.

After analysing and statistically combining the available studies, the authors revealed that high levels of smart device screen time, such as looking at a mobile phone, is associated with around a 30% higher risk of myopia and, when combined with excessive computer use, that risk rose to around 80%.

The research comes as millions of children around the world have spent substantial time using remote learning methods following the closure of schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read more at:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/10/211007122131.htm

Journal Reference:

1. Joshua Foreman, Arief Tjitra Salim, Anitha Praveen, Dwight Fonseka, Daniel Shu Wei Ting, Ming Guang He, Rupert R A Bourne, Jonathan Crowston, Tien Y Wong, Mohamed Dirani. Association between digital smart device use and myopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet Digital Health, 2021; DOI: 10.1016/S2589-7500(21)00135-7

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Abstract

COVID-19 has caused obstacles in continuing normal life almost everywhere in the world by causing the implementation of social distancing and eventually imposing the lockdown. This has become the reason for the increase in technology usage in daily life for professional work as well as for entertainment purposes. There has been an increased prevalence of technology usage in adolescents and children during lockdown leaving its impact on their lives either in a positive or negative aspect. The overall documented percentage increase of technology usage in children was about 15%, of which smartphone usage has 61.7% of prevalence. Disturbance in brain functioning is suggested to be originated by compromise of neuroplasticity of the nerves. The radiofrequency (RF) radiations emitting from the smartphone are of doubtful concern as a brain tumor risk factor in children. The increased usage can have effects on brain functioning that will compromise sleep and cognitive abilities and develop risk for certain mental illnesses including, but not limited to, depression, anxiety, Alzheimer’s disease, and attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD). Despite being a threat for developing mental illness, video games are proven to reduce depression and anxiety, and increase creativity, skills, and cognition in children. The increased usage of technology can have a positive and negative impact on the mental development of adolescents and children depending on the trends in the usage. However, parents should be monitoring their children’s mental health and behavior in these difficult times of pandemic.

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/9/1126

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Abstract

Background and aims:

The outbreak of COVID-19 led to a significant psychological impact on individuals, particularly those belonging to vulnerable groups. This study aimed to synthesize literature on the psychological impact of COVID-19 among children and adolescents.

Methods:

Electronic search engines were used to identify studies till March 2021 that reported symptoms of psychological origin in children and adolescents. Information was extracted using a predefined template, and qualitative analysis was conducted using STROBE.

Results:

One hundred and two relevant papers were identified. Most of the studies were conducted online or telephonically. The study designs were primarily single group cross-sectional, though a few prospective/retrospective designs were also identified. Studies assessing emotional distress showed variable levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms in the study population, with greater severity of anxiety symptoms among females and older adolescents. Reduced physical activity; delayed sleep time; increased sleep duration, screen time, internet use, and sedentary habits, poor quality of life were other notable findings, often correlating with anxiety/depression. Efforts to address bias, discussion on generalizability of their results, and sample size calculation were not reported in most studies.

Conclusion:

Psychological impact on children/adolescents is significant, either due to the fear of the illness or social isolation related to COVID-19. One may focus on improving sleep habits and physical activity and regulating internet use for maintaining psychological well-being.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/02537176211021789

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Long-term exposure to physical agents can be detrimental to children due to their vulnerability. This study aimed to assess and compare the electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure level around the kindergartens from the underground transmission line (UGTL). We investigated randomly selected 24 kindergartens based on the location of the UGTL. The EMF emission levels were measured using an EMDEX II (Electric and Magnetic Digital Exposure Meter). The maximum mean value of the EMF emission level was 13.5 mG around the kindergartens and 17.7 mG from the point of UGTL to kindergartens. EMF emission level around the kindergartens was significantly associated with the location of the UGTL (t = −7.35, P < 0.001). These estimates are not trivial, as long-term exposure to EMF among kindergarten children can lead to different health problems. Routine monitoring of EMF emission levels is recommended including the awareness of EMF exposure to public citizens.

Extract

Our preliminary findings have implications for the design of larger studies and the improvement of EMF-related policies in South Korea and other nations. Besides, EMF exposure effects on children are not well-established, children’s susceptibility to EMF exposure should be lowered, and safety precaution standards should be enforced. Furthermore, potential hazards from EMF exposure should be studied more accurately to develop appropriate public policy for the protection of the children’s health.

Conclusion

This article provides the ideal concept for conducting the personal EMF exposure assessment from UGTL among the children for future EMF-related epidemiological studies. It is not appropriate to ignore the fact that EMFs are potentially carcinogenic to children. Proper installation solutions should be implemented for the minimization of the EMF level around the public sensitive areas with routine monitoring.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fped.2021.694407/full

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