Abstract

The prevailing regulatory framework for light pollution control is based on establishing conditions on individual light sources or single installations (regarding features like ULOR, spectrum, illuminance levels, glare, …), in the hope that an ensemble of individually correct lighting installations will be effective to somehow solve this problem. This “local sources” approach is indeed necessary, and shall no doubt be enforced; however, it seems to be clearly insufficient for curbing the actual process of degradation of the night, and for effectively attaining the necessary remediation goals. In this paper we describe a complementary (not substitutive) ‘red-lines’ strategy that should in our opinion be adopted as early as possible in the policies for light pollution control. It is based on setting maximum values for absolute light pollution indicators and using linear models relating the indicators to the source emissions in order to establish the maximum light emissions compatible with these red-lines. This top-down approach seeks to set definite limits on the allowable degradation of the night, providing the methodological tools required for making science-informed public policy decisions and for managing the transition processes. Light pollution abatement should routinely be included as an integral part of any territorial management plan. A practical application case-study based on the night sky brightness at zenith is described to illustrate these concepts.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667010021001918?via%3Dihub

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Hygiene and sanitation->Vol 98, № 11 (2019)->FEATURES OF NATIONAL POLICY IN APPROACHES TO ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD SAFETY OF RADIO FREQUENCIES RADIATION IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES

Abstract

The article contains the analysis of modern approaches to determining the limits of the electromagnetic field of radio frequencies. The international discussion about the safe limits of electromagnetic radiation has been going on for half a century. In the 21st century, the national policy of electromagnetic safety is determined by the socio-economic priorities of countries and national legal principles of evidence of harm to health to a greater extent, than scientific data. There are three main approaches to determining the limits of electromagnetic fields. The Anglo-Saxon approach is based on the principle of passive regulation, i.e. using the recommended values of the permissible level of the electromagnetic field. The Soviet-Russian approach is based on establishing the maximum permissible level of the electromagnetic field, which guarantees no harm to present and future generations. The term of the maximum permissible level is historically associated with the concept of the priority of the nervous system responses to the influence of the electromagnetic factor. The state assumes responsibility for the scientific justification of the limit levels and implements the control functions for their observance, which allows excluding any harm to health. The third approach is based on the precautionary principle, the concept of which was first introduced in German law. It is aimed at preventing harm, in the absence of unambiguous, reliable scientific data and, in fact, it is a socially-oriented approach that takes into account social consensus in the context of the development of new technologies. Respectively, this approach implies strict maximum permissible levels (technically achievable), as well as a system of formal restrictions on placement of the electromagnetic field sources in the “susceptible” territories. Separately from the above approaches, a method of managing the safety of the electromagnetic environment in China has been formed: since 2015, electromagnetism has been fully attributed to environmental factors and is controlled by the Ministry of environmental protection. China has abandoned the hygienic regulation of the anthropogenic electromagnetic field, and the system, for establishing and monitoring the electromagnetic environment indices, combines elements of all three mentioned above approaches.

© 2019 Copyright Hygiene and sanitation.

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Abstract

There is an ongoing discussion about electromagnetic hazards in the context of the new wireless communication technology – the fifth generation (5G) standard. Concerns about safety and health hazards resulting from the influence of the electromagnetic field (EMF) emitted by the designed 5G antennas have been raised. In Poland, the level of the population’s exposure to EMF is limited to 7 V/m for frequencies above 300 MHz. This limitation results from taking into account the protective measures related not only to direct thermal hazards, but also to diversified indirect and long-term threats. Many countries have not established legal requirements in this frequency range, or they have introduced regulations based on recommendations regarding protection against direct thermal risks only (Council Recommendation 1999/519/EC). For such protection, the permissible levels of electric field intensity are 20-60 V/m (depending on the frequency). This work has been created through an interdisciplinary collaboration of engineers, biologists and doctors, who have been for many years professionally dealing with the protection of the biosphere against the negative effects of EMF. It presents the state of knowledge on the biological and health effects of the EMF emitted by mobile phone devices (including millimeter waves which are planned to be used in the 5G network). A comparison of the EU recommendations and the provisions on public protection being in force in Poland was made against this background. The results of research conducted to date on the biological effects of the EMF radiofrequency emitted by mobile telecommunication devices, operating with the frequencies up to 6 GHz, do not allow drawing any firm conclusions; however, the research evidence is strong enough for the World Health Organization to classify EMF as an environmental factor potentially carcinogenic to humans. At the moment, there is a shortage of adequate scientific data to assess the health effects of exposure to electromagnetic millimeter waves, which are planned to be used in the designed 5G devices. Nevertheless, due to the fact that there are data indicating the existence of biophysical mechanisms of the EMF influence that may lead to adverse health effects, it seems necessary to use the precautionary principle and the ALARA principle when creating environmental requirements for the construction and exploitation of the infrastructure of the planned 5G system. Med Pr. 2020;71(1).

This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31793559

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