What Is the Effect of Mobile Devices on Your Health?

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Member States have approved a revised resolution on human exposure to and measurement of electromagnetic fields (EMF), ITU said Monday.

The World Health Organization (WHO) assesses the impact of radio waves on the human body, using its specialist health expertise and competence.

The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) calculates exposure limits, while ITU has expertise in a mechanism to verify compliance with levels of radio signals by calculating and measuring field strength and power density.

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The use of new (mobile and connected) devices for new services and the proliferation in the number of devices per household have resulted in multiple sources of EMF emissions.

Without adequate and accurate information, ITU says, public awareness and/or appropriate regulation, people may have concerns about the effect of radiation on their health.

ITU is working with other international organizations, standard-setting bodies (including ICNIRP, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the International Organization for Standardization / International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC)) and ICT regulators to collect and disseminate information concerning exposure to EMF and to host regional and international seminars. ITU conducts regular reviews on the latest information available and reports to Council regularly each year.

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ITU Member States instruct ITU to collect and disseminate information concerning exposure to EMF, including on EMF measurement methodologies, to assist national administrations, particularly in developing countries, to develop appropriate national regulations.

ITU Member States are invited to continue to review the issue of EMF, conduct public awareness-raising activities and to take the appropriate measures to ascertain compliance with guidelines produced by ITU.

Photo courtesy: ITU