Media Release

Wednesday 28 June 2000

The full report (Levels of radiofrequency radiation from GSM mobile phone base stations) can be downloaded from our website.

Low Emissions from Mobile Phone Towers

Groundbreaking research by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) shows that environmental radiofrequency levels near base stations for the digital mobile phone network are extremely low.

And after taking measurements at base stations around Australia, ARPANSA has found that their emissions were low compared to radio and television signals measured at the same time.

The CEO of ARPANSA, Dr John Loy, said this was one of the first surveys of its kind in the world.

"By finding out if people are actually being exposed to any significant emissions, we can help efforts to assess whether there could be any effect on people's health," Dr Loy said.

"ARPANSA took measurements taken at fourteen digital mobile base stations around Australia and then compared them to the Australian Communications Authority's public exposure limits."

"All of the readings taken showed that there was a significant margin for safety based on those limits."

"The highest daily average level, taking into account the measurements from all sites we surveyed, was ten thousand times lower than the ACA limit"

"Even the highest daily average level recorded for one of the sites was still three thousand times lower than the limit. "

"Given the very low levels recorded and the relatively low power of these types of transmitters, it's highly unlikely that the radiofrequency radiation from base stations would cause any adverse health effects, based on current medical research."

"In most cases, towers used in the measurement program were chosen by local government as sites where local communities had expressed concern."

"Base station signals were monitored over a 24 hour period at each site to ensure that maximum and minimum emission levels were found, as these can vary depending on the level of demand by users in the area."

"Extensive measurements were taken in nearby streets and in places up to two kilometres from each base station," Dr Loy said.

Although the primary focus of the ARPANSA study was digital mobile phone towers, other communication bands were also monitored as part of the measurement program.

"While measuring the emissions from mobile phone towers, readings were also taken of other communications bands, including paging networks, AM & FM radio, as well as VHF and UHF TV."

"It was interesting to note that the levels of radiofrequency radiation from AM and FM radio or television were significantly higher than those from the base stations," Dr Loy said.

ARPANSA conducted the measurement program at the request of the Commonwealth's Committee on Electromagnetic Energy Public Health Issues (CEMEPHI).

ENDS