ARPANSA - Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency

Introduction

Before mobile phone base stations are built or upgraded, the network operator (carrier) is required to produce a report that shows the predicted levels of radiofrequency electromagnetic energy (EME) around the new or upgraded facility. This web page and the associated web pages explain these reports and what they contain.

Regulatory Background

Mobile phone base stations include radio transmitters that radiate EME into the surrounding area. The levels of these electromagnetic fields must comply with safety limits imposed by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). The limits are given in the Radiocommunications (Electromagnetic Radiation — Human Exposure) Standard 2003. These limits are based on the ARPANSA Radiation Protection Standard - Maximum Exposure Levels to Radiofrequency Fields - 3kHz to 300GHz

ACMA also requires compliance with industry codes of practice including the Australian Communications Industry Forum (ACIF - now called Communications Alliance Ltd) C564:2004 Industry Code – Deployment of Mobile Phone Network Infrastructure. Under this Code the operators of mobile phone networks (carriers) have certain obligations when planning, installing or upgrading mobile phone base stations. These include providing information about predicted levels of EME in the vicinity of a new or upgraded facility. The Code requires this information to be prepared in accordance with the ARPANSA Prediction Methodology and presented as a report in an approved ARPANSA Environmental EME Report format. Environmental EME Reports for different mobile phone base stations across Australia can be found in  Radio Frequency National Site Archive.

ARPANSA Environmental EME Report

In 2006, the format of the ARPANSA Environmental EME Report was revised to provide more useful information to the members of the community. The older report format was used for consultation and approval submissions lodged up to 30th June 2007.

Links:

Community

The ARPANSA Environmental EME Report format

Understanding the ARPANSA Environmental EME Report

Questions & Answers on Revised Environmental EME Report Format

Industry

ARPANSA Prediction Methodology

Guide to Preparing the Revised (2006) Environmental EME Report

Recommendations for Preparing EME Reports

Regulation

ACMA Human Exposure Standard 2003

ARPANSA Radiation Protection Standard No.3 (RPS3)- Maximum Exposure Levels to Radiofrequency Fields - 3kHz to 300GHz

ACIF Code - Deployment of Mobile Phone Network Infrastructure (PDF 660kb)

 

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