GSM-base stations

Mobile telecommunication has undergone an extremely fast development in recent years. Its rapid spread within society has, apart from the many practical advantages associated with its use, also led to questions about the negative health consequences that may arise as a result of exposure to the electromagnetic fields used in wireless communication. Such questions are of particular concern for people who are confronted with the placing of a base station near where they live.

In response to the questions of the ministers concerned, the Health Council’s Electromagnetic Fields Committee discusses, in this advisory report, the construction of a base station and the electromagnetic fields in its vicinity. The field strengths are compared to the exposure limits proposed by the Committee, which are based on a survey of the scientific literature.

The Committee supports the exposure limits based on thermal effects as proposed in the advisory report entitled Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (300 Hz to 300 GHz) published in 1997. Non-thermal effects do not provide a scientific basis for determining exposure limits. However, the ministers asked if there is a case for application of the precautionary principle to set the exposure limits at a level lower than the values proposed on the basis of thermal effects. The Committee has adopted a pragmatic approach to this question by investigating whether there is a reasonable suspicion that there are health risks associated with non-thermal effects. To its view this is not the case for the three categories of non-thermal effects considered in this report, namely biological effects, carcinogenesis and non-specific complaints. Thus the answer to the ministers’ question is negative.

The chance of health problems occurring among people living and working below base stations as a result of exposure to electromagnetic fields originating from the antennas is, in the Committee’s opinion, negligible. The field strengths are always considerably less than the exposure limits.

On the rooftop the field strength is generally higher than in the spaces underneath the roof. As the antenna’s main beam is nearly always directed horizontally and the antennas are usually mounted a few metres above the roof surface, people on the rooftop will not be exposed to field strengths which exceed the exposure limits set for the general public.

As a rule of thumb it can be said that in an open space, the minimum distance to the antennas should be three metres in the beam and 0.5 m outside it. For most antennas this yields an extra safety margin but it is simpler and more practical to adopt the same distance for all antennas than to allow the distance to vary in accordance with the antenna’s power.

At sites where people can get closer to the antenna than the distances stated above, precautions should be taken to prevent them from doing so.

In the case of exposure of workers, being defined as people who are familiar with the risks and with the precautionary measures to reduce them, higher exposure limits apply. For a distance of more than 10 cm above, below or behind an antenna no specific precautions are required. If the distance is smaller or a person needs to be within the main beam, special safety measures need to be taken.

The Committee believes that people who live or work in an area where a base station is to be constructed should be involved in developments from the start, i.e. the planning phase. This can prevent a lot of problems, as many health problems will be the result of a fear of the unknown, especially if ‘radiation’ is involved. Where complaints arise, these should always be treated seriously. In situations where information has not been provided, supplying it can remove many problems. In cases of persistent complaints, it should be investigated whether or not low-frequency noise or vibrations are involved.

At current field strengths in residences in the vicinity of base stations, the chances of medical, electrical or other electronic equipment suffering from interference can be virtually ruled out if such equipment meets the European immunity guidelines. As medical implants such as insulin pumps, pacemakers and other stimulators must meet stricter requirements than other medical equipment, the probability of these suffering interference, and the probability of associated health problems, is even lower. Should equipment nonetheless be affected (and that will almost certainly be the case with non-medical equipment only), then this must of course be dealt with as quickly as possible. The Interference Complaints Regulation provides sufficient guidance for such cases.

In the Netherlands, there is at present no legal provision for regulating the location of antennas (and thereby base stations) on the basis of health considerations. The Committee recommends a review of the relevant legislation, for example amendments to the Telecommunications Act or the Environmental Management Act.

The Committee proposes that the technical data, a field strength calculation and, if available, any measurements be centrally registered for each base station. The German approach could serve as an example. In Germany, the registration of each antenna with the authorities, accompanied by a location certificate detailing the above-mentioned data, is a legal requirement. Such a registration might assist in inspections and enforcement of the relevant legislation and in providing information to, for example, nearby residents.

Clarity is urgently needed with regard to the division of responsibilities for monitoring the building of new base stations and of the strength of the fields emitted, and with regard to ensuring that the relevant legislation is enforced. Further statements regarding this matter fall outside the Committee’s brief. However, the Committee would like to point out that problems are more readily solved and can often even be prevented if the general public is aware as to whom they can direct their questions.

Committee