Does 5G pose health risks?

5G mobile networks are going live in some UK cities, raising questions about whether the new technology poses health risks.

So what are the concerns, and is there any evidence to support it?

Like previous mobile phone technologies, 5G networks rely on signals carried by radio waves (part of the electromagnetic spectrum) transmitted between an antenna or mast and a mobile phone.

We are constantly surrounded by electromagnetic radiation from all kinds of technology, such as television and radio signals, mobile phones, and natural sources such as sunlight.

5G uses higher frequencies than previous mobile networks, allowing more devices to access the internet at faster speeds at the same time.

Because these waves travel shorter distances through urban spaces, 5G networks require more transmitter masts than traditional technologies, which are placed closer to the ground.

The electromagnetic radiation used in all cell phone technology has some people worried about increased health risks, including developing certain types of cancer.

However, the WHO, in collaboration with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), has classified all radiofrequency radiation (including some mobile signals) as “possibly carcinogenic.”

Eating pickled vegetables and using talcum powder fall into the same category.

Alcoholic beverages and processed meats are in a higher category because the evidence is stronger.

A toxicology report released by the U.S. Department of Health in 2018 and cited by people raising safety concerns found that male rats exposed to high doses of radiofrequency radiation developed a type of cancerous tumor in their hearts. It has been found.

In this study, rats were exposed to radiation from mobile phones every day for two years, starting before they were born.

The study’s senior scientist said that even for heavy users, “the exposures used in the study cannot be directly compared to the exposures humans experience when using a mobile phone.”

Dr Frank de Folk, who advises the government on mobile phone safety, said: “Some studies suggest there may be a statistically increased risk of cancer in heavy users, but to date “The evidence for a causal relationship is not sufficiently convincing to suggest a need for cell phones.” Precautions”.

However, there is a group of scientists and doctors who have written to the EU to halt the rollout of 5G.

The radio wave bands used for mobile phone networks are non-ionizing, “which means there isn’t enough energy to break down DNA and cause cell damage,” says physicist and cancer doctor. says researcher David Robert Grimes.

In the higher regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, far beyond the frequencies used by mobile phones, there are clear health risks from prolonged exposure.

The sun’s ultraviolet rays belong to this harmful category and can cause skin cancer.

There are strict advisory limits for exposure to even higher energy radiation levels, such as medical X-rays and gamma rays, both of which can have harmful effects within the human body.

“While it’s natural for people to worry about increasing their risk of cancer, it’s important to note that radio waves have much lower energy than the visible light we experience every day,” Dr. Grimes said. says.

“There is no reliable evidence that mobile phones or wireless networks are causing our health problems,” he says.

5G technology requires many new base stations. These are base stations that transmit and receive mobile phone signals.

But importantly, because there are more transmitters, each transmitter can operate at lower power levels than previous 4G technologies, which means lower levels of radiation exposure from 5G antennas.

Part of the 5G spectrum permitted by international guidelines falls within the microwave band.

Microwaves generate heat in the objects they pass through.

But at the levels used in 5G (and previous mobile technologies), the heating effect is not harmful, says Professor Rodney Croft, an adviser to the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP).

“The maximum radio frequency levels that someone in the area could receive from 5G (or any other signal in the general area) are very small, so no temperature increases have been observed so far.”

The UK government said: “Adding 5G to existing networks may slightly increase overall exposure to radio waves, but overall exposure is expected to remain low.”

The frequency range of the 5G signals being deployed is within the non-ionizing band of the electromagnetic spectrum, well below the frequency range considered harmful by ICNIRP.

“The exposures caused by 5G have been thoroughly reviewed by ICNIRP and limits are set well below the lowest levels of 5G-related radio frequencies that have been shown to cause harm,” Professor Croft said. .

The WHO says there are no known health effects from exposure to electromagnetic waves below the limits recommended by ICNIRP guidelines.