Mobile Phones & Health [Return to main Technology page]

Mobile phones are low power devices that transmit and receive radio waves. These connect each phone to a network of base stations, so that users can make and receive calls.

Radio waves have been used for communication for over 100 years. But the speed with which mobile phones have become so widely used is unprecedented. This has led to public concern about their impact on health.

Independent Assessment
Radio waves emitted above certain levels can cause heating effects in the body. International guidelines seek to ensure that exposure is kept below that level. All mobile phones sold in the UK meet these guidelines.

The balance of current research evidence suggests that exposure to radio waves below levels set out in international guidelines do not cause health problems for the general population. However, there is some evidence that changes in brain activity can occur below these guidelines, but isn't clear why. There are significant gaps in our scientific knowledge. This has led a group of independent experts (Commissioned by government and headed by Sir William Stewart) to recommend "a precautionary approach" to the use of mobile phones until more research findings become available.

If you use a mobile phone, you can choose to minimise your exposure to radio waves. These are ways to do so:

Keep your calls short Consider relative SAR values when buying a new phone.

Driving
Anything that distracts a driver increases the risk of accident, posing a threat to pedestrians, cyclists, passengers and other road users. You must be in proper control of your vehicle while you are driving. Any lack of concentration or momentary inattention may result in you being prosecuted. Even using a hands-free phone while driving will distract you.

Children and young people under 16
Mobile phones are very popular with young people and have obvious attractions for personal security and keeping in touch with others. Parents and young people should make their own informed choices about the use of mobile phones. The current balance of evidence does not show health problems caused by using mobile phones. However the research does show that using mobile phone affects brain activity. There are also significant gap in our scientific knowledge. Because the head and nervous system are still developing into the teenage years, the expert group considers that if there are any unrecognised health risks from mobile phone use, then children and young people might be more vulnerable than adults.

The expert group has recommended that in line with precautionary approach, the widespread use of mobile phones by children (under the age of 16) should be discouraged for non-essential calls.

In light of this recommendation the UK Chief Medical Officer strongly advise that where children and young people do use mobile phones, they should be encouraged to:

Use mobile phones for essential calls only.

Keep all calls short (talking for long periods prolongs exposure and should be discouraged)

The UK CMO's recommend that if parents want to avoid their children being subject to any possible risk that might be identified in the future, the way to do so is to exercise their choice not to let their children use mobile phones.

At Work
Mobile phones are often used at work. They can have benefits for safety, efficiency and convenience of employers and staff. Employers have legal duties to protect the health and safety of their employees. The Health and Safety Executives advises employers that they should instruct staff not to use mobile phones while driving, or doing anything else where safety is important and their use might interfere with concentration.

Where employers require staff to use mobile phone, and concerns about possible health risks are raised, employers could respond by, for example:

Explaining that mobile phones operate within international guidelines Discussing with concerned staff ways to reduce mobile phone use.

In Hospitals and Aeroplanes
The radio signals emitted by mobile phone systems can interfere with sensitive electronic equipment. In hospitals, aeroplanes and other restricted areas observe the warning signs and switch off your mobile when required.

SAR Values
It is possible to measure how much radio wave energy your body receives from each model of mobile phone. This is called the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR). From 2001, there will be a European Standard method for measuring SAR. This information will be provided to consumers for each model of mobile phone sold in the UK from this time. Users may wish to take account of these relative SAR values when choosing a mobile phone. All models sold in the UK already meet international exposure guidelines.

Hands-free Kit
The level of effectiveness of hands-free kit to reduce SAR is still uncertain. Further research is being carried out to investigate SAR levels when using phones with hands-free kit and the results will be made available as soon as they are completed.

Base Stations & Health

Base stations are radio transmitters and receivers, which form an essential link in mobile phone communications. They have antennas, mounted either on freestanding masts or on existing structures and buildings, which use radio signals similar to those used in TV and radio broadcasting. Calls pass through these antennas as people use mobile phones within their coverage areas and this coverage area is referred to as cells.

Cells usually have a radius of several kilometres. However, more base stations are needed where mobile phone usage is high. Therefore in rural areas cells can have a radius of 10km, while in towns and cities their radius may be less than few hundred metres. They overlap at the edges to ensure that mobile phone users remain within range of a base station. Without sufficient base stations in the right locations, mobile phones will not work. But people who live or work close to where they are sited sometimes expresses concerns about health.

Independent assessment and research
A group of independent experts led by Sir William Stewart has investigated the possible health effects posed by mobile phone technology including base stations, on behalf of the Government. The group looked at recent research, took evidence from scientists, and listened to the views of the public at open meetings around the UK. Their report was published in May 2000.

Their Conclusion was that: "The balance of evidence indicates that there is no general risk to the health of people living near base stations, on the basis that exposures are expected to be small fractions of guidelines".

Gaps in scientific knowledge led the Stewart Group to recommend a precautionary approach to the use of mobile phones and the base stations until more research finding become available. They added that in some cases people's well being may be adversely affected by insensitive siting of base stations.

Further research is now being set up to keep pace with developments in mobile phone technology.

Base Stations on or near schools
Although the exposure from base stations will be many times lower than from using a mobile phone, the Stewart Group acknowledged that there was some public concern about base stations located on or near schools. The pattern of radio waves emitted is generally even, but there is a zone within each cell where the concentration of waves will be slightly higher. The base station operator will be able to provide information about the pattern of radio wave emissions if a school or parents are concerned about the possibility that this zone includes a school or any part of its grounds.

Within the overall distribution of radio waves from base station across its cell, there is a zone where the concentration is higher than elsewhere.

At ground level, this zone is usually some distance from the base station. The radio waves within it are still far below the levels for safety specified in international guidelines.

National Audit
Radio waves above a certain level can cause heating effects to the body. International guidelines have been set to keep exposure to radio waves below that level.

Mobile phone network operators in the UK have agreed to comply with these international guidelines. Exposure to radio wave emissions from base stations has been calculated to be thousands of times lower than the maximum levels stipulated by the guidelines.

Some independent measurements have already been made which show compliance. However starting from Autumn 2000, a comprehensive audit of base stations is being carried out by the Radio-communications Agency. Base stations will be measured to confirm their compliance with guidelines on emission levels, and the results will be freely available from the Agency. The audit begins with base stations on school premises.

The information on these pages has been compiled from the guidance leaflets "Mobile Phones and Health" and "Mobile Phone Base Station and Health" which have been released by the Department of Health. The advice given in these leaflets is based on a report for the Government, published in May 2000, by a group of independent experts led by Sir William Stewart. The group looked at recent research, took evidence from scientists, and listened to the views of the public at open meetings around the UK.

The Government is already putting some of its main recommendations into practice. On the advice of the Stewart Group further major research, funded by government and the mobile phone industry, is now being undertaken.

For further information and up to date guidelines visit the Websites listed below.

• Department of Health www.doh.gov.uk/mobile.htm

• Report of the Stewart Group www.iegmp.org.uk

• Radiocommunications Agency (RA) www.radio.gov.uk

• World Health Organisation
  www.who.int

• Cell Phones & Cancer
  What is the evidence for a connection? Download this PDF file to read more about this topic

• US Congress Report on mobile safety
  Read this Telecommunications report into research and regulatory effort on mobile phone issues. Download PDF file