If you've ever wandered through a town, you may have seen tiny mini 5G cell towers on the poles of street lights. They look like small boxes, but they're actually broadcasting wireless signals from cell phone providers to your mobile.
They are replacing larger specially-designed cell towers. Although they're not as visible but they can still create issues for users.
It is the Federal Communications Commission's Radiation Exposure Thresholds
The FCC's Radiation Exposure Thresholds define the safe distance that one can expose to electromagnetic energy generated by wireless devices. The limits of exposure are based on scientific data that show that RF energy can be harmful to human health.
The absorption rate specific (SAR) is a measure of the radiofrequency energy absorbed by tissue. It is typically 1.6 watts per kilogram, spread over a kilogram of tissue.
But, since 5g operates at higher frequencies and has the potential to cause greater energy intensity on the skin and other exposed body parts. This could lead to many potential problems, including an increased appearance of skin disorders like dermatitis, skin cancer and cataracts.
Due to the possible harmful effects of radiation from 5G, PSU has chosen to create a general limits on power density, which is 4mW/cm2 measured across 1 centimeter, and not exceeding 30 minutes for the entire 5G spectrum at 3000 GHz. This localized limit is in accordance with the maximum SAR that is spatially averaged at 1.6 W/kg, averaged over one grams of tissues at six GHz.
The FCC's Maximum Exposure Thresholds for Maximum Exposure
Have you ever used a cell phone, you're probably aware that a safe range from the tower is at least 400 meters away. This is because the transmitting power of cell towers increases drastically the farther you are from it.
Although this may sound like an ideal idea however, people living in close proximity to towers might be more susceptible to health issues. For example, a study from 2014 in India found that residents who lived within 50m of cell towers had much more health problems than those living further far from antennas.
This study revealed that those who relocated to areas that were further from cell towers noticed their symptoms improve within a few days. Another study has demonstrated that exposure to extreme levels of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs) can cause brain tumors, cancers, and other health problems.
This is because the RF radiation used in wireless communication, can penetrate the human body's outer layer, called the skin. This is vital to be aware of because the skin serves as a shield against mechanical injury, infection by pathogenic microorganisms, and the entry of harmful substances. It is also the largest organ of the human body and is responsible for maintaining the integrity of other organs.
The FCC's Minimum Exposure Thresholds
The FCC's Minimum Exposure Thresholds rely on various assumptions that aren't supported by scientific research. These include the erroneous assumption that short-term exposures to RF radiation is safe due to minimal penetration into the body (i.e. thermal heating of tissue).
This assumption does not take into account the more extensive penetration of ELF components of modulated RF signals and the effects of short bursts of heat generated by RF waves that are pulsed. These theories are not compatible with the current understanding of biological consequences of RF radiation. As such what is a safe distance from a cell tower shouldn't be used for health protective exposure standards.
Furthermore there is the fact that both ICNIRP and FCC are limiting their maximum exposure limits to local peak SARs based on the maximum frequency of absorption (psSAR), which can be described as not a sufficient dosimetric tool to determine the degree of radiation exposure. In what is a safe distance from a 5g cell tower is inconclusive when frequencies exceed 6 GHz. Additionally, psSAR hasn't been tested for RF radiation with co-exposure to other environmental agents , such like sunlight. The interactions of RF radiation and other agents in the environment could result in antagonistic or synergistic results. This could result in an increased risk of adverse health consequences. For example, co-exposure to RF radiation and sunlight could cause an increase in the incidence of skin cancer, and may also exacerbate other skin conditions like acne.