If you've ever wandered through a city, you may have seen tiny 5G cell towers on street light poles. They appear like tiny boxes however they're actually sending wireless signals from cellular providers to your phone.
They are replacing the larger, purpose-built cell towers. While they're less noticeable but they can still cause issues for users.
It is the Federal Communications Commission's Radiation Exposure Thresholds
The FCC's Radiation Exposure Thresholds define the safe limit at which one can expose to electromagnetic energy from wireless devices. what is a safe distance from a cell tower are based upon scientific research which show that the energy of RF could be harmful to human health.
The specific absorption rate (SAR) is a measure of the amount of radiofrequency energy taken up by tissues. It is typically 1.6 Watts per kilogram spread over a gram of tissue.
However, because 5g transmits at higher frequencies this could be able to create more energy on the skin and other directly-exposed body parts. Learn more here can lead to various possible harms, such as an increase in formation of skin disorders like dermatitis, cataracts, and skin cancer.
Due to the possible negative effects of 5G radiation, PSU has chosen to set a general localized limits on power density, which is 4mW/cm2 measured on 1cm2, but not to exceed 30 minutes, for the entire 5G spectrum at 3000 GHz. This localized limit is in accordance with the peak SAR that is spatially averaged at 1.6 W/kg averaged over 1 5 grams of body tissue, at 6 GHz.
The FCC's Maximum Exposure Thresholds for Maximum Exposure
If you've ever operated a cell phone, you probably know that the safest location from the tower should be at least 400 meters. This is due to the power of the transmission of a cell tower increases dramatically the farther you are from it.
While it sounds like something that's good, the reality is that people living in close proximity to towers might be more susceptible to health issues. For instance, a study conducted in 2014 in India discovered that those who lived within 50m of cell towers experienced significantly more health complaints than those living further far from antennas.
However, what is a safe distance from a cell tower revealed that those who relocated to areas further away from cell towers experienced their symptoms return to normal within a couple of days. Another study has demonstrated that exposure to extreme amounts of electromagnetic field radiofrequency (EMFs) can lead to brain tumors, cancer, and other health problems.
This is due to the fact that RF radiation, which is utilized in wireless communication, can be absorbed by the body's outer layer of skin. It is vital to be aware of this since the skin functions as a shield against mechanical injury, infection caused by pathogenic microorganisms and the entry of harmful substances. The skin is the most important organ in the human body, and is accountable for maintaining the integrity of other organs.
The FCC's Minimum Exposure Thresholds
The FCC's Minimum Exposure Thresholds rely on a variety of assumptions that are not supported by scientific evidence. They include the false belief that exposures to RF radiation are safe because of the minimal penetration into the body (i.e., tissue heating).
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 current knowledge of the biological consequences of RF radiation, and thus, they should not be considered for health protection exposure standards.
Furthermore there is the fact that both ICNIRP and FCC restrict their maximum radiation limits for local peak SARs, based on the maximum spatial specific absorption rate (psSAR) which is an inadequate dosimetric tool for determining the level of radiation exposure. In particular it is inconclusive when frequencies exceed 6 GHz. In addition, psSAR is not been evaluated for RF radiation exposed to other environmental agents such like sunlight. The interactions of RF radiations with different agents in the environment could produce synergistic or antagonistic effects. This can lead to the risk of having adverse health effects. For example, co-exposure to RF radiation along with exposure to sunlight can increase the risk of skin cancer, as well as aggravate other skin conditions like acne.