Answer to Question #5164 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"

Q

My house is situated about 75 feet from a water tower. On top the tower there are 12 cell phone antennas and four cell phone transmission dishes. I am concerned about the effects of radiation. Both my husband and I have lived here for almost two years and in that time have experienced frequent severe headaches. I also had a miscarriage last year and am now pregnant again and very concerned as to the risks.

A

Cell phone antennas transmit and receive radiofrequency (RF) signals to
communicate with cell phone users in the area. This energy is
technically called "radiation" in the sense that it travels through
space, but it is very different in its biological effects from ionizing
radiation such as x rays.

At some level of exposure, RF energy is clearly hazardous. Exposure
limits, in the United States those of the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC), are designed protect the public and workers against
all known hazards of exposures to such energy.




Strictly speaking, an engineering analysis or measurements would be
needed to determine the levels of exposure to RF energy that you
receive from the antennas. However, I am quite sure that your exposure
levels are very far below government safety limits. Cell base stations
invariably operate at low power levels, and fields at any distance more
than 5-10 feet from the antennas are invariably far below FCC exposure
limits. Also, the antennas used by most cell base stations transmit
their energy in beams that are narrow in the vertical direction, and
nearly all of the energy from the antennas would pass far above your
house.




The company that put up the antennas most likely performed an analysis
of RF exposure levels for submission to local government to obtain
approval to site the antennas. Perhaps the company might share a copy
of this analysis with you.




For more information, see the technical information sheet of the Committee on Man and Radiation of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.



The FCC also
has an informative fact sheet that says ". . . there is no
reason to believe that [cell phone or radio] towers could constitute a
potential health hazard to nearby residents."




I am not a physician and I do not offer an opinion about the cause of
the health problems you mention. There is, however, no scientific basis
to connect such problems to the presence of a nearby cell phone
antennas, and the health problems you describe could have many causes.
A person who experiences health problems of any sort should consult a
physician and receive a professional diagnosis and treatment, without
presuming any particular cause of the problems.




Kenneth R. Foster