1. EMF GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS
Paolo Vecchia
National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
Chairman of ICNIRP
THE ROLE OF ICT IN PROTECTING MAN AND ENVIRONMENT
Cairo (Egypt), 4-6 October 2004

2. ICNIRP The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation:
Is an independent group of experts established in 1992
Is formally recognised by WHO and ILO
Maintains close relationships with other national and international organisations
THE ROLE OF ICT IN PROTECTING MAN AND ENVIRONMENT
Cairo (Egypt), 4-6 October 2004

3. SCOPE OF ICNIRP
The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation:
develops international guidelines on limiting exposure to non-ionizing radiation that are independent and science based
provides guidance and advice on the health hazards of non-ionizing radiation
provides science based guidance and recommendations on protection from non-ionizing radiation exposure
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4. SYSTEMS OF PROTECTION Health threshold based systems
Adequate for well established, threshold effects
Optimization systems
Adequate for no-threshold known hazards
Precautionary measures
Adequate for suspected, not established hazards
(Berqvist 1996)
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Cairo (Egypt), 4-6 October 2004

5. THE ICNIRP GUIDELINES ICNIRP Guidelines are: Science-based
Developed following criteria and methods defined a priori
Flexible
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Cairo (Egypt), 4-6 October 2004

6. STEPS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF GUIDELINES:
Review of the literature
Establishment of health effects
Identification of the critical effect
Setting basic rstrictions
Derivation of reference levels
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Cairo (Egypt), 4-6 October 2004

7. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
The review performd by ICNIRP is comprehensive and selective at a time.
In fact, any single observation or study may indicate the possibility of a health risk related to a specific exposure.
However, risk assessment requires information:
From studies that meet quality criteria
From the totality of science
THE ROLE OF ICT IN PROTECTING MAN AND ENVIRONMENT
Cairo (Egypt), 4-6 October 2004

8. EVALUATION PROCESS
The evaluation process used by ICNIRP consists of three steps:
Evaluating single studies in terms of their relevance
Reviewing all the information for each health effect
Combining the outcomes into an overall evaluation
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Cairo (Egypt), 4-6 October 2004

9. OVERALL EVALUATION
A decision is made whether the available evidence allows the identification of an adverse health effect that is caused by an exposure.
By this identification, the effect becomes “established”.
Science-based exposure limits are set with regard to established effects only.
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10. CRITERIA FOR ESTABLISHING EFFECTS
The overall body of research is evaluated with regard to:
Quality of studies
Reproducibility of experiments
Consistency of findings
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Cairo (Egypt), 4-6 October 2004

11. THRESHOLDS FOR EFFECTS
Guidelines are developed based upon a quantitative relationship between exposure and adverse effect.
If the relationship takes the form of a threshold, it may be possible to state a level of exposure below which the adverse effect may be avoided.
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Cairo (Egypt), 4-6 October 2004

12. ESTABLISHED EFFECTS OF EMF
All established effects of EMF are acute in nature
ELF fields Stimulation of electrically excitable tissues RF
Increase of body temperature (general or local)
Acute effects occur above given exposure thresholds
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13. BIOLOGICALLY EFFECTIVE QUANTITIES
The biological and health effects are related to several parameters of exposure that include the intensity of the fields, but are not limited to it.
Therefore, external fields are not the most appropriate quantities to be related to the effects.
Biologically effective quantities, also called dosimetric quantities, are used instead.
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14. INTERACTION MECHANISMS AND BIOLOGICALLY EFFECTIVE QUANTITIES
ELF
Interaction mechanism: Stimulation of tissues
Biological effective quantity: Induced current density
Unit: mA/m2 RF
Interaction mechanism: Energy absorption
Biological effective quantity: SAR (Specific Absorption Rate)
Unit: W/kg
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15. BASIC RESTRICTIONS AND REFERENCE LEVELS
Basic restrictions (limits of exposure) are set in terms of the biologically effective quantity, below the threshold for effects
Reference levels in terms of measurable quantities are derived by the basic restrictions assuming conditions of maximum coupling
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16. BASIC RESTRICTIONS FOR RADIOFREQUENCY FIELDS
Maximum temperature increase: 1 °C
Corresponding SAR threshold (worst case): 4 W/kg
Basic restriction for workers: 0.4 W/kg
Basic restrictions for the public: 0.08 W/kg
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17. CONSERVATIVE APPROACH
Compliance with basic restrictions ensures prevention of established, acute effects
Compliance with reference levels assures compliance with basic restrictions
On the contrary, exceeding reference levels does not necessarily imply that basic restrictions are exceeded
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18. FREQUENCY DEPENDENCE OF SAR
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19. Power density required to produce a whole-body SAR equal to the ICNIRP basic restriction (NRPB 2004)
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20. NON-THRESHOLD EFFECTS
If available data permit the identification of an adverse effect but not of a threshold, other risk reducing strategies may be employed. The role of ICNIRP is to analyse the risk in terms of levels of consequences that could be quantified.
The acceptability of such risks would, however, be based also on social and economic considerations, and as such, fall outside the remit of ICNIRP.
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21. CAUTIONARY APPROACHES
The ICNIRP approach necessarily requires well-based scientific data related to established health effects.
When, in face of a suspected adverse health effect, there are calls for protective measures, other approaches to risk management may be applied.
ICNIRP emphasises the need to ensure that the practical manner in which such approaches are applied should not undermine or be to the detriment of science-based exposure guidelines.
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22. ICNIRP AND THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE
The use of the Precautionary Principle is a risk management activity, whereas the development of exposure guidelines based on established health risks is a risk analysis activity.
Depending on how the Precautionary Principle is applied, it may therefore complement, rather than conflict with, ICNIRP exposure guidelines.
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Cairo (Egypt), 4-6 October 2004

23. CAUTIONARY EVALUATION OF DATA AND CAUTIONARY MEASURES
The Precautionary Principle should not be confused with the need to make a cautious interpretation of scientific data on established effects.
The latter leads to the use of reduction factors when deriving guidelines for limiting exposure.
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24. CONCLUSIONS
ICNIRP has developed guidelines that are scientific, logical, and flexible
The same basic approach is common to other international guidelines
ICNIRP continuosly revises – and updates when needed - its guidelines in the light of:
New scientific data
Introduction of new sources and related exposure conditions
Experience gained with practical implementation
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Cairo (Egypt), 4-6 October 2004

25. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION
The ICNIRP Guidelines are available in English, French, German, Italian, and Japanese at
THE ROLE OF ICT IN PROTECTING MAN AND ENVIRONMENT
Cairo (Egypt), 4-6 October 2004