What is the SAR value for mobile phones and base stations?
High-frequency electromagnetic fields penetrate the human body at a depth of a few millimetres to a few centimetres. The body tissue absorbs their energy and transforms it into heat. This is called the thermal effect.
How is compliance with the emission limits for mobile phone base stations checked?
In Germany, legally binding framework regulations guarantee that electromagnetic fields – emissions – from mobile phone base stations remain within legal limits. These limits are set out in the 26th Ordinance Implementing the Federal Immission Control Act (Ordinance on electromagnetic fields – Verordnung über elektromagnetische Felder zum Bundes-Immissionsschutzgesetz – 26 BImSchV), which thus provides the legal basis for the operation of all mobile phone networks.
What are electromagnetic fields?
Electromagnetic fields consist of electric and magnetic fields. They are created when electric currents and tensions change, forming an electromagnetic wave that spreads. This wave transports energy.
Regular EMF measurements carried out by IZMF since 2003
The IZMF has been measuring mobile phone emissions in cooperation with the environment ministries or agencies of many federal states. These measurements provide data on the strength of electromagnetic fields in the immediate vicinity of GSM or UTMS base stations, the radiation characteristics of mobile phone antennas and how they affect the propagation of electromagnetic fields.
What are the exposure limits for mobile communications in other countries?
Many countries have legal provisions similar to Germany’s in order to regulate the maximum strength of high-frequency electromagnetic fields used for mobile communications. Most of these limits are based on the guidelines of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP)
Which exposure limits for mobile communications apply in Germany?
German law circumscribes limits to mobile communications to protect the population from potential danger. These exposure limits have been embodied in the 26th Ordinance Implementing the Federal Immission Control Act (Ordinance on electromagnetic fields – Verordnung über elektromagnetische Felder zum Bundes-Immissionsschutzgesetz – 26 BImSchV), which came into force on 1 January 1997.
SAR Values for Mobile Phones
SAR stands for specific energy absorption rate. The SAR value of a mobile phone is the maximum amount of transmitted power the body will absorb during the use of the mobile device. The legal limit is 2 watts per kilogram body tissue, which is in line with the recommendations of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). All mobile phones sold in Germany and Europe must comply with the SAR limit.
