Public cautioned against use of cheap phones, Saturday, December 4, 2010, Back Page
Users of cheap mobile phones risk being exposed to dangerous radio frequency (RF) radiation with its accompanying more serious health implications than those of telecommunications masts, says Dr Joseph K. Amoako, a research scientist at the Radiation Protection Institute.
He said several of the sophisticated-looking fake and cheap phones on the market emit levels of RF radiation far higher than what is globally acceptable as being safe and cautioned against spending a lot of time on such phones.
“Averagely, the amount of time we should spend on mobile phones is six minutes, the longer the time you spend on the phone, the higher the exposure to radiation,” he said.
According to the Federal Communication Commission (FCA) of the USA, there are two widely accepted RF emission measurements for mobile phone handsets, based on the guidelines set by three major scientific expert bodies — the International Commission of Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) and Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE).
Between the three bodies, the approved safe levels of RF emissions for mobile phone handsets range from 1.6w/kg to 2.0w/kg.
Both the ICNIRP and the NCRP/IEEE exposure criteria were developed by expert scientists and engineers after extensive reviews of the scientific literature related to RF biological effects. The exposure guidelinesare based on thresholds for known adverse effects, and they incorporated prudent margins of safety.
Dr Amoako, who spoke to the Daily Graphic on the sidelines of a seminar organised by the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) in Cape Coast, prescribed the use of hands-free kits as a counter-measure.
The one-day seminar was aimed at allaying the fears of the public concerning issues, including the perceived health effects of RF radiation, the need for proximity of masts to users, structural integrity of communications masts and the laws and guidelines for regulating communications masts.
He said several of the sophisticated-looking fake and cheap phones on the market emit levels of RF radiation far higher than what is globally acceptable as being safe and cautioned against spending a lot of time on such phones.
“Averagely, the amount of time we should spend on mobile phones is six minutes, the longer the time you spend on the phone, the higher the exposure to radiation,” he said.
According to the Federal Communication Commission (FCA) of the USA, there are two widely accepted RF emission measurements for mobile phone handsets, based on the guidelines set by three major scientific expert bodies — the International Commission of Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) and Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE).
Between the three bodies, the approved safe levels of RF emissions for mobile phone handsets range from 1.6w/kg to 2.0w/kg.
Both the ICNIRP and the NCRP/IEEE exposure criteria were developed by expert scientists and engineers after extensive reviews of the scientific literature related to RF biological effects. The exposure guidelinesare based on thresholds for known adverse effects, and they incorporated prudent margins of safety.
Dr Amoako, who spoke to the Daily Graphic on the sidelines of a seminar organised by the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) in Cape Coast, prescribed the use of hands-free kits as a counter-measure.
The one-day seminar was aimed at allaying the fears of the public concerning issues, including the perceived health effects of RF radiation, the need for proximity of masts to users, structural integrity of communications masts and the laws and guidelines for regulating communications masts.
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