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Hardell L et al, (May 2018) Radiofrequency radiation from nearby base stations gives high levels in an apartment in Stockholm, Sweden: A case report., Oncol Lett. 2018 May;15(5):7871-7883. doi: 10.3892/ol.2018.8285

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Authors not listed · 2018

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Stockholm apartment near cell towers measured radiation levels up to 112,000 µW/m² - deemed unsafe for living.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers measured radiofrequency radiation levels in a Stockholm apartment located near cell tower base stations on the roof. They found extremely high radiation levels averaging 3,811 µW/m², with some readings exceeding 112,000 µW/m² - levels the authors deemed unsafe for long-term living, especially for children.

Why This Matters

This case study provides a stark real-world example of how proximity to cell towers can create unsafe living conditions. The measured levels of 3,811 µW/m² average - with peaks over 112,000 µW/m² - far exceed what many health experts consider safe for chronic exposure. What makes this particularly significant is that when the researchers excluded the base station signals from their analysis, radiation levels dropped by 98%, clearly identifying the towers as the primary source. The reality is that as telecom companies densify their networks with more base stations to support 5G and increased data demands, situations like this Stockholm apartment will become more common. The authors' conclusion that the apartment is 'not suitable for long-term living' underscores a growing concern: our regulatory agencies continue to allow placement of high-power transmitters in residential areas based on outdated safety standards that ignore non-thermal biological effects.

Exposure Details

Exposure Duration
long-term residential exposure

Where This Falls on the Concern Scale

Study Exposure Level in ContextStudy Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 3811000 µW/m²Extreme Concern - 1,000 uW/m2FCC Limit - 10M uW/m2Effects observed in the Extreme Concern rangeFCC limit is 3x higher than this level
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 2G/3G/4G exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 2G/3G/4GPower lines50/60 HzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale
Cite This Study
Unknown (2018). Hardell L et al, (May 2018) Radiofrequency radiation from nearby base stations gives high levels in an apartment in Stockholm, Sweden: A case report., Oncol Lett. 2018 May;15(5):7871-7883. doi: 10.3892/ol.2018.8285.
Show BibTeX
@article{hardell_l_et_al_may_2018_radiofrequency_radiation_from_nearby_base_stations_gives_high_levels_in_an_apartment_in_stockholm_sweden_a_case_report_oncol_lett_2018_may1557871_7883_doi_103892ol20188285_ce595,
  author = {Unknown},
  title = {Hardell L et al, (May 2018) Radiofrequency radiation from nearby base stations gives high levels in an apartment in Stockholm, Sweden: A case report., Oncol Lett. 2018 May;15(5):7871-7883. doi: 10.3892/ol.2018.8285},
  year = {2018},
  doi = {10.3892/ol.2018.8285},
  
}
DOI: 10.3892/ol.2018.8285PubMed: 29725476

Quick Questions About This Study

The apartment averaged 3,811 µW/m² with peak readings reaching 112,318 µW/m². These levels are considered extremely high for residential exposure, particularly the bedroom and balcony measurements where people spend extended time.
Radiation levels dropped by 98% when base station downlink signals were excluded from analysis. This clearly demonstrated that the nearby cell towers were responsible for virtually all the high radiation exposure.
Children may be more sensitive to RF radiation than adults due to their developing nervous systems and thinner skulls. The consistently high radiation levels throughout the apartment posed particular risks for long-term childhood exposure.
Researchers conducted 74,531 individual measurements over approximately 83 hours of recording. This extensive data collection provided a comprehensive picture of radiation exposure throughout the entire apartment including all balconies.
Three balconies and three of four bedrooms showed particularly high radiation levels. These areas likely had the most direct line-of-sight exposure to the base stations mounted on the building's roof.