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Program for Control of Electromagnetic Pollution of the Environment: The Assessment of Biological Hazards of Nonionizing Electromagnetic Radiation

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Authors not listed · 1971

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Government scientists warned in 1971 that electromagnetic pollution could match chemical pollution's health impact without proper controls.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

This 1971 government report examined the growing presence of electromagnetic radiation from radar, TV transmitters, microwave ovens, and other sources throughout American society. The authors warned that by 1968, over 6 million transmitting devices were already authorized, with rapid growth continuing. They concluded that power levels in cities and homes might already be biologically significant and called for immediate monitoring programs.

Why This Matters

What makes this 1971 report remarkable is its prescient warning about electromagnetic pollution becoming comparable to chemical pollution in public health impact. The authors were documenting the early stages of what we now recognize as ubiquitous EMF exposure. Their prediction of 1.2 million annual microwave oven sales by 1975 seems quaint compared to today's reality where we carry powerful transmitters in our pockets and live surrounded by wireless networks. The report's call for 'adequate monitoring programs and methods of control' was largely ignored, and we're now living in the 'era of energy pollution' they warned about. The science demonstrates that their concerns about biological effects at relatively low power densities have proven justified, as independent research continues to document health impacts from the very sources they identified over 50 years ago.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Cite This Study
Unknown (1971). Program for Control of Electromagnetic Pollution of the Environment: The Assessment of Biological Hazards of Nonionizing Electromagnetic Radiation.
Show BibTeX
@article{program_for_control_of_electromagnetic_pollution_of_the_environment_the_assessme_g7397,
  author = {Unknown},
  title = {Program for Control of Electromagnetic Pollution of the Environment: The Assessment of Biological Hazards of Nonionizing Electromagnetic Radiation},
  year = {1971},
  
  
}

Quick Questions About This Study

The Federal Communications Commission had authorized 6,425,209 transmitting devices by 1968, excluding federal government systems. This represented phenomenal growth since 1940 and continued accelerating rapidly through the early 1970s.
Scientists predicted annual home microwave oven sales would reach 1.2 million units by 1975. This forecast reflected the rapid adoption of microwave technology for consumer use during the early 1970s.
Radar systems, television transmitters, communication networks, microwave ovens, industrial heating equipment, and medical diathermy units were identified as key sources permeating the modern environment with nonionizing electromagnetic radiation.
American cities, airports, military installations, tracking centers, ships, pleasure craft, industrial facilities, and homes already had electromagnetic power levels that scientists considered potentially biologically significant for human health.
Scientists warned that without proper monitoring and control programs, electromagnetic energy pollution could create public health and ecological implications comparable to the chemical pollution crisis already recognized in that era.