Public exposure to radio waves near GSM microcell and picocell base stations.
Cooper TG, Mann SM, Khalid M, Blackwell RP. · 2006
View Original AbstractSmall cell towers expose the public to radiation levels up to 8.6% of safety guidelines, with closer proximity creating higher exposures.
Plain English Summary
UK researchers measured radiation exposure levels near 20 small cell phone towers (microcells and picocells) to see how much radiofrequency radiation the public encounters in these areas. They found exposure levels ranging from 0.002% to 8.6% of international safety guidelines, with smaller cell towers generally producing higher exposures than larger ones. This data helps establish baseline measurements for public exposure to cell tower radiation in urban environments.
Why This Matters
This study provides crucial baseline data on real-world exposures from small cell towers, which are increasingly common in urban areas as carriers densify their networks. While the measured levels stayed below current safety guidelines, it's important to understand that these guidelines are based on thermal effects only and don't account for the growing body of research showing biological effects at much lower exposure levels. The finding that microcells produce higher exposures than macrocells is particularly relevant as 5G deployment relies heavily on these smaller, closer-proximity antennas. What this means for you is that proximity matters significantly when it comes to cell tower exposure, and the trend toward more numerous small cells could increase cumulative exposure in populated areas.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.
Study Details
Exposures of the general public to radio waves at locations near 20 randomly selected GSM microcell and picocell base stations in the UK have been assessed in the context of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines.
Compliance distances were calculated for the antennas of the base stations from their reported radia...
Exposures were generally in the range 0.002-2% of the ICNIRP general public reference level, and the...
Show BibTeX
@article{tg_2006_public_exposure_to_radio_1994,
author = {Cooper TG and Mann SM and Khalid M and Blackwell RP.},
title = {Public exposure to radio waves near GSM microcell and picocell base stations.},
year = {2006},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16738416/},
}