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Appendix 183
9. What steps can I take to reduce my exposure to radiofrequency energy
from my wireless phone?
If there is a risk from these products—and at this point we do not know that
there is—it is probably very small. But if you are concerned about avoiding
even potential risks, you can take a few simple steps to minimize your
exposure to radiofrequency energy (RF). Since time is a key factor in how
much exposure a person receives, reducing the amount of time spent using
a wireless phone will reduce RF exposure.
If you must conduct extended conversations by wireless phone every day,
you could place more distance between your body and the source of the RF,
since the exposure level drops off dramatically with distance.
For example, you could use a headset and carry the wireless phone away
from your body or use a wireless phone connected to a remote antenna.
Again, the scientific data do not demonstrate that wireless phones are
harmful. But if you are concerned about the RF exposure from these
products, you can use measures like those described above to reduce your
RF exposure from wireless phone use.
10. What about children using wireless phones?
The scientific evidence does not show a danger to users of wireless phones,
including children and teenagers. If you want to take steps to lower
exposure to radiofrequency energy (RF), the measures described above
would apply to children and teenagers using wireless phones. Reducing
the time of wireless phone use and increasing the distance between the
user and the RF source will reduce RF exposure. Some groups sponsored
by other national governments have advised that children be discouraged
from using wireless phones at all. For example, the government in the
United Kingdom distributed leaflets containing such a recommendation in
December 2000. They noted that no evidence exists that using a wireless
phone causes brain tumors or other ill effects. Their recommendation to
limit wireless phone use by children was strictly precautionary; it was not
based on scientific evidence that any health hazard exists.