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Hot Topics. General EMF Health Effects.
Power-Line EMF Issues and Emerging Guidelines
Last modified on:
Thursday, November 06, 2008 12:38:07
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Much of the public concern regarding EMFs stems from studies that have suggested that power frequency EMFs, particularly
magnetic fields, can cause cancer. The existence of studies reporting contradictory results has, not unexpectedly,
cast doubt on the credibility of the studies themselves. Consequently, people have tended to err on the side of
safety, choosing, wherever possible, not to be exposed to high levels of EMFs. Such a conservative public reaction
can have economic implications. Since the government has not as yet published any EMF guidelines or standards,
actions taken to deal with EMF exposures are not based on any nationally recognized policy, guidelines, or requirements.
Property devaluation near power lines, attributable to greater public awareness of EMFs, has forced utilities to
make a number of policy changes. This represents the only aspect of the EMF issue that has led to the development
of specific laws and/or guidelines by the US legal system. Due to the lack of federal standards, a number of states
have developed their own guidelines or recommendations for EMF limits which have varied from state to state. There
are a number of steps that can be taken to address the major EMF issues. Electric utilities can make information
on EMFs more readily available and take every opportunity to educate the public regarding this issue. Utilities
can monitor regulatory developments and should consider joining groups that encourage and assist in drafting federal
EMF standards. Sellers of real estate should disclose the known or potential existence of power lines to prospective
purchasers. Such disclosure should be limited to known facts such as voltage and physical location. Subjective
interpretations, such as EMF levels and the effects of EMFs on people, should be avoided. Manufacturers of consumer
products should warn customers if they know their products present a potential hazard. Manufacturers should work
with the federal government toward enacting a mandated labeling requirement with explicit preemption of state law.
[BENER 15118]
READER COMMENTS
June 01, 2001 - Bill
What is the best source of data on latest state guidlines for EMF for high voltage transmission lines?
April 22, 2001 - Amy
I think that it would be of great help to yourselves and your readers should you look into the recent experiments done by Dr Henshaw of the University of Bristol. He has connected EMF to health hazards through his "corona ion" theory - charged electrons shoot off the lines and grasp onto pollutant particles, which when we breathe in adhere to our mouth and lungs- and the UK has just officially accepted that there is a health risk involved with power lines. The Association of Local Governments of England and Wales has made it's own guidelines, they do not give permits for buildings where people are to spend any reasonable amount of time, within 1/2 mile of large pylons and the Swedes are offering online information to governments around the world to deal with this issue.
January 19, 1998 - Peter Rice
I am a property valuer undertaking research into the implications of EMF on property values. I had a paper published on the subject in 1997 in the Estates Gazette the major UK property journal. Although many consider that 'EMF installations' do affect property values there is no agreement as to the percentage effect. The opinions of various valuers considering the same property for a hypothetical valuation have varied from 5% to 20% with some saying nil. One problem in trying to determine the effect on value is excluding other factors and in some cases it is impossible to exclude or quantify the effect of 'other factors'. I will be pleased to hear from anyone who has any actual evidence of the effect on values.
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