Electric utilities are trying to get new smart metering technology off the ground that uses radio signals to convey electricity demand through mobile telecommunications. The signals used – radio frequency radiation or RFR – were common with radio and TV broadcasting many years ago. Microwave ovens, radar, Wi-Fi devices and their emissions also emit RFR, but currently, it is mobile telephones that have become the most common devices exposed to RFR.
Smart meters have little scientific data, yet their RFR is almost identical to that of mobile telephones; Thus, any investigations on potential health impacts from mobile telephones should be sufficient to use them to estimate the health impacts of smart meters. Mathematical modeling and field tests on smart meters show that, in terms of RFR emissions, they are much lower than mobile telephones, but still, there should be standards for health protection with respect to those mobile telephones.
In January 2012, the Vermont Department of Health conducted actual measurements on active smart meters installed by Green Mountain Power in Colchester. Readings taken from the devices confirm that they emit no more than a small fraction of those emitted by wireless phones, even when very close to the meter, and are within limits set by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) .
Measurements taken in direct contact with a smart meter on a home’s exterior wall ranged from 50 to 140 µW/cm2, compared to the FCC’s maximum allowable exposure limit of 610 µW/cm2 for the general public. Measurements taken at a distance of three feet or more from the smart meter were recorded at or near the background.
After a comprehensive review of all currently known scientific literature and current FCC regulatory health protection standards, we agree with the expert opinion:
• The thermal health effects of RFRs are understood and remain the basis for regulatory exposure limits that are sufficient to prevent thermal health effects.
• Studies on non-thermal health effects still have a theoretical basis as there are no recognized changes by experts regarding regulatory exposure limits.
The Vermont Department of Health has concluded that the current regulatory standards regarding RFRs from smart meters are satisfactory to protect public health.
Regulation Of Radio Frequency Radiation
RFR exposure caused by devices is generally regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), under whose license certain entities use radio frequencies. The FCC adopted recommendations from the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) to set maximum acceptable exposure (MPE) limits for radio frequency radiation generated by equipment using licensed frequencies. Has been adopted. MPEs are based on preventing thermal effects from RFR. The NCRP guidelines and IEEE standards have been prepared with knowledge and analysis of the scientific literature regarding non-thermal effects of RFRs. Neither the NCRP nor the IEEE considered the evidence from epidemiological and laboratory studies of non-thermal effects sufficient for guidance or standard-setting.
The protocol of maximum acceptable exposure forms the basis of thermal effect limits due to RFR, usually in watts/square meter (W/m2), milliwatts per square centimeter (mW/cm2) or micro watts per square centimeter (µW/cm2). Power is expressed in terms of density units. Since some frequencies have relatively high absorption in the human body, MPE varies with frequency because it depends on the effect of frequency. Exposures below this limit are expected to keep thermal energy absorption in the human body below any dangerous levels, regardless of the frequency involved.
Basis Of Regulatory Standards
The human body is designed to absorb and respond to thermal energy changes with physiological cooling mechanisms upon a variety of impacts, but at some point, the rate of heating exceeds compensable limits. Maximum permissible exposure (MPE) limits prevent human tissue from being heated beyond that level and are derived from specific absorption rates. For this purpose, MPE limits ensure that the body is heated at a rate it can tolerate without risk of adverse effects, with a generous safety margin. Specifically, it was 4.0 watts of heating per kilogram of tissue averaged over entire body mass that had the lowest specific absorption rate producing adverse biological effects in laboratory animals and human test subjects. Therefore, MPE limits for workers were reduced from this observation by 0.4 W/kg, or 10 times less than this lowest observable adverse effect level. However, public M.P.E. 0.08 watt/kg. The standard is based on a specific absorption rate of not more than 100 mg/kg, on the basis that the general public may be exposed to it for a longer period than the maximum period of 40 hours per week for employees.
The MPE limit serves the purpose of preventing thermal effects, and a scientific panel made up of hundreds of scientists surveyed research studies and reached a consensus on it. The MPE limit is not related to any non-thermal effects. However, the committees recommending MPE limits evaluated health effects and other research based on potential non-thermal effects. Member of NCRP Committee 53, which prepared NCRP Report 86. “Biological Effects and Exposure Criteria for Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields” considered numerous laboratory studies of cells, whole animals, and humans, as well as numerous epidemiological studies examining exposed human populations in occupational and public settings, all of which were in the context of exploring effects unrelated to temperature change.
IEEE Standards Coordinating Committee 28 did this for its publication IEEE C95.1-1999, which is the ieee standard for protection levels regarding human exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields from 3 khz to 300 ghz.
The 1986 NCRP publication actually gave much less attention to non-thermal effects than the 1999 IEEE publication. Additionally, none of these organizations determined that there was sufficient evidence of harm.
The IEEE (1999) statement reads: No credible scientific information exists to show that a) specific subgroups in the population are at greater risk than others, b) at ANSI C95.1-1982 levels for the duration The risk is a meaningful risk, c) the damage caused by exposure to electromagnetic fields is cumulative or d) non-thermal effects (other than shock) and modulation of the exposure can have specific consequences that are meaningfully related to human health.
Smart Meter Measurement in Vermont
Smart metering is a power distribution facility modernization initiative that supports good management of power demand beyond the supply capacity for a day or longer period. Some smart meters transmit end user consumption data to electricity suppliers through hardwired mode while others by wireless. Wireless devices work in a similar way to mobile telephones: a radio signal from the user meter is transmitted via a transmitter to other radio-transmitting systems, which repeat the process until the user’s information is at its final location. Doesn’t reach. This network of receiver and transmitter radios will depend on the user’s location and geography.
Some smart wireless meters operate on a frequency range of 902 to 928 megahertz (MHz); Others operate at 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) and to a lesser extent 150, 222, 450, 470, and 950 MHz. These frequencies have been used in the past and may currently be used by mobile telephones. Smart meter transmitters use radio waves measured in watts (W). A typical value for a smart meter is 0.250 W or less; Some can reach values of 1.0 W. A mobile telephone consumes an average of 3.0 W of power while a cordless telephone uses 0.25 W and a wireless router uses about 1.0 W.
Gatekeeper Meter Reading
Colchester’s Green Mountain Power facility has a “Gatekeeper” meter on its roof, signaling to the surrounding area where electricity meters have been converted to smart meters. Because Gatekeeper communicates with multiple devices at the same time, its radio signal is much stronger than individual smart meters. On January 11, 2012, the Vermont Department of Health established measurements for RFR from its antenna mounted on top of the Gatekeeper case.
This site is closed to the public. In fact, the maximum acceptable exposure limit for occupation from this point is 3050 µW/cm2.
• These were RFR unit emissions in the range of 2100-2888 µW/cm2 when exposed to the transmitting antenna.
• Measured at 120 µW/cm2 with measurement transmitter at 12 inches. RFR levels were measured at background levels at a distance of three feet or more from the transmitter.
Measurement With Smart Meter In Residential Environment
Additionally, the Department of Health received RFR readings from an operational smart meter mounted on the exterior wall of a home in Colchester on January 11, 2012. This was the result of instructing Gatekeeper to download the entire data. A Narda Model 8712 RFR survey meter was used to obtain those measurements. NARDHA has specially trained surveyors to take such readings. This smart meter works in residential neighborhoods. The maximum exposure limit for an average person to RFR from a smart meter is 610 µW/cm2.
• While transmitting, when the smart meter was in contact with the transmitting antenna, RFR measurements were recorded between 50 and 140 µW/cm2.
• Measurements at a distance of 12 inches from the smart meter during communication were between 10 and 50 µW/cm2. Measurements at a distance of three feet or more from the smart meter reported background levels or below.
• A separate set of measurements were made in the interior of the residence in the room opposite the wall in question. No readings above background levels were recorded because the gatekeeper had initially instructed the smart meter to transmit on several occasions.
• The neighborhood was measured separately for emissions from all smart meters together. Several tests showed that no RFR could be differentiated above background.
• Another smart meter in a different house was measured to check whether the RFR levels changed during remote connection and disconnection of that smart meter from the grid. RFR levels during this test ranged between 50 and 90 µW/cm2 on this smart meter under many conditions.
There was background noise more than 3 feet from the smart meter during RFR normal transmission.
Measurement checks using mobile phones confirmed that the Narada RFR survey meter was functioning satisfactorily during the inter-measurement interval. The RFR from this mobile telephone when displayed by the meter was 490 µW/cm2.
Specific Health Impact Studies Regarding Smart Meters
So far, there have been no research studies on the health effects of smart meters. These devices resemble mobile phones in the amount of radio frequency transmission and radio power. It is logical to consider health effects research that examines mobile telephones as sources of RFR exposure.
The most significant difference between exposure from a smart meter and a mobile telephone is the configuration of the exposure. A mobile telephone provides an antenna fixed to the skull and brain of the prone person by exposing the user’s eyes to the antenna’s clear view because the two are in close proximity. In contrast, these meters are stationary sources installed outside a building. Therefore, research findings on health effects from mobile telephones can be termed as “worst case” factors.
Vermont is not unique in addressing health concerns regarding smart meters. The states of Maine and California have previously created similar assessment reports on smart meters related to public health. The following is a summary of the latest efforts to characterize risks to health from smart meter RFRs conducted by the Maine Center for Disease Control, the California Council on Science and Technology, and the Monterey County, California Department of Health.
Main Center For Disease Control Department
In assembling a panel of state government leaders, the Maine Center for Disease Control reviewed the scientific literature regarding smart meter and mobile phone radio frequency radiation exposure, and published a summary opinion: This national and international government or Our review of government partner assessments indicates a broad consensus that studies to date provide no consistent or convincing evidence of a causal relationship between RF contamination and any adverse health effects in the frequency and power ranges used by smart meters. Don’t do it.
Most of these documents provide little information directly related to an RF-exposure safety incident from a smart meter. However, there are many editorials containing references to security related to mobile telephone use. The mobile telephone use risk is qualitatively similar to that of a smart-meter in terms of the range of frequencies, but is several times higher than the risk associated with a smart meter due to the higher power of the emissions and typical use that brings the risk closer to the body. Therefore, in our study, the lack of consistent and convincing evidence of a causal relationship between RF exposure and adverse health effects from mobile telephones indicates even less concern about potential health effects from smart meter use.
Read Also:
- Research On The Long-Term Effects Of Radiation Emitted From Mobile Phones On Kidney Cells
- Effect Of Cell Phone Radiation On Buccal Mucosa Cells
- The Myth Of Cell Phone Radiation
- Effects of Mobile Radiations And Its Prevention
- Effect Of Mobile Phone Radiation On Human Brain
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