Alberto Nájera
Physicist, professor at the University of Castilla-La Mancha and Scientific Director of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Radio Frequencies and Health of the Official College of Telecommunications Engineers.
On 12 September, the French ANFR (Agencie Nationale Des Fréquences) issued a public notice announcing the temporary withdrawal of the Apple iPhone 12 from the market after a study of 141 devices found that the model exceeded the SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) for extremities by 1.7 W/kg (the European limit in this case is 4 W/kg). The ANFR publishes the results of the DAS monitoring programme openly. On this page, the ANFR explains the process of SAR determination in its DAS programme.
What is SAR? SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) is a measure that indicates the amount of radio frequency (RF) energy, the typical frequencies of devices used in telecommunications (WiFi, Bluetooth, mobile phones, antennas, etc.) that is absorbed by the human body when using a device such as a mobile phone. This measurement is expressed in units of watts per kilogram (W/kg) and is used to assess whether a mobile device complies with safety guidelines set by regulatory authorities such as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States or the European Union. European Recommendation 1999/519/EC sets the limits that these devices must meet in Europe.
SAR is calculated under controlled laboratory conditions, and devices must meet certain SAR limits to be considered safe for human use. For example, in the United States, the most restrictive SAR limit for mobile phones is 1.6 W/kg, while in the European Union it is 2.0 W/kg. It is important to note that a higher SAR value does not necessarily imply a higher health risk, as these limits are set with considerable safety margins. In the case of the limits for the general public, this safety margin is a factor of 50. These margins ensure that mobile devices are safe in terms of RF exposure.
In the European Union, SAR regulations are mainly governed by the recommendations of the International Committee on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). According to the ICNIRP guidelines, the SAR limits for mobile devices are as follows:
- For the head and trunk (thorax): the limit is 2.0 W/kg, averaged over 10 grams of tissue.
- For the extremities (hands, wrists, feet and ankles): the limit is 4.0 W/kg, also averaged over 10 grams of tissue.
These limits are designed to provide a meaningful margin of safety and are based on scientific research evaluating the effects of RF exposure on human health. It is important to note that these are maximum permissible limits and that mobile devices typically operate at much lower SAR levels under normal use. Manufacturers of mobile devices must test for SAR and comply with these limits in order to sell their products in the European Union.
What margin of safety is set? These limits were recently revised by ICNIRP, which published its new recommendations in 2020. In order to ensure user safety, ICNIRP sets its maximum allowable values by applying a safety factor of 50.
For example, the SAR limit of 2.0 W/kg for the head and trunk in the European Union is set with a safety margin that is typically 50 times lower than exposure levels that have been shown to cause health effects. This margin of safety takes into account variations in absorption between different people and under different conditions of use.
It is important to note that SAR limits are designed to address the thermal effects of RF exposure, which are the only scientifically proven effects to date. Specific limits have not been set for possible long-term or non-thermal effects, as the scientific evidence in these areas is weak at typical exposure levels and is not yet conclusive.
In summary, SAR limits are set with substantial safety margins to protect against the known thermal effects of RF exposure. These safety margins are designed to accommodate uncertainties such as variations in sensitivity between individuals and varying conditions of use.
What will happen in Spain? I am afraid I do not have an answer to this question. I would expect an answer from the joint EU and not from the states and, also, to confirm the published data. Yesterday I read a note from Apple saying that they do comply, but I can't go into that. The important thing is that if they do not comply and a certified laboratory through a government agency such as the ANFR has said that they do not, action should be taken to withdraw them. For users: peace of mind, although the maximum may be exceeded in certain circumstances, the EU through ICNIRP establishes the limits with that safety margin. Moreover, at such low levels there is no scientific evidence of any effect on human health.