http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/emf/Pages/default.aspx

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http//www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/emf/Pages/default.aspx

An overview of ITU's activities on EMF  

• Cristina Bueti
• Advisor, ITU-T Study Group 5

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The ICT revolution

• By end 2014, there will be
• 3 billion Internet users,
• two-thirds of them coming from the developing
  world
• the number of mobile-broadband subscriptions will
  reach 2.3 billion globally (5 of these
  subscriptions are expected to be in the
  developing world)
• mobile-cellular subscriptions will reach almost 7
  billion by end 2014

Source ITU, The World in 2014 ICT Facts and
Figureswww.itu.int/en/ITU-D/statistics
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The issue

• Lack of regulation and/or
• non-compliance...

The electromagnetic fields are unknown and
undetectable for people
Lack of communication and information to
citizens
It can generate a lack of trust, which may
become fear
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Regulation of non-ionizing radiations
Exposure standards Specifications that limit the
exposure of people to the Electromagnetic fields
(EMF)
Emission standards Specifications that limit the
emission of electromagnetic fields (EMF) from the
devices
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How can global standards help

• Facilitate compliance with international
  standards
• Strengthen collaboration among stakeholders
• Ensure transparency
• Enhance communication with citizens

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ITU-T Study Group 5
Lead study group for electromagnetic
compatibility and electromagnetic effects
7 Questions
WP1/5 Damage prevention and safety
WP3/5 ICT and climate change
5 Questions
WP2/5 Electromagnetic fields emission, immunity
and human exposure
Q7/5 Human exposure to electromagnetic fields
(EMFs) due to radio systems and mobile equipment
6 Questions
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Question 7/5
Human exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs)
due to radio systems and mobile equipment

• Main study area
• Real site measurements and modeling of the
  multiple sources operating on different
  frequencies and transmitting antennas
• Determine the validity of electromagnetic field
  predictions
• Procedures and guidance on numerical modeling of
  EMFs in the areas around telecommunication
  transmitting antennas and various systems
• Guidance based on existing SAR measuring and
  calculating procedures, techniques and protocols
  for evaluating EMF due to ICT equipment
• Handbook to answer frequently questions about
  human exposure to EMF.

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Question 7/5
Human exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs)
due to radio systems and mobile equipment

• Main tasks
• Develop Recommendations for the telecommunication
  sector
• Implement the mandate of the ITU Resolutions on
  EMF
• Collaboration with other standardization bodies
  (IEC, CENELEC, WHO) in order to avoid duplication
  of work
• Maintenance and enhancement of the existing
  Recommendations.

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ITU-T SG5Focus Group on Smart Sustainable Cities
(FGSSC)

• FG-SSC includes EMF Considerations in Smart
  Sustainable Cities
• The design and deployment of wireless networks
  must ensure electromagnetic field (EMF)
  compliance and minimize human exposure to radio
  frequency (RF) radiation
• EMF considerations in Smart Sustainable Cities
  have to ensure the networks and connected devices
  operate safely and most efficiently
• http//www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/focusgroups/ssc/Pages/
  default.aspx

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Typical EMF assessment

• Safety
• EMF compliance at sites
• Occupational Health Safety (OHS) for workers
  and public

• Environmental
• Radio signals in the community
• Educational informative

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EMF assessment methods
Calculations or measurements?

• EMF assessment method depends on site
  environment
• Calculations - suitable in many cases, have
  significant benefits - accurate, fast cost
  effective
• Measurements - required in very complex
  environments
• Field monitoring
• Field monitoring is effective when working on
  towers for safety
• Field surveys can provide public reassurance
• Continuous monitoring limited long term benefit
  where EMF levels are low and stable

? ITU-T Recommendations - guidance on both
calculation and measurements
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ITU-T Recommendations for EMF assessment

• ITU-T K.52 Guidance on complying with limits for
  human exposure to electromagnetic fields
• ITU-T K.61 Guidance on measurement and numerical
  prediction of electromagnetic fields for
  compliance with human exposure limits for
  telecommunication installations
• ITU-T K.70 Mitigation techniques to limit human
  exposure to EMFs in the vicinity of
  radiocommunication stations includes EMF
  Estimator software
• ITU-T K.83 Monitoring of electromagnetic field
  levels
• ITU-T K.91 Guidance for assessment, evaluation
  and monitoring of human exposure to radio
  frequency electromagnetic fields
• ITU-T K.100 Measurement of radio frequency
  electromagnetic fields to determine compliance
  with human exposure limits when a base station is
  put into service

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Highlights on deliverables - continued

• ITU-T K. 52 aims to help with compliance with
  safety limits for human exposure to EMFs
• Provides guidance on calculation method, and
  installation assessment procedure
• Is based on safety limits provided by ICNIRP
• Determines the likelihood of installation
  compliance based on accessibility criteria,
  antenna properties and emitter power
• ? Recommends IEC Standard for the compliance
• measurement of mobile handsets.

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Highlights on deliverables - continued

• ITU-T K. 61 helps telecommunication operators to
  verify compliance with exposure standards
  promulgated by local or national authorities
• Provides guidance on measurement methods that can
  be used to achieve a compliance assessment
• Provides guidance on the selection of numerical
  methods suitable for exposure prediction in
  various situations.

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Highlights on deliverables - continued

• ITU-T K. 70 defines techniques which may be used
  by telecommunication operators to evaluate the
  cumulative (total) exposure ratio in the vicinity
  of transmitting antennas and to identify the main
  source of radiation
• Provides guidance on mitigation methods which
  allow reduction of radiation level
• Provides guidance on procedures necessary in the
  environment (on site) in which, in most cases,
  there is a simultaneous exposure to multiple
  frequencies from many different sources
• ? Includes a software provided that implements
  the
• methodology EMF estimator

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Highlights on deliverables - continued

• ITU-T K.83 provides guidance on how to make
  long-term measurements and monitoring of EMF in
  the selected areas that are under public concern,
  in order to show that EMFs are under control and
  under the limits
• ? ? Implementation of Recommendation ITU-T K.83
  "Monitoring of electromagnetic field levels" in
  countries (e.g. Argentina, Brazil, Colombia,
  Ecuador, El Salvador and Uruguay).

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Highlights on deliverables - continued

• ITU-T K.91 provides guidance on how to assess and
  monitor human exposure to radio frequency (RF)
  electromagnetic fields (EMF) in areas with
  surrounding radio communication installations
  based on existing exposure and compliance
  standards, based on existing exposure and
  compliance standards in the frequency range of 9
  kHz to 300 GHz
• ? includes advantages and disadvantages of
  methods.

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Highlights on deliverables - continued
Guide on electromagnetic fields and health
(?Supplement 1 to Recommendation ITU-T K.91)

• Answers to typical questions asked by the public
  on EMF, and to address typical misunderstandings
  on EMF matters in the society
• Provides education and information promoting EMF
  information and education resources suitable for
  all communities, stakeholders and governments.
• Supports clarification of the science
  referencing the WHO and other stakeholders
  providing information most useful in helping
  clarify scientific uncertainties e.g. in the
  areas of Radio Frequency technology,
  infrastructure implementation, usage, and
  consequential EMF exposure.

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Highlights on deliverables - continued

• ITU-T K.100 provides guidance on how to measure
  radio frequency electromagnetic fields in order
  to determine compliance with human exposure
  limits when a base station is put into service

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Deliverables under study

• ITU-T K.env - Guidance on the Environmental
  Management for Electromagnetic Radiation from
  Radiocommunication Base Stations
• ITU-T K.maps - Maps of the RF EMF

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EMF flyer and website
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ITU-D Study Group 2
Question 7/2 - Strategies and policies concerning
human exposure to electromagnetic fields

• Q7/2 was agreed on at WTDC-14 for the 2014-2018
  study period.
• Q7/2 is a continuation of ITU-D SG1 Q23/1 (Final
  deliverables online in all six languages at
  http//www.itu.int/pub/D-STG-SG01.23-2014).
• Topics to be studied under Question 7/2
• Compilation and analysis of envisaged or adopted
  regulatory policies on human exposure to
  electromagnetic fields authorizing the
  installation of radiocommunication sites and
  telecommunication systems over electric power
  lines
• Description of strategies or methods for raising
  awareness and informing people about the effects
  of electromagnetic fields caused by radio
  systems
• Preparation guidelines and best practices.

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ITU-D Study Group 2
Expected outcomes

• Report(s) and Guidelines
• Providing information on regulatory policies
  concerning EMF.
• Describing strategies for raising the awareness
  and sharing information about the possible
  effects of EMF and related country case studies.
• Sharing country experiences related to the
  regulation and measurements of the EMF.
• Providing information that may assist Member
  States in resolving common issues faced by
  different stakeholders, notably regulatory bodies
  when it comes to EMF.
• Etc. (details will be shared in the work plan for
  the Question)

• First meeting of Q7/2 for the new study cycle
• During the ITU-D SG2 meeting in Geneva, 22-26
  September 2014
• Details on how to participate are available here
• http//www.itu.int/ITU-D/CDS/sg/blkmeetings.
  asp?lg1sp2014blk13709

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ITU-R Study Groups
Study Group Department

• Study Group 1 (SG 1) - Spectrum management
• Study Group 3 (SG 3) - Radiowave propagation
• Study Group 4 (SG 4) - Satellite services
• Study Group 5 (SG 5) - Terrestrial services
• Study Group 6 (SG 6) - Broadcasting service
• Study Group 7 (SG 7) - Science services

ITU-R Activities on human exposure to
non-ionizing radiation
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ITU-R Study Groups
Spectrum management
Handbook on Spectrum monitoring Edition
2011 http//www.itu.int/pub/R-HDB-23-2011/en

• Non-ionizing radiation measurements, 5.6
• Measurement procedures/techniques and instruments
• Covers 9 kHz 6 GHz range and above
• Different types of signals and services
• ICNIRP 1998 Reference levels for
  occupationaland general public exposure to
  time-varyingelectric and magnetic fields

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ITU-R Study Groups
Broadcasting service
Recommendation ITU-R BS.1698 Evaluating fields
from terrestrial BC transmitting systems
operating in any frequency band for assessing
exposure to non-ionizing radiation.

• Provides
• Considerations relating to field strengths and
  characteristics also in the near field and for
  the bands
• LF/MF bands (150-1 605 kHz)
• HF bands (3-30 MHz)
• VHF/UHF bands (30 MHz-3 GHz)
• SHF (3-30 GHz)
• Closed solutions and numerical procedures for
  calculating exposure to non-ionizing radiation

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ITU-R Study Groups
Broadcasting service
Recommendation ITU-R BS.1698 Evaluating fields
from terrestrial BC transmitting systems
operating in any frequency band for assessing
exposure to non-ionizing radiation.

• Provides
• Measurement techniques and required
  instrumentation for measuring EMF and exposure
  levels
• Precautionary measures to be taken at
  transmitting stations and in their vicinity
• Exposure limits and derived levels based on
• IEEE/ANSI (1992)
• ICNIRP (April 1998)
• NRPB (UK, 1993)

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Purpose of ITUs activities

• EMF safety
• Important to assess EMF compliance at sites
• Important to establish Occupational Health
  Safety (OHS) procedures

• Environmental
• Educational and informative
• Calculation vs monitoring a balance is needed

Effective public communication
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Conclusions

• Compliance with EMF exposure limits is a
  substantial factor in SSC
• development
• Good communication with public is a very
  important task
• Efficient deployment of wireless infrastructure
  reduces the RF EMF
• from networks and devices
• ITU guidance may be helpful in smooth and safe
  implementation of
• wireless systems

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• ITU-T/SG5 Environment Climate
  Changeitu.int/go/tsg5
• ITU-T/SG5 Series K Recommendations (free of
  charge)itu.int/ITU-T/recommendations/index_sg.asp
  x?sg5
• ITU and EMFitu.int/go/emfs

Thank you