An important historical review of mobile phone radiation and precautionary health protection
In April 2000, the ECOLOG-Institut für sozial-ökologische Forschung und Bildung published Mobile Telecommunications and Health: Review of the Current Scientific Research in View of Precautionary Health Protection. The report was commissioned by T-Mobil and DeTeMobil Deutsche Telekom MobilNet GmbH and examined scientific research available at the time on the reported health effects of electromagnetic fields associated with mobile telecommunications.
The ECOLOG-Institut review, examined over 220 peer-reviewed studies and found evidence for:
Effects on the central nervous system Cancer initiating and promoting effects Impairments of certain brain functions Loss of memory and cognitive function
Its authors concluded that the evidence available at the time warranted a precautionary approach and recommended a substantially lower power-flux-density limit of 0.01 W/m² (10 mW/m²) in residential areas and locations such as schools, nurseries, playgrounds and hospitals, as well as other places where people spend more than four hours.
The report is of particular historical interest because it demonstrates that concerns about reported health effects from mobile telecommunications radiation, and calls for more precautionary exposure limits, were being examined in scientific reviews around the turn of the century.
Why the report matters
The significance of the ECOLOG report extends far beyond its publication in 2000. It documented scientific concerns about the reported health effects of electromagnetic fields used in mobile telecommunications and called for a precautionary approach to public exposure. Its findings and recommendations remain important to the historical record of this debate and to questions about how scientific evidence, uncertainty and public health protection have been addressed.
Since 2000, research into radiofrequency electromagnetic fields has continued to investigate reported biological effects and health risks, including cancer. This expanding body of research makes it essential to revisit the questions raised by ECOLOG, assess the evidence accumulated since its publication, and examine whether existing exposure standards adequately address the scientific uncertainties and potential risks. The passage of time is not, in itself, a reason to dismiss the report; rather, it is a reason to examine its conclusions in light of subsequent evidence.
The ECOLOG report should therefore be read as an important contribution to an ongoing scientific and public health debate. Its precautionary recommendations deserve serious consideration alongside subsequent research, independent scientific assessments and the experiences of communities that have raised concerns about exposure near telecommunications infrastructure.
Read the original report
The Radiation Research Trust is making this document available to support public access to historical scientific research and to encourage informed discussion about electromagnetic fields, public health, precaution and the need for transparent, independent scientific assessment.
Report: Mobile Telecommunications and Health: Review of the Current Scientific Research in View of Precautionary Health Protection
Institute: ECOLOG-Institut für sozial-ökologische Forschung und Bildung, Hannover
Authors: Dr Kerstin Hennies, Dr H.-Peter Neitzke and Dr Hartmut Voigt
Additional support: Dr Gisa-Kahle Anders
Commissioned by: T-Mobil / DeTeMobil Deutsche Telekom MobilNet GmbH
Date: April 2000
Literature reviewed: Research available to the authors up to February 2000
Read or download the original ECOLOG report (PDF)
The Radiation Research Trust provides this historical document for public information and research.