Measurements of microwave radiation from 5G base stations have measured extremely high levels in recent years. In the Stockholm area in January, over 2 500 000 microwatts per square metre were measured in a residential area on a balcony about 60 metres from a 5G base station. 1 120 000 microwatts per square metre were also measured in a playground around 40-50 metres from the same 5G base station. These are extremely high levels that cause symptoms of ill health in a very short time in healthy people.
Back in 2018, we described, based on Ericsson’s own data, that 5G will increase people’s exposure to microwave radiation enormously. Ericsson is the world leader in 5G and likely also leading the drive to deploy 5G. In a presentation by the company’s head of health risks from microwave radiation, it was stated that radiation would increase so much that it would be “difficult” or “impossible” to deploy 5G if 100 times lower limits than ICNIRP’s were to be respected, for example in Brussels, Italy or Switzerland.
Also the scientists who signed the 5G Appeal since 2017 have concluded that:
“5G will substantially increase exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) on top of the 2G, 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi, etc. for telecommunications already in place. RF-EMF has been proven to be harmful for humans and the environment.”
Measurements 5G January 2023
The picture above shows a typical 5G base station. From this base station, a maximum radiation of more than 2 500 000 microwatts per square metre (μW/m2) was measured within 15-30 seconds on a 2nd floor balcony of a residential building at a distance of about 60 metres. The maximum value may have been significantly higher as the Safe and Sound Pro II meter used is not capable of measuring values higher than 2 500 000 μW/m2.
The person living in the apartment in question 60 metres from the base station feels very unwell and experiences a wide range of symptoms, including headaches, dizziness, joint pain, skin changes, shortness of breath, pressure over the chest, all typical of microwave syndrome. Microwave syndrome or radiofrequency sickness are symptoms that occur after exposure to elevated microwave radiation and the group of symptoms has been described in the scientific literature since many decades.
At a playground about40-50 metres from the base station, extremely high levels of 1 120 000 μW/m2 were also measured. These are levels that experience shows cause symptoms, such as headaches, chest pressure, tinnitus, dizziness, within 30 minutes in healthy persons.
First case study: 5G causes microwave syndrome
In February 2022, the first case study on the health effects of exposure to real 5G radiation from a base station was published. A more detailed report was also published on 11 January 2023 in an international scientific journal entitled The Microwave Syndrome after Installation of 5G Emphasizes the Need for Protection from Radiofrequency Radiation. It showed that replacing a base station for 3G and 4G with 5G caused an extreme increase in microwave radiation in the apartment directly below the base station. The people living there developed such severe levels of microwave syndrome within a few days that they had to leave the apartment. The people had lived in the apartment without any similar health problems for a number of years. Radiation levels increased from a measured 9 000 μW/m2 to over 2 500 000 μW/m2 with 5G.
The leading 5G stakeholder Ericsson tried to have the article censored using seriously flawed arguments.
How high are 1 200 000 and 2 500 000 μW/m2?
To get an idea of how extreme the measured radiation levels are in these two examples above, where 1,120,000 were measured at the children’s playground and over 2,500,000 in two different homes, we need to compare with what research and experience shows about health and microwave radiation. Already at levels of 100 μW/m2 and above, research has shown that the risk of developing symptoms of microwave syndrome increases among those living near base stations or mobile phone masts. At levels from 2 800 μW/m2, research has shown an increased incidence of DNA damage among nearby residents. Increased risk of cancer has also been shown at these much lower levels. At least 30 studies have shown that mobile phone masts and base stations increase the risk of cancer and symptoms of microwave syndrome at much lower levels than those now commonly measured in the vicinity of 5G base stations.
The BioInitativ report already recommended in 2012 a limit value of 30-60 μW/m2 and even lower for sensitive persons and children of 3-6 μW/m2. Guidelines from another scientific report from a group of doctors and scientists, EUROPAEM EMF, recommended in 2016 a limit value of maximum 10-1,000 μW/m2, lower at night 1-100 μW/m2, and for sensitive persons 0.1-10 μW/m2.
The levels now measured of between 1 120 000 and over 2 500 000 μW/m2 are thus extremely much higher than these scientifically based recommendations.
There are no studies showing that chronic whole-body exposure to the levels measured in this case or on the playground 40-50 metres from a commonly used 5G base station does not pose a risk of microwave syndrome, cancer or other health consequences. Thus this forced exposure of people in their own homes and children’s playgrounds is allowed despite a total lack of studies showing that it does not cause health hazards.
We believe that the deployment of 5G constitutes a gross violation of human rights conventions and Swedish environmental legislation that places the burden of proof on the operator.
Authorities lie about known risks
For several years, employees at the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM) have downplayed the risks of 5G in media statements. In 2020, for example, Jimmy Estenberg claimed on Swedish Radio that 5G would provide “similar exposure levels as current systems”. This was at a time when the SSM should have known that 5G increases radiation massively.
On the website of the Radiation Safety Authority, the following seriously misleading text appears in response to the question “Should I be worried about a mobile phone mast (base station) near my home?”:
“The Radiation Safety Authority has measured the exposure to radio waves in different places in society. The results show that even if we add up the exposure from different types of transmitters, the total exposure to radio waves is usually low in places where the public is present. Based on the evidence available so far, the Agency considers that there are no health risks from exposure to mobile phone base stations, wireless computer networks and similar transmitters. Globally, extensive research has also been carried out without any evidence of radiation-related health risks from mobile phone use.”
The SSM avoids telling us that it is based on the idea that microwave radiation from base stations and other wireless equipment can only cause harm if it is so intense that it heats up the body in a short time by 1 degree. This misconception is the basis for the SSM reference value of 10 000 000 μW/m2 averaged over 6 minutes and the tolerated maximum value of 1 000 times higher, i.e. 1 000 x 10 000 000 μW/m2. This has no scientific basis whatsoever. In other words, there are no scientific studies whatsoever that show that whole-body human exposure to 5G, 4G, 3G or 2G radiation at the SSM reference value does not pose a health risk.
It is when the SSM compares with an extremely high and erroneous limit value (ICNIRP) that the SSM concludes that radiation in the environment today would be “low” – not when the values are compared with the levels that have been shown by experience and repeated scientific studies to cause adverse health effects. SSM does not measure in homes where people live and sleep. Instead SSM officials have been driving around in a car mostly measuring along roads. SSM has also not measured radiation from 5G base stations. The measurements referred to were made before the 5G rollout.
A group of leading scientists in the field, part of the ICBE-EMF, concluded in October 2022 that the ICNIRP limits that SSM adopted and relies on is based on a number of flawed assumptions and that there is considerable evidence of adverse health effects at levels below these. 258 scientists all active in the field also draw similar conclusions: the evidence for adverse health effects is growing and the SSM or ICNIRP reference value needs to be substantially lowered to protect against demonstrated health risks.
Radiation Safety Authority on 5G
The following highly misleading text with a directly false claim that 5G would not cause any significantly increased exposure level is available on the website of the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (SSM):
“The Radiation Safety Authority’s risk assessment
5G, like previous generations of mobile phone systems, uses radio waves to transmit information wirelessly. There are no confirmed health risks from radio waves as long as the reference values are not exceeded. The reference values are based on recommendations from the European Commission and are set out in the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority’s (SSMFS 2008:18) general advice on limiting the exposure of the general public to electromagnetic fields.
Previous generation mobile base stations transmit radio waves in all directions regardless of the location of the receiver. Instead, 5G technology uses adaptive lobes, which means that radio waves are directed to minimise the overall transmit power. The technology is expected to increase exposure variability while limiting average exposure….However, according to industry information, 5G technology will not significantly increase exposure levels, which generally means continued good margins to current reference value levels.”
The truth is that measurements made in recent years show that 5G is leading to a dramatic increase in microwave radiation in our outdoor and indoor environment:
Measurement Skeppsbron Stockholm
Microwave syndrome after installation of 5G
Furthermore, the SSM makes the following seriously erroneous statement:
“The extensive research on the health risks of radiowave exposure has been going on for over 20 years and so far no direct causal links between the low level of radiowave exposure that we usually have in society and health risks have been established. This means that the causal links between weak radio waves and health risks that have been thoroughly investigated either do not exist or are so weak that they could not be established.”
Conclusion
The 5G rollout will lead to an extreme increase in people’s exposure to known harmful microwave radiation. Measured radiation levels are thousands of times higher than levels at which research has previously shown harmful health effects in studies based on telecommunications systems such as 2G and 3G. Measurements over the last two years confirm that 5G increases radiation 10-100 times and that health problems after installation of 5G base stations occur within a few days due to the extremely high radiation. The responsible Swedish authority, the Radiation Safety Authority, provides seriously inaccurate and misleading information on the health risks of 5G base stations. The deployment of 5G poses such health risks that it should be stopped in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 2 of the Swedish Environmental Code and as recommended by a growing group of scientists and doctors.
