Limits and levels: Radio frequency radiation, magnetic and electric fields

Here you will find the health protection exposure limits from different countries and organisations, as well as the levels required for technology to function and the natural background radiation levels.

Explanations can be found under the question mark at the bottom right.

The basis for the world's limits on electromagnetic fields dates back to the 1950s and '60s. They were developed for use in the workplace, and the protection of the general public was not a consideration at that time, even though they are used for that purpose now. Explanations of words and abbreviations can always be found in the bottom right-hand corner, just behind the question mark.

United States

ICNIRP and the EU

Russia

Italy

Switzerland

Land Salzburg

BioInitiative.org

Building biologists

TCO

Technical requirements

Natural background radiation

United States

The limits for radio frequency radiation in Western countries have always been designed to protect against heating caused by radiation. When mobile phones were developed in the late 1970s, a new type of limit was required to indicate the level of power that causes heating in very close proximity to a transmitter. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) developed the specific absorption rate (SAR) value to indicate how much electromagnetic energy is converted into heat. SAR values are stated in watts per kilogram and were first used in the IEEE standard C95.1-1982.¹

With SAR, the intensity of the radiation can be adjusted according to the frequency and how well different parts of the body convert radiation into heat. This reduces the risk of harmful heating, while keeping the exposure limits as high as possible. In 1992, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), a technical standardisation institute, approved the IEEE's method for exposure limits, and it became ANSI/IEEE Standard C95.1-1992. This established the template for all subsequent exposure limits for radio frequency radiation in the Western world. There is a basic limitation in the form of a SAR value, as well as an easily measurable maximum permissible level to ensure that the SAR value is not exceeded. SAR values cannot be measured in living humans.

In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is the authority that sets limits for electromagnetic fields. However, rather than developing these limits itself, the FCC selects and reconciles proposals from others. According to the FCC, today's SAR limits are generally based on the IEEE standard for safety levels regarding human exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields (3 kHz to 300 GHz), ANSI/IEEE Std C95.1-1992. The remaining documentation originates from the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP), an organisation authorised by Congress.²

United States: SAR values in W/kg
Frequency	Hole body average	Max average over 1 gram tissue	Extremities, max average over 10 gram tissue
100 kHz – 6 GHz	0.08	1.6	4

The SAR-values are averaged over max 30 min. Extremities are hands, wrists, feet, ankles, and the soft parts of the ear outside the skull (pinnae).

United States: Maximum Permissible Exposure
Frequency range (MHz)	Electric field (V/m)	Power density (µW/m2)
0.3 – 1.34	614	*(100)
1.34 – 30	824/f	*(180/f2)
30 – 300	27.5	2,000,000
300 – 1,500		f/1500
1,500 – 100,000		10,000,000

f = frequency in MHz. * indicates that the value only applies at a distance of at least ten times the wavelength from the transmitter.

United States: Electric and magnetic fields generated by the electricity grid

There are no federal limits. Some states apply a precautionary principle, while others have set their own limits.³

ICNIRP, the EU

The ICNIRP's proposed limits are an international version of the US limits, developed from them. The EU recommends the ICNIRP exposure limits, which have been adopted by many member states. They provides protection against the heating effects of wireless technology and the stimulation of peripheral nerves and muscles by electric and magnetic fields.⁴ For radio waves, i.e. radio frequency radiation, the basic restriction is the amount of energy that is permitted to be converted into heat within the human body, which is specified as a SAR value (see United States above). For electric and magnetic fields, the basic restriction is the current that the fields create in a human body.⁵ As the basic restrictions cannot be measured in a living human being, reference levels that are easy to check have been calculated instead.

If these reference levels are not exceeded, then neither are the basic restrictions. As with all other exposure limits, except some of the Russian, these are entirely level-based and therefore apply without time limitation. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), these exposure limits presuppose that 'a true threshold exists'. They 'also assume that cumulative effects do not occur'. WHO's exposure limits

To address this limitation of protection, the Council of Ministers added a sentence that was not included in the Commission's text.⁶ 'However, since there are safety factors of about 50 between the threshold values for acute effects and the basis restrictions, this recommendation implicitly covers possible long-term effects in the whole frequency range.'⁷ Only our politicians make such a claim.

ICNIRP, EU: Basic restrictions for radio frequency radiation
	SAR W/kg
Frequency	Hole body	Head and trunk	Limbs
100 kHz - 10 GHz	0,08	2,0	4,0

The SAR-value , expressed in watts per kilogram (W/kg), is the amount of energy that is permitted to 'stick' to the body and convert into heat. The head and trunk impose a limit of 2.0 W/kg on mobile phones. All SAR values are to be averaged over any 6-min period.

ICNIRP, EU: Reference levels for radio frequency radiation
Frequency	µW/m2
10-400 MHz	2 000 000
400 MHz-2 GHz	2 000 000-10 000 000
2-300 GHz	10 000 000

All reference levels based on SAR values are to be averaged over any 6-min period

ICNIRP, EU: Reference levels for electric and magnetic fields
Frequency	Magnetic fields µT	Elektric fields V/m
5-2000 Hz	1600-6.25	10 000-125
50 Hz electricity grid	100	5000
150 Hz electricity grid	27	1666
2-400 kHz electronics, LED lights etc	6.25-2.3	125-87

The basic restrictions are expressed in milliampere per square metre (mA/m²). Within the frequency range of 3 to 3,000 Hz,⁸ Sweden has a voluntary precautionary principle for magnetic fields of 0.4 µT as an average value over one year.

Russia

The limits for radio frequency radiation in the Western world are 100 times higher than in Russia. This difference is due to the fact that Russian limits are stated to be 'set on the basis of compensatory/adaptive response within the physiological norm, not on the basis of pathological effects'.⁹ Therefore, there are no SAR values. These limits were developed in the 1950s and 1960s to prevent workplace issues. Studies had shown that exposure to extremely intense microwaves at work caused changes in the nervous system. The Russian exposure limits for workers are based on both level and dose. In workplaces, 250,000 µW/m² can be exceeded if exposure time is shortened,^10,11 making the Russian exposure limits unique. For the general public, the limit value is fixed at 100,000 µW/m² and without time limitation.

Russia: Radio frequency radiation
	µW/m2
At workplaces, max 20 minutes	10,000,000
At workplaces, 8 hours or more	250,000
Mobile base stations 300-2400 MHz	100,000
Mobile phones	1,000,000

Mobile base stations 300-2400 MHz is a recommended limitation for residential areas, indoors, and in public and industrial premises.¹²

Russia: Electric och magnetic fields
	Frekvens	V/m	µT
Electricity grid	50 Hz	500	5
Elektronics, LED lights etc	30-300 kHz	25	–

Italy

The country is known for having lower limits than other countries within the EU.

radio frequency radiation

In 1998, the year before the EU began recommending exposure limits, Italy had introduced its own, slightly lower exposure limits and even lower quality objectives for residential areas and the general public.

Italy: Exposure limits for radio frequency radiation*
Frequency	V/m	µW/m2
0,1-3 MHz	60	–
>3-3000 MHz	20	1,061,000
>2-300 000 MHz	40	4,244,000
*Still valid in 2025.

Italy: Quality objectives 1998 for radio frequency radiation
Frequency	V/m	µW/m2
0,1-300 000 MHz	6	95,000
Averaged over 6 minutes.

Similar to the ICNIRP/EU limits, the Italian limits and quality objectives from 1998 are averaged over six minutes. These objectives apply to buildings in which people spend at least four hours.¹³

In 2003, a new concept was introduced: attention values. These expand the use of the quality objectives. Attention values are the same as quality objectives and apply to exterior building areas such as balconies and terraces, but not roof terraces. It also covers areas that are built up or permanently equipped to meet social, health and recreational needs.¹⁴

In 2014, the limit of 6 volts per metre (V/m) for quality objectives and attention values remained in place, but it was decided that this would be averaged over 24 hours. As radiation levels fluctuate throughout the day due to varying wireless network usage, this change resulted in a more diffuse limit.¹⁵

In 2023, an annual law on the market and competition was passed, stipulating that the attention values and quality objectives of 6 V/m (95,000 µW/m²) should be raised to 15 V/m (597,000 µW/m²).¹⁶

Italy: Quality objectives 2024 for radio frequency radiation
Frequency	V/m	µW/m2
0,1-300 000 MHz	15	597,000
Averaged over 24 hours.

Electric and magnetic fields

Electric and magnetic fields have not received as much attention as radio frequency radiation. The quality objective for magnetic fields is well above the most common level found in homes, which is just below 0.1 microtesla (µT). For electric fields, there is only an exposure limit. Attention values and quality objectives are calculated as median values rather than averages, meaning isolated high peaks have less impact. The attention value applies to playgrounds, homes, schools and other places where people spend at least four hours a day. The quality objective applies when planning new power lines near playgrounds, residential areas, schools, and other places where people spend at least four hours a day. It also applies when planning new homes and the aforementioned places near existing power lines and facilities.¹⁷

Italy: 50 Hz electric and magnetic fields
	Magnetfält	Elektriska fält
Exposure limit	100 µT	5000 V/m
Attention value	10 µT	–
Quality objective	3 µT	–

Attention value and quality objective are calculated as median values over 24 hours.

Switzerland

Switzerland has adopted the ICNIRP's proposed limits, it has also adopted its own so-called precautionary values since the ICNIRP limits do not protect against long-term effects. This means that consideration is given to those who are more sensitive, such as children, people who are unwell, the elderly, and pregnant women. For air pollution, noise and vibrations, levels are also limited based on scientific knowledge or experience. However, this list does not include non-ionising radiation in the radio frequency range, meaning scientific knowledge or experience are not considered when setting these precautionary values.¹⁸

Instead, non-ionising radiation has its own legislation setting out specified limits, known as 'installation limit values', which must not be exceeded at maximum load. These limits apply to each antenna group, which is defined as all the antennas on a property or on a mobile phone mast, with certain exceptions.¹⁹

The precautionary values act as a precautionary principle that is monitored by the authorities. The ICNIRP limits act as a final safeguard that must never be exceeded.

Switzerland: Precautionary installation limit values for radio frequency radiation
	V/m	µW/m2
Mobile communication, 900 MHz	4.0	42,000
Mobile communication, over 1800 MHz	6.0	95,000
Mobile communication, other frequencies	5.0	66,000
Installation  for radio, 150 kHz-1,6 MHz (LW, MW/AM)	8.5	192,000
Installation for radio, other (FM-radio)	3.0	24,000

The precautionary installation limit values are given in V/m but converted here to µW/m² to simplify comparisons.

5G

The precautionary values also apply to adaptive antennas used for 5G, which can temporarily direct stronger radiation in different directions. However, if this type of antenna has automatic power control, the precautionary value may temporarily be exceeded if it is subsequently reduced by an equivalent amount. The precautionary value is then calculated as an average over six minutes. The upper temporary limit is determined by dividing the precautionary value by a correction factor.²⁰

Switzerland: Adaptive antenna correction factor
Sub-arrays	Correction factor
64 and more	at least 0.10
32 to 63	at least 0.13
16 to 31	at least 0.20
8 to 15	at least 0.40

The greater the number of sub-arrays, the greater the ability to concentrate the radiation. Calculation example for 5G at 3500 MHz: The precautionary value of 5 V/m divided by 0.1, which is equal to 50 V/m, equivalent to just under 1 watt per square metre.

Switzerland: Precautionary installation limit values for magnetic fields
	µT	Operating status
Powerlines	1	Maximum load
Railways	1	Averaged over 24 hours at load according to timetable

Do Switzerland's precautionary values or Italy's quality objectives have an effect on public health? See page   The peoples verdict

Land Salzburg

In the early 2000s, the Austrian state of Salzburg attempted to reduce exposure to radio frequency radiation from mobile phone masts by introducing a locally recommended exposure value. This initiative began with an international conference on mobile phone masts in 2000.²¹ The recommended exposure value of 1000 µW/m² was subsequently lowered.²² While Austria's states have a certain degree of self-determination, this does not extend to electromagnetic fields.

Land Salzburg: Mobile communication, microwaves 2002
	µW/m2
Outdoor	10
Indoor	1

BioInitiative.org

The BioInitiative is a group of scientists who apply appropriate principles to protect public health. Following an evaluation of the health risks posed by electromagnetic fields in 2012, BioInitiative concluded that the limit recommended in 2007 needed to be lowered. This limit is based on studies of mobile phone masts and provides a safety margin of tenfold from the lowest level at which negative health effects have been demonstrated.²³

The BioInitiative Report assumes that magnetic fields are carcinogenic and points out that the chosen level of 0.1 microtesla is arbitrary and only supported by the fact that it has been used as a reference in many studies showing a doubled cancer risk at 0.4 microtesla and 50/60 hertz.²⁴ According to Vågbrytaren's reference, similar naturally occurring magnetic fields are 0.0000005 microtesla at 8 hertz and even lower at 50 hertz.²⁵

BioInitiative: radio frequency radiation
Year	µW/m2
2007	1000
2012	3-6

BioInitiative: Magnetic fields
Year	µT
2012	0,1

Building biologists

Institut für Baubiologie + Nachhaltigkeit IBN is a German organisation whose members work to remediate buildings in a way that minimises known environmental disturbances and, ideally, avoids causing health problems. Their recommendations are based on extensive experience. Building biologists categorise environmental factors into different levels of anomaly. The highest level of caution is no anomaly which is achieved with only natural sources or are at the lowest level commonly found in our technologically advanced society. Nature is the yardstick, and they have therefore estimated the level of electromagnetic fields that have always existed on Earth.²⁶

Building biologists: Radio frequency radiation in sleeping areas
Level	µW/m2
No anomaly	less than 0.1
Slight anomaly	0.1-10
Severe anomaly	10-1000
Extreme anomaly	more than 1000
Natural radio frequency radiation	0.000001