Radio waves: reducing exposure from mobile phones
Updated 4 February 2020
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The international guidelines recommended by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) provide protection for the population as a whole; however, uncertainties in the science suggest some additional level of precaution is warranted, particularly for sources such as mobile phones where simple measures can be taken to reduce exposure.
Measures to reduce exposures from mobile phones have been recommended by the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones and UKHSA continues to support these recommendations, which were accepted by government.
The main advice is:
- excessive use of mobile phones by children should be discouraged
- adults should be able to make their own choices about reducing their exposure should they so wish, but be able to do this from an informed position
Measures that can be taken to reduce exposure include:
- moving the phone away from the body, as when texting, results in very much lower exposures than if a phone is held to the head
- using a hands-free kit, keeping calls short, making calls where the network signals are strong
- choosing a phone with a low specific energy absorption rate (SAR) value quoted by the manufacturer
Exposures from devices held further away from the body such as wireless-enabled laptop computers, and transmitter masts in the community are very much lower than those from mobile phones and UKHSA considers that community or individual measures to reduce such exposures are unnecessary.
See also the advice of the NPRB on reducing exposure to radio waves.