NIEHS

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES (U.S.), 1999

In 1992, the U.S. Congress authorised the Electric and Magnetic Fields Research and Public Information Dissemination Program ( EMF-RAPID Program) in the Energy Policy Act (PL 102-486, Section 2118).

The Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) was mandated upon completion of the program to provide a report outlining the possible human health risks associated with exposure to ELF-EMF. This report was published in June, 1999.

Conclusions:

“The NIEHS concludes that ELF-EMF exposure cannot be recognized as entirely safe because of weak scientific evidence that exposure may pose a leukemia hazard. In our opinion, this finding is insufficient to warrant aggressive regulatory concern. However, because virtually everyone in the United States uses electricity and therefore is routinely exposed to ELF-EMF, passive regulatory action is warranted such as a continued emphasis on educating both the public and the regulated community on means aimed at reducing exposures. The NIEHS does not believe that other cancers or non-cancer health outcomes provide sufficient evidence of a risk to currently warrant concern.”

The NIEHS, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), published a public information booklet which was updated in April, 2002.

NIOSH also has a Web site on EMF, with various fact sheets.

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