[en] Anses was asked by Ademe in 2008, and by the Ministries of Consumer Affairs, Health and the Environment in 2011, to assess human exposure to electromagnetic fields emitted by compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). In response to Ademe's request, the Agency published a report in February 2009 presenting an analysis of existing and relevant methodologies for measuring the electromagnetic fields emitted by CFLs. A simple, rigorous measurement solution was proposed, with a view to carrying out a one-off campaign to assess exposure to these fields, at a distance of more than 30 cm from the lamps. Subsequent lamp measurement campaigns were carried out by the Scientific and technical center for building (CSTB). In January 2011, the Consumer Safety Commission (CSC) issued an opinion on compact fluorescent lamps, recommending that consumers avoid any prolonged exposure to these lamps within a proximity radius set at a minimum distance of 30 cm. In response to a request from the ministries in charge of consumer affairs, health and the environment, the Agency published a notice in 2013. This presents an analysis of existing and relevant methodologies for measuring the electromagnetic fields emitted by CFLs, particularly at less than 30 cm from the lamps. In its opinion, the Agency refers to the new provisions recommended by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (Icnirp), which published new guidelines for the 1 Hz-100 kHz frequency range in 2010. Pending the results of future campaigns, Anses recommends limiting exposure to less than 30 cm from CFLs. Finally, the Anses also recommends that current regulations concerning exposure of the general population to electromagnetic fields emitted by equipment used in telecommunications networks or by radioelectric installations be extended to other sources of artificial emissions of non-ionizing radiation (from 0 to 300 GHz), and in particular to CFLs

[en] The first proposed limit values for exposure to electromagnetic fields were published in 1998 by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (Icnirp). These values, and the scientific rationale behind them, were revised in 2010 and 2020, to take account of developments in technology and knowledge of the health effects of electromagnetic fields. Today, this work serves as the basis for most of the recommendations and regulations adopted worldwide to limit the exposure of people and the environment to non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation. In France, for example, regulatory texts limiting exposure to electromagnetic fields emitted by cell phone networks, whether relay antennas or telephones, were drawn up on this basis. The Agency points out that the Icnirp has based its limit values on the proven health effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields. It recalls that it mentioned, in particular in 2013 and 2016, that uncertainties persist concerning possible effects that could be observed in the long term. In 2013, in fact, the Anses assessment highlighted, with limited evidence, various effects concerning: - in animal models: sleep, male fertility and cognitive performance; - in humans: gliomas for intensive users and neuroma of the vestibulo-acoustic nerve in epidemiological studies, as well as with a sufficient level of evidence of short-term physiological modification of brain activity during sleep. More specifically in children, the Agency concluded in 2013 that radio frequencies could have an effect on: - cognitive functions: the results showing acute effects are based on experimental studies whose methodology is well controlled; - well-being: these effects could, however, be linked to the use of cell phones rather than to the radio frequencies they emit. The Agency will be undertaking methodological work on the construction of exposure limit values for electromagnetic fields, with the aim of proposing a suitable method and new exposure limit values, taking into account the effects mentioned above, according to the associated levels of evidence. In the meantime, the Agency stresses the importance of continuing to monitor exposure to electromagnetic fields, and of adapting technical standards for measuring exposure to technological developments

[en] Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technologies aim to identify any 'object', in the broadest sense of the term, fitted with an 'RFID tag', by means of data transmission via radio waves and without contact with an 'interrogator'. The use of radio frequencies for tag identification enables blind communication, at varying distances, and sometimes involving several hundred objects almost simultaneously. In 2009, the Afsset agency assessed the potential impact of these technologies on the environment and human health, particularly in terms of the electromagnetic fields emitted by these systems, and issued a series of recommendations

[en] The French Agency for Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety was asked by the Ministries of Health and the Environment to set up a working group to carry out expert appraisal work on the exposure of the general population to radiofrequency and electromagnetic fields. This document presents a summary of the studies and results

[en] The ProVision 100 is a body scanner which allows images of the whole body to be obtained for safety purposes, without any exposure to ionising radiations, in a reliable and non-intrusive way in comparison with pat-down searching. Its technology is based on the use of so-called 'millimetre' waves, between 24 and 30 GHz. This expertise report is an answer to a public body request for an assessment of health risks related to the use of such a device. The authors first present the context of this investigation, and then present various aspects of waves with a frequency greater than 1 GHz (physical properties, exposure sources, biological effects, health effects, regulation related to public exposure to electromagnetic waves). The ProVision 100 is then presented: operation parameters, emitted power, control capacity, gantry operation, obtained image, gantry usages, other technologies for body scanners). They report the assessment of the exposure of persons scanned by the Provision 100 gantry (assessment of electromagnetic field levels, assessment of exposure to millimetre waves), and the assessment of health risks related to the use of ProVision 100 (depth of penetration of waves into the body, issue of potential thermal and non thermal effects, and of interaction with medical devices). Issues related to privacy and human rights in relationship with the use of body scanners are then briefly discussed

[en] This document first presents the opinion of the Anses (the French National Agency for food, environment and work safety) about the assessment of the exposure to electromagnetic fields emitted by communicating meters. This opinion and some associated recommendations are based on the content of the study report which is thereafter presented. This report first proposes a presentation of the context, objective, implemented method and organisation of this study, and a focus on how interest conflicts have been avoided. The next chapters presents some other aspects related to the deployment of these meters: European and French legal framework, normative framework, historical overview and current status of this deployment in France, in the European Union and abroad. The report also addresses and comments some controversies about these meters: the public controversy about Linky in France (literature overview, nature and actors of the controversy, dynamics about health issue), a legal conflict about the ownership and management of the Linky meters in France, and a case of controversy in Quebec (Canada). Technical descriptions of different communicating meters are then presented: Linky with the CPL or PLC technology, and Gazpar and water meters using a radio technology. The authors report measurements performed by EDF, public bodies and other actors, and also measurements performed in Finland of the exposure in the case of PLC meters, radio-wave-based meters and concentrators. Based on these exposure data, an assessment of health effect is proposed, followed by conclusions and recommendations

[en] Testing of exposure to waves emitted by mobile telephones was modified in 2016 to take changes in models and uses into account. Since then, manufacturers have been required to assess exposure under realistic conditions of use, i.e. when the telephone is placed very close to the body, at a maximum distance of 5 mm. However, many telephones complying with the earlier regulations, and still in use, generate high levels of exposure when placed close to the body. ANSES was therefore asked to assess the possible health effects associated with these exposure conditions. Following its expert appraisal, ANSES recommends that measures be taken to ensure that users are no longer subject to high levels of exposure when telephones are carried close to the body

[en] In a context of development of new technologies of wireless communications, and therefore of radio-electric signals used to transmit information, this voluminous document reports a detailed study on the effects of radiofrequency on health. It is notably based on a large literature survey and on an assessment of the level of proof of these effects by experts (proved, possible, probable, insufficiently proved, or no effect on mankind). These effects can be either biological or on health. The report presents the context, scope and modalities of the expertise study, presents the main artificial and natural sources of radiofrequency radiation, gives a detailed presentation of new exposure sources (new signals, new radio-electric networks and their applications like mobile phones, pads, mobile television, local wireless networks, RFID, so on). It describes metrology and dose measurement techniques for electromagnetic fields (exposure characterization in laboratory, characterization of the electromagnetic environment, individual exposure measurement devices, digital dosimetry). It addresses the efficiency of anti-wave devices. The next part presents the literature survey (method, analysis, results). The authors then report an assessment of the risk level related to radio-frequencies for the central nervous system (neurotoxicity mechanisms, cognitive functions, memory and behaviour, sleep and circadian rhythms, hearing functions, neurological and neuro-degenerative diseases), and an assessment of the risk level of radio-frequencies for other non-carcinogenic effects (possible mechanisms, reproduction, immunology, endocrine system, and so on). They discuss the researches on potential carcinogenic mechanisms. They give an overview of the evolutions of regulations and management measures in France, and propose a set of recommendations

[en] The Eqo is a body scanner which allows images of the whole body to be obtained for safety purposes, without any exposure to ionising radiations, in a reliable and non-intrusive way in comparison with pat-down searching. Its technology is based on the use of so-called 'millimetre' waves. This expertise report is an answer to a public body request for an assessment of health risks related to the use of such a device. The authors first present the context of this investigation, and the Eqo gantry (operation, physical parameters, obtained image, control capacity, gantry usage). They report the assessment of electromagnetic field levels emitted by the Eqo gantry (measurement conditions, measurements), and the assessment of exposure to millimetre waves in relationship with the use of the Eqo gantry as far as passengers, airport workers and flight crews, operators, and testers are concerned. After a presentation of the potential health and biological effects of waves with a frequency higher than 1 GHz, the authors also report an assessment of health risks related to the use of Eqo (depth of penetration of waves into the body, issue of potential thermal and non thermal effects). Some recommendations are made

[en] The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES) reiterates that wind turbines emit infra-sounds (sound below 20 Hz) and low-frequency sounds. There are also other sources of infra-sound emissions that can be natural (wind in particular) or anthropogenic (heavy-goods vehicles, heat pumps, etc.). The measurement campaigns undertaken during the expert appraisal enabled these emissions from three wind farms to be characterised. In general, only very high intensities of infra-sound can be heard or perceived by humans. At the minimum distance (of 500 metres) separating homes from wind farm sites set out by the regulations, the infra-sounds produced by wind turbines do not exceed hearing thresholds. Therefore, the disturbance related to audible noise potentially felt by people around wind farms mainly relates to frequencies above 50 Hz. The expert appraisal showed that mechanisms for health effects grouped under the term 'vibro-acoustic disease', reported in certain publications, have no serious scientific basis. There have been very few scientific studies on the potential health effects of infra-sounds and low frequencies produced by wind turbines. The review of these experimental and epidemiological data did not find any adequate scientific arguments for the occurrence of health effects related to exposure to noise from wind turbines, other than disturbance related to audible noise and a nocebo effect, which can help explain the occurrence of stress-related symptoms experienced by residents living near wind farms. However, recently acquired knowledge on the physiology of the cochlea-vestibular system has revealed physiological effects in animals induced by exposure to high-intensity infra-sounds. These effects, while plausible in humans, have yet to be demonstrated for exposure to levels comparable to those observed in residents living near wind farms. Moreover, the connection between these physiological effects and the occurrence of a health effect has not been documented. In this context, ANSES recommends: Concerning studies and research: - verifying whether or not there is a possible mechanism modulating the perception of audible sound at intensities of infra-sound similar to those measured from local residents; - studying the effects of the amplitude modulation of the acoustic signal on the noise-related disturbance felt; - studying the assumption that cochlea-vestibular effects may be responsible for pathophysiological effects; - undertaking a survey of residents living near wind farms enabling the identification of an objective signature of a physiological effect. Concerning information for local residents and the monitoring of noise levels: - enhancing information for local residents during the construction of wind farms and participation in public inquiries undertaken in rural areas; - systematically measuring the noise emissions of wind turbines before and after they are brought into service; - setting up, especially in the event of controversy, continuous noise measurement systems around wind farms (based on experience at airports, for example). Lastly, the Agency reiterates that the current regulations state that the distance between a wind turbine and the first home should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, taking the conditions of wind farms into account. This distance, of at least 500 metres, may be increased further to the results of an impact assessment, in order to comply with the limit values for noise exposure. Current knowledge of the potential health effects of exposure to infra-sounds and low-frequency noise provides no justification for changing the current limit values or for extending the spectrum of noise currently taken into consideration