Questions and Answers About EMF Electric and Magnetic Fields Associated with the Use of Electrical Power.
January 1995.

Your EMF Environment

Q. Is it safe to live close to a transmission line?

A. Living close to a transmission line can increase your overall exposure to EMFs. As discussed earlier, government health or safety organization worldwide have reportedly not concluded that EMFs cause cancer or other health effects.

It is generally acknowledged that several studies have reported increased cancer risks, especially for children living close to high-current power lines. Although these studies suggest potential risks, scientists do not yet know whether EMFs, other factors, or methodological problems are responsible for the findings of these studies.

It is possible that future studies will provide sufficient information to establish whether EMFs are a hazard to human health. The newer studies may also show that factors other than EMFs were responsible for effects reported in earlier studies. It is also possible that, even with more research, there will be no scientific resolution to the EMF issue in the near future.

The answer to this question, therefore, involves (1) a great deal of judgment about the meaning of existing scientific evidence, (2) speculation about the possible results of future studies, and (3) individual perceptions about the relative importance of various potential health risks.

During this period of uncertainty, there are some things that you can do to help answer this question.

1. Follow the EMF issue by reading various sources and talking with people who are working to resolve the issue. The EMF RAPID Program (see p. 64), in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, provides a toll-free public information telephone line to answer EMF-related questions and direct callers to further sources of information.

   The EMF "Infoline" number is 1-800-363-2383. (In Washington D.C., call 484-1803.)

2. Find out about the EMF levels produced by the particular source that concerns you. If the source is a power line, you may be far enough away that EMF levels are negligible.