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

Your EMF Environment

Q. What can be done to limit EMF exposures?

A. There are a number of ways to reduce exposures to EMFs. Some are as easy as standing back from an appliance when it is in use. Remember that magnetic fields from appliances drop off dramatically in strength with increased distance from the source.

Other EMF reduction steps, such as correcting a household wiring problem, are worth doing anyway for safety reasons. But what about more costly actions, such as burying power lines or moving out of a home? Because scientists are still debating whether EMFs are a hazard to health, it is not clear how much should be done at this time to reduce exposures. Some EMF reduction measures may create other problems. For instance, compacting power lines to reduce EMFs can increase the danger of accidental electrocution for line workers.

A concerted effort to provide scientifically valid research on which to base decisions about EMF exposures is under way, and results are expected in the next several years. The EMF RAPID Program will report its findings to the Congress in 1997 and will provide current information to the public during the course of the research.

Meanwhile, some authorities recommend taking simple precautionary steps, such as the following:

• Increase the distance between yourself and the EMF source - sit at arm's length from your computer terminal.
• Avoid unnecessary proximity to high EMF sources - don't let children play directly under power lines or on top of power transformers for underground lines.
• Reduce time spent in the field - turn off your computer monitor and other electrical appliances when you aren't using them.