{ "collection": "emitters", "name": "Sources & emitters", "description": "Everyday EMF sources with emission bands, transmit power, duty cycle, field strength by distance, and mitigations ordered by effectiveness.", "count": 28, "dataVersion": "2026.08.1", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "license": { "name": "CC BY 4.0", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "records": [ { "id": "emitters:wifi-router", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "wifi-router", "name": "Wi-Fi router (2.4 / 5 / 6 GHz)", "summary": "A consumer access point radiating roughly 100 mW EIRP per band, giving about 8,000 µW/m² at 1 m and 80 µW/m² at 10 m in free space.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "wireless access point", "WLAN router", "modem router" ], "category": "radiofrequency", "environment": [ "home", "workplace", "school" ], "bands": [ { "label": "2.4 GHz ISM", "minHz": 2400000000, "maxHz": 2483500000 }, { "label": "5 GHz U-NII", "minHz": 5150000000, "maxHz": 5895000000 }, { "label": "6 GHz U-NII (Wi-Fi 6E/7)", "minHz": 5925000000, "maxHz": 7125000000 } ], "transmitPower": { "quantity": "power", "unit": "W EIRP", "value": 0.1, "basis": "regulatory", "note": "100 mW is typical for consumer access points. 47 CFR Part 15 permits up to 1 W conducted power in the 2.4 GHz band for some configurations, so high-power or multi-radio units can be an order of magnitude higher.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-part15" ] }, "dutyCycle": "Beacon frames transmit continuously at low duty cycle even with no clients; duty cycle rises with traffic. Peak-hold readings therefore exceed time-averaged readings substantially.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 0.3, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 88400, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 0.1 W, d = 0.3 m", "note": "Within one wavelength at 2.4 GHz (12.5 cm) treat this as indicative only.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-part15" ] } }, { "meters": 1, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 7960, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 0.1 W, d = 1 m", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-part15" ] } }, { "meters": 3, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 884, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 0.1 W, d = 3 m", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-part15" ] } }, { "meters": 10, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 79.6, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 0.1 W, d = 10 m", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-part15" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "Move the router out of bedrooms and away from desks; distance dominates everything else.", "effect": "Power density falls with the square of distance: 3× the distance is 9× less.", "sourceIds": [ "itu-fs-relations" ] }, { "action": "Use the router's schedule feature to disable the radio overnight.", "effect": "Removes night-time exposure entirely without affecting daytime use." }, { "action": "Run Ethernet to fixed devices (desktops, TVs, consoles) and disable unused radio bands.", "effect": "Cuts both router and client transmissions; client devices are usually closer to the body than the router." }, { "action": "Reduce transmit power in the router's admin settings if supported.", "effect": "A drop from 100 mW to 25 mW is a 6 dB reduction, equivalent to doubling your distance." } ], "measureWith": [ "broadband-rf-meter", "spectrum-analyser" ], "related": [ "limits:fcc-mpe-public-1500-100000", "limits:sbm-2024-rf-extreme", "protocols:rf-room-survey" ], "questions": [ "how-far-from-wifi-router" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "fcc-part15", "title": "47 CFR Part 15 — Radio Frequency Devices (unlicensed transmitter power limits)", "publisher": "U.S. Government Publishing Office (eCFR)", "url": "https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/part-15", "kind": "regulation", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "arpansa-wifi", "title": "Wi-Fi and health", "publisher": "Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency", "url": "https://www.arpansa.gov.au/understanding-radiation/radiation-sources/more-radiation-sources/wifi", "kind": "government", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "itu-fs-relations", "title": "Free-space path loss and power density relations (ITU-R P.525)", "publisher": "International Telecommunication Union", "url": "https://www.itu.int/rec/R-REC-P.525/en", "kind": "standard", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/wifi-router", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/wifi-router", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/wifi-router.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } }, { "id": "emitters:smart-meter", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "smart-meter", "name": "Smart electricity meter (RF mesh)", "summary": "Mesh smart meters transmit in short bursts at up to 1 W EIRP in the 900 MHz band, so peak readings at 1 m are high while time-averaged exposure is low because the duty cycle is well under 1%.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "AMI meter", "advanced metering infrastructure", "smart meter radiation" ], "category": "radiofrequency", "environment": [ "home", "outdoor" ], "bands": [ { "label": "902–928 MHz ISM (FHSS)", "minHz": 902000000, "maxHz": 928000000 } ], "transmitPower": { "quantity": "power", "unit": "W EIRP", "value": 1, "basis": "regulatory", "note": "Part 15 frequency-hopping devices in the 902–928 MHz band may transmit up to 1 W conducted power. Utility deployments vary; some use 0.25 W or less.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-part15" ] }, "dutyCycle": "Short data bursts plus mesh relay traffic. Utility filings typically report a duty cycle well below 1%, meaning peak-hold and time-averaged readings can differ by more than 100×.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 0.3, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 884000, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 1 W, d = 0.3 m", "note": "Peak during a transmission burst, on the meter side of the wall.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-part15" ] } }, { "meters": 1, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 79600, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 1 W, d = 1 m", "note": "Peak during a transmission burst.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-part15" ] } }, { "meters": 3, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 8840, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 1 W, d = 3 m", "note": "Peak during a transmission burst.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-part15" ] } }, { "meters": 10, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 796, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 1 W, d = 10 m", "note": "Peak during a transmission burst.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-part15" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "Identify what is on the other side of the meter wall and relocate beds or desks away from it.", "effect": "Most residential smart-meter exposure concerns are a room-layout problem, not a meter problem." }, { "action": "Measure in peak-hold mode over several minutes, then again in average mode.", "effect": "Distinguishes the burst amplitude from the exposure that limits are actually written against.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-1310" ] }, { "action": "Ask the utility for the meter's FCC ID and duty-cycle filing, or for an opt-out or wired-read option where offered.", "effect": "Gives you the actual transmit power and burst rate instead of an assumption.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-eas" ] } ], "measureWith": [ "broadband-rf-meter" ], "related": [ "limits:fcc-mpe-public-300-1500", "questions:are-smart-meters-dangerous" ], "questions": [ "are-smart-meters-dangerous" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "fcc-part15", "title": "47 CFR Part 15 — Radio Frequency Devices (unlicensed transmitter power limits)", "publisher": "U.S. Government Publishing Office (eCFR)", "url": "https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/part-15", "kind": "regulation", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "fcc-eas", "title": "Equipment Authorization Search (FCC ID lookup, includes SAR test reports)", "publisher": "Federal Communications Commission", "url": "https://www.fcc.gov/oet/ea/fccid", "kind": "government", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "fcc-1310", "title": "47 CFR § 1.1310 — Radiofrequency radiation exposure limits", "publisher": "U.S. Government Publishing Office (eCFR)", "url": "https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/section-1.1310", "kind": "regulation", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/smart-meter", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/smart-meter", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/smart-meter.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } }, { "id": "emitters:macro-cell-tower", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "cell-tower", "name": "Macro cell tower (LTE / 5G sector antenna)", "summary": "Sector antennas radiate on the order of 1000 W EIRP per sector on the main beam, which is aimed above and away from the tower base — ground-level exposure directly beneath a tower is usually lower than at a few hundred metres away.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "base station", "mobile phone mast", "cell site", "5G tower" ], "category": "radiofrequency", "environment": [ "outdoor" ], "bands": [ { "label": "Low band (600–900 MHz)", "minHz": 600000000, "maxHz": 900000000 }, { "label": "Mid band (1.7–2.6 GHz)", "minHz": 1700000000, "maxHz": 2600000000 }, { "label": "C-band 5G (3.3–4.2 GHz)", "minHz": 3300000000, "maxHz": 4200000000 } ], "transmitPower": { "quantity": "power", "unit": "W EIRP", "value": 1000, "basis": "regulatory", "note": "Order-of-magnitude figure for a macro sector. Actual EIRP depends on transmitter power, antenna gain and, for 5G massive-MIMO panels, on beamforming that concentrates power toward active users.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-oet65", "arpansa-base-stations" ] }, "dutyCycle": "Control channels transmit continuously; traffic channels vary with load. 5G beamforming means the maximum only occurs when a beam is pointed at you.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 50, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 31800, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 1000 W, d = 50 m", "note": "Main-beam free-space value. At the tower base you are usually far below the main beam, where levels are typically 10–100× lower.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-oet65" ] } }, { "meters": 100, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 7960, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 1000 W, d = 100 m", "note": "Main-beam free-space value.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-oet65" ] } }, { "meters": 300, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 884, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 1000 W, d = 300 m", "note": "Main-beam free-space value.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-oet65" ] } }, { "meters": 1000, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 79.6, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 1000 W, d = 1000 m", "note": "Main-beam free-space value.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-oet65" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "Establish the actual antenna height, azimuth and downtilt before assuming exposure; look the site up in the FCC ASR database.", "effect": "Determines whether a dwelling is in the main beam at all, which changes the estimate by one to two orders of magnitude.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-asr" ] }, { "action": "Measure indoors with a directional antenna to identify the dominant azimuth, then use window film or shielding paint on that facade only.", "effect": "Targets the one surface that matters instead of shielding a whole room." }, { "action": "Compare readings against both the regulatory limit and the Swiss installation limit value to understand where you sit.", "effect": "Typical measured residential levels near base stations are hundreds of times below regulatory limits.", "sourceIds": [ "arpansa-base-stations", "ch-onir" ] } ], "measureWith": [ "broadband-rf-meter", "spectrum-analyser", "directional-antenna" ], "related": [ "limits:ch-onir-installation-mobile", "limits:fcc-mpe-public-300-1500" ], "questions": [ "how-far-should-i-live-from-a-cell-tower" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "fcc-oet65", "title": "OET Bulletin 65: Evaluating Compliance with FCC Guidelines for Human Exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields", "publisher": "Federal Communications Commission, Office of Engineering and Technology", "url": "https://www.fcc.gov/general/oet-bulletins-line", "year": 1997, "kind": "government", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "arpansa-base-stations", "title": "Mobile phone base stations and health", "publisher": "Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency", "url": "https://www.arpansa.gov.au/understanding-radiation/radiation-sources/more-radiation-sources/mobile-phone-base-stations", "kind": "government", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "fcc-asr", "title": "Antenna Structure Registration (ASR) public access database downloads", "publisher": "Federal Communications Commission", "url": "https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/data/public-access-files-database-downloads", "kind": "government", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "itu-fs-relations", "title": "Free-space path loss and power density relations (ITU-R P.525)", "publisher": "International Telecommunication Union", "url": "https://www.itu.int/rec/R-REC-P.525/en", "kind": "standard", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/cell-tower", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/cell-tower", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/cell-tower.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } }, { "id": "emitters:5g-small-cell", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "5g-small-cell", "name": "5G small cell / street-level node", "summary": "Pole-mounted nodes radiate roughly 10 W EIRP at street level, putting a residence 10 m away at about 8,000 µW/m² on the main beam — far below regulatory limits but often above precautionary building-biology bands.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "small cell", "5G node", "street pole antenna" ], "category": "radiofrequency", "environment": [ "outdoor" ], "bands": [ { "label": "Mid band (1.7–2.6 GHz)", "minHz": 1700000000, "maxHz": 2600000000 }, { "label": "C-band (3.3–4.2 GHz)", "minHz": 3300000000, "maxHz": 4200000000 }, { "label": "mmWave (24–39 GHz)", "minHz": 24000000000, "maxHz": 39000000000 } ], "transmitPower": { "quantity": "power", "unit": "W EIRP", "value": 10, "basis": "regulatory", "note": "Small cells span roughly 1–50 W EIRP depending on class and band; mmWave nodes use high EIRP with very narrow beams and poor wall penetration.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-oet65" ] }, "dutyCycle": "Similar to macro sites: continuous control channels, load-dependent traffic, beamformed peaks.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 5, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 31800, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 10 W, d = 5 m", "note": "Main-beam free-space value.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-oet65" ] } }, { "meters": 10, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 7960, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 10 W, d = 10 m", "note": "Main-beam free-space value.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-oet65" ] } }, { "meters": 30, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 884, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 10 W, d = 30 m", "note": "Main-beam free-space value.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-oet65" ] } }, { "meters": 100, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 79.6, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 10 W, d = 100 m", "note": "Main-beam free-space value.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-oet65" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "Determine which rooms have line of sight to the node; mmWave and C-band are strongly attenuated by walls and glass coatings.", "effect": "Line of sight is the single biggest factor in indoor levels from street-level nodes." }, { "action": "Apply RF window film or shielding paint to the facing wall and window, then re-measure.", "effect": "Typical installed shielding of 20–30 dB reduces incident power density by 99–99.9%." } ], "measureWith": [ "broadband-rf-meter", "spectrum-analyser" ], "related": [ "emitters:macro-cell-tower", "limits:ch-onir-installation-mobile" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "fcc-oet65", "title": "OET Bulletin 65: Evaluating Compliance with FCC Guidelines for Human Exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields", "publisher": "Federal Communications Commission, Office of Engineering and Technology", "url": "https://www.fcc.gov/general/oet-bulletins-line", "year": 1997, "kind": "government", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "itu-fs-relations", "title": "Free-space path loss and power density relations (ITU-R P.525)", "publisher": "International Telecommunication Union", "url": "https://www.itu.int/rec/R-REC-P.525/en", "kind": "standard", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/5g-small-cell", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/5g-small-cell", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/5g-small-cell.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } }, { "id": "emitters:smartphone", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "smartphone", "name": "Smartphone (cellular uplink)", "summary": "Handsets transmit up to about 200 mW (23 dBm) on cellular uplink and are used against the head, so exposure is governed by SAR — 1.6 W/kg over 1 g in the U.S., 2 W/kg over 10 g under ICNIRP — not by power density.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "mobile phone", "cell phone", "phone radiation" ], "category": "radiofrequency", "environment": [ "home", "workplace", "vehicle", "school" ], "bands": [ { "label": "Cellular uplink (700 MHz–3.8 GHz)", "minHz": 700000000, "maxHz": 3800000000 }, { "label": "Wi-Fi / Bluetooth", "minHz": 2400000000, "maxHz": 5900000000 } ], "transmitPower": { "quantity": "power", "unit": "W EIRP", "value": 0.2, "basis": "regulatory", "note": "23 dBm is the typical LTE/5G-NR power class maximum for handsets. Phones transmit far below this when signal is strong, and at the maximum when signal is weak.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-2-1093" ] }, "dutyCycle": "Uplink power is adaptive: one or two bars of signal can mean orders of magnitude more transmit power than full bars for the same call.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 0.01, "value": { "quantity": "specific-absorption-rate", "unit": "W/kg", "value": 0.2, "max": 1.6, "basis": "manufacturer", "note": "Reported head SAR for handsets sold in the U.S. must not exceed 1.6 W/kg over 1 g at maximum transmit power. Per-model values are in the FCC equipment authorization filing for the device's FCC ID.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-2-1093", "fcc-eas" ] } }, { "meters": 0.3, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 177000, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 0.2 W, d = 0.3 m", "note": "Far-field approximation only; at 30 cm the phone is roughly one wavelength away at 1 GHz.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-2-1093" ] } }, { "meters": 1, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 15900, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 0.2 W, d = 1 m", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-2-1093" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "Use speakerphone or wired earphones instead of holding the phone to the head.", "effect": "Moving the transmitter from 1 cm to 30 cm removes almost all of the local SAR.", "sourceIds": [ "who-emf-rf" ] }, { "action": "Make calls where signal is strong, and avoid calling from lifts, basements or moving vehicles.", "effect": "Adaptive power control means good signal directly reduces transmit power." }, { "action": "Prefer Wi-Fi calling and data over cellular when available; keep the phone off the body when transmitting.", "effect": "Wi-Fi uplink power is typically an order of magnitude below cellular uplink maximum." }, { "action": "Look up your model's SAR in the FCC equipment authorization database rather than relying on third-party lists.", "effect": "Gives the tested value for the exact hardware revision.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-eas" ] } ], "measureWith": [ "broadband-rf-meter" ], "related": [ "limits:fcc-sar-partial-body", "limits:icnirp-2020-sar-local", "studies:iarc-2b-rf-2011" ], "questions": [ "what-is-sar-and-does-a-low-sar-phone-matter" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "fcc-2-1093", "title": "47 CFR § 2.1093 — Radiofrequency radiation exposure evaluation: portable devices", "publisher": "U.S. Government Publishing Office (eCFR)", "url": "https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/section-2.1093", "kind": "regulation", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "fcc-eas", "title": "Equipment Authorization Search (FCC ID lookup, includes SAR test reports)", "publisher": "Federal Communications Commission", "url": "https://www.fcc.gov/oet/ea/fccid", "kind": "government", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "who-emf-rf", "title": "Radiation: Electromagnetic fields (questions and answers)", "publisher": "World Health Organization", "url": "https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-electromagnetic-fields", "kind": "government", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "icnirp-2020", "title": "Guidelines for Limiting Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields (100 kHz to 300 GHz)", "publisher": "International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection", "url": "https://www.icnirp.org/en/publications/article/rf-guidelines-2020.html", "year": 2020, "kind": "guideline", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/smartphone", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/smartphone", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/smartphone.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } }, { "id": "emitters:dect-cordless-phone", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "dect-cordless-phone", "name": "DECT cordless phone base station", "summary": "Older DECT bases transmit a pulsed beacon 100 times per second whether or not a call is in progress; at 250 mW peak that is about 20,000 µW/m² at 1 m.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "cordless phone", "DECT base" ], "category": "radiofrequency", "environment": [ "home", "workplace" ], "bands": [ { "label": "DECT 1880–1900 MHz (EU)", "minHz": 1880000000, "maxHz": 1900000000 }, { "label": "DECT 6.0 1920–1930 MHz (US)", "minHz": 1920000000, "maxHz": 1930000000 } ], "transmitPower": { "quantity": "power", "unit": "W EIRP", "value": 0.25, "basis": "regulatory", "note": "250 mW peak is the standard DECT burst power. Transmit power is the regulatory or typical maximum; real devices often transmit below it and reduce power when link quality allows.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-part15" ] }, "dutyCycle": "Legacy bases beacon continuously at 100 Hz pulse rate. Models advertised as 'ECO mode' or 'full eco' reduce or stop beaconing when idle.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 0.3, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 221000, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 0.25 W, d = 0.3 m", "note": "Peak during a burst.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-part15" ] } }, { "meters": 1, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 19900, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 0.25 W, d = 1 m", "note": "Peak during a burst.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-part15" ] } }, { "meters": 3, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 2210, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 0.25 W, d = 3 m", "note": "Peak during a burst.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-part15" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "Replace a legacy DECT base with a corded phone, or with a full-eco model that stops beaconing when idle.", "effect": "Removes a continuous pulsed source that is often the strongest indoor RF emitter in a home.", "sourceIds": [ "sbm-2024" ] }, { "action": "Never site the base in a bedroom or on a desk.", "effect": "Distance is the only mitigation that works against a continuously beaconing base." } ], "measureWith": [ "broadband-rf-meter" ], "related": [ "limits:sbm-2024-rf-extreme" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "fcc-part15", "title": "47 CFR Part 15 — Radio Frequency Devices (unlicensed transmitter power limits)", "publisher": "U.S. Government Publishing Office (eCFR)", "url": "https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/part-15", "kind": "regulation", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "sbm-2024", "title": "Building Biology Evaluation Guidelines for Sleeping Areas (SBM-2024)", "publisher": "Institut für Baubiologie + Nachhaltigkeit (IBN)", "url": "https://buildingbiology.com/site/downloads/SBM-2024_EVALUATION_GUIDELINES_EN.pdf", "year": 2024, "kind": "ngo", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/dect-cordless-phone", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/dect-cordless-phone", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/dect-cordless-phone.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } }, { "id": "emitters:baby-monitor", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "baby-monitor", "name": "Wireless baby monitor", "summary": "A 2.4 GHz video monitor placed a metre from a cot is a continuously transmitting source at close range — roughly 8,000 µW/m² at 1 m for a 100 mW unit.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "nursery camera", "video monitor" ], "category": "radiofrequency", "environment": [ "home" ], "bands": [ { "label": "2.4 GHz ISM", "minHz": 2400000000, "maxHz": 2483500000 }, { "label": "DECT / FHSS audio", "minHz": 1880000000, "maxHz": 1930000000 } ], "transmitPower": { "quantity": "power", "unit": "W EIRP", "value": 0.1, "basis": "regulatory", "note": "Typical Part 15 consumer transmitter power. Transmit power is the regulatory or typical maximum; real devices often transmit below it and reduce power when link quality allows.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-part15" ] }, "dutyCycle": "Video monitors stream continuously; audio-only and voice-activated units transmit intermittently.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 0.3, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 88400, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 0.1 W, d = 0.3 m", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-part15" ] } }, { "meters": 1, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 7960, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 0.1 W, d = 1 m", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-part15" ] } }, { "meters": 3, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 884, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 0.1 W, d = 3 m", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-part15" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "Place the unit at least 2–3 m from the cot rather than on the cot rail.", "effect": "Increasing 0.3 m to 3 m is a 100× reduction in power density.", "sourceIds": [ "itu-fs-relations" ] }, { "action": "Choose an audio-only, voice-activated, or wired monitor.", "effect": "Removes continuous transmission during sleep." } ], "measureWith": [ "broadband-rf-meter" ], "related": [ "limits:sbm-2024-rf-extreme", "emitters:wifi-router" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "fcc-part15", "title": "47 CFR Part 15 — Radio Frequency Devices (unlicensed transmitter power limits)", "publisher": "U.S. Government Publishing Office (eCFR)", "url": "https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/part-15", "kind": "regulation", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "itu-fs-relations", "title": "Free-space path loss and power density relations (ITU-R P.525)", "publisher": "International Telecommunication Union", "url": "https://www.itu.int/rec/R-REC-P.525/en", "kind": "standard", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/baby-monitor", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/baby-monitor", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/baby-monitor.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } }, { "id": "emitters:bluetooth-earbuds", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "bluetooth-earbuds", "name": "Bluetooth earbuds and headsets", "summary": "Class 2 Bluetooth transmits about 2.5 mW — roughly 1/80th of a phone's cellular uplink maximum — but does so a centimetre from the head, so the relevant metric is again SAR rather than power density.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "wireless earbuds", "AirPods radiation", "BT headset" ], "category": "radiofrequency", "environment": [ "home", "workplace", "vehicle" ], "bands": [ { "label": "2.4 GHz ISM", "minHz": 2400000000, "maxHz": 2483500000 } ], "transmitPower": { "quantity": "power", "unit": "W EIRP", "value": 0.0025, "basis": "regulatory", "note": "2.5 mW is the Class 2 Bluetooth maximum used by most earbuds; Class 1 devices reach 100 mW.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-part15" ] }, "dutyCycle": "Continuous while streaming audio; low-rate connection maintenance when idle.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 0.05, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 79600, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 0.0025 W, d = 0.05 m", "note": "Near-field geometry; treat as indicative. Manufacturer SAR filings are the authoritative figure at this range.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-part15" ] } }, { "meters": 0.3, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 2210, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 0.0025 W, d = 0.3 m", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-part15" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "Use wired earphones for long calls, or keep one earbud out.", "effect": "Eliminates the near-head transmitter entirely." }, { "action": "Compare the earbud's published SAR against the phone's; the phone is usually the larger contributor.", "effect": "Prioritises the dominant source instead of the most-discussed one.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-eas" ] } ], "measureWith": [ "broadband-rf-meter" ], "related": [ "emitters:smartphone", "limits:fcc-sar-partial-body" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "fcc-part15", "title": "47 CFR Part 15 — Radio Frequency Devices (unlicensed transmitter power limits)", "publisher": "U.S. Government Publishing Office (eCFR)", "url": "https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/part-15", "kind": "regulation", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "fcc-eas", "title": "Equipment Authorization Search (FCC ID lookup, includes SAR test reports)", "publisher": "Federal Communications Commission", "url": "https://www.fcc.gov/oet/ea/fccid", "kind": "government", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/bluetooth-earbuds", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/bluetooth-earbuds", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/bluetooth-earbuds.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } }, { "id": "emitters:microwave-oven", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "microwave-oven", "name": "Microwave oven", "summary": "The only consumer appliance with its own federal leakage standard: 5 mW/cm² at 5 cm from the surface over the product's lifetime, which is 50,000,000 µW/m² — high compared with any communications source.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "microwave leakage" ], "category": "radiofrequency", "environment": [ "home", "workplace" ], "bands": [ { "label": "2.45 GHz ISM", "minHz": 2400000000, "maxHz": 2500000000 } ], "transmitPower": { "quantity": "power", "unit": "W EIRP", "value": 1000, "basis": "regulatory", "note": "Cavity magnetron output is roughly 700–1200 W, contained by the cavity and door screen; the regulated quantity is leakage, not output.", "sourceIds": [ "fda-microwave", "fcc-part18" ] }, "dutyCycle": "Only while cooking. Older or damaged door seals and hinges are the usual cause of elevated leakage.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 0.05, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 50000000, "basis": "regulatory", "note": "FDA limit for leakage over the lifetime of the oven: 5 mW/cm² at 5 cm. New ovens are required to be below 1 mW/cm² at 5 cm. Well-maintained ovens typically measure far below both.", "sourceIds": [ "fda-1030-10", "fda-microwave" ] } }, { "meters": 1, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 125000, "basis": "computed", "method": "Inverse-square scaling of the 5 cm FDA leakage limit to 1 m (factor of 400).", "note": "Upper bound implied by the leakage limit, not a typical measurement.", "sourceIds": [ "fda-1030-10", "itu-fs-relations" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "Stand back a metre or more while the oven runs rather than watching through the door.", "effect": "Leakage falls with the square of distance, and the limit is defined at only 5 cm.", "sourceIds": [ "fda-microwave" ] }, { "action": "Check the door seal, hinges and latch; replace ovens with visible door damage.", "effect": "Door integrity is the dominant variable in leakage measurements.", "sourceIds": [ "fda-microwave" ] }, { "action": "Measure at 5 cm around the door perimeter with an RF meter that reads up to at least 20 mW/m².", "effect": "Most consumer RF meters saturate near a running microwave; check the meter's range before concluding." } ], "measureWith": [ "broadband-rf-meter", "microwave-leakage-tester" ], "related": [ "quantities:power-density" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "fda-1030-10", "title": "21 CFR 1030.10 — Microwave ovens (radiation emission performance standard)", "publisher": "U.S. Government Publishing Office (eCFR)", "url": "https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-J/part-1030/section-1030.10", "kind": "regulation", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "fda-microwave", "title": "Microwave Ovens", "publisher": "U.S. Food and Drug Administration", "url": "https://www.fda.gov/radiation-emitting-products/resources-you-radiation-emitting-products/microwave-oven-radiation", "kind": "government", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "fcc-part18", "title": "47 CFR Part 18 — Industrial, Scientific, and Medical Equipment (includes microwave ovens)", "publisher": "U.S. Government Publishing Office (eCFR)", "url": "https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/part-18", "kind": "regulation", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/microwave-oven", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/microwave-oven", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/microwave-oven.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } }, { "id": "emitters:wifi-security-camera", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "wifi-security-camera", "name": "Wi-Fi security camera and video doorbell", "summary": "Continuously streaming 100 mW transmitters, usually mounted at head height near doors and windows, giving about 8,000 µW/m² at 1 m.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "IP camera", "video doorbell", "smart doorbell" ], "category": "radiofrequency", "environment": [ "home", "outdoor", "workplace" ], "bands": [ { "label": "2.4 GHz ISM", "minHz": 2400000000, "maxHz": 2483500000 }, { "label": "5 GHz U-NII", "minHz": 5150000000, "maxHz": 5895000000 } ], "transmitPower": { "quantity": "power", "unit": "W EIRP", "value": 0.1, "basis": "regulatory", "note": "Typical Part 15 consumer transmitter power. Transmit power is the regulatory or typical maximum; real devices often transmit below it and reduce power when link quality allows.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-part15" ] }, "dutyCycle": "Cloud-recording cameras stream continuously; local-recording and motion-triggered units transmit only on events.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 0.3, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 88400, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 0.1 W, d = 0.3 m", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-part15" ] } }, { "meters": 1, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 7960, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 0.1 W, d = 1 m", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-part15" ] } }, { "meters": 3, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 884, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 0.1 W, d = 3 m", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-part15" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "Switch to Power-over-Ethernet cameras with the radio disabled.", "effect": "Removes the transmitter while keeping the function." }, { "action": "Set cameras to event-triggered rather than continuous upload.", "effect": "Cuts duty cycle from ~100% to a few percent." } ], "measureWith": [ "broadband-rf-meter" ], "related": [ "emitters:wifi-router" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "fcc-part15", "title": "47 CFR Part 15 — Radio Frequency Devices (unlicensed transmitter power limits)", "publisher": "U.S. Government Publishing Office (eCFR)", "url": "https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/part-15", "kind": "regulation", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/wifi-security-camera", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/wifi-security-camera", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/wifi-security-camera.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } }, { "id": "emitters:satellite-internet-dish", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "satellite-internet-dish", "name": "Satellite internet terminal (LEO user dish)", "summary": "A phased-array user terminal transmits a narrow beam skyward in Ku band; exposure beside the unit is dominated by sidelobes, and manufacturers specify a keep-out distance in front of the panel.", "status": "provisional", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "Starlink dish", "VSAT terminal", "user terminal" ], "category": "radiofrequency", "environment": [ "home", "outdoor" ], "bands": [ { "label": "Ku-band uplink (14.0–14.5 GHz)", "minHz": 14000000000, "maxHz": 14500000000 } ], "dutyCycle": "Transmits whenever the link is active; the beam tracks satellites and is steered upward.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 0.3, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 0, "basis": "manufacturer", "note": "Exposure in front of the aperture is stated in the terminal's FCC equipment authorization RF exposure exhibit as a minimum separation distance; consult the filing for the specific model rather than assuming a value.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-eas" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "Mount the terminal on a roof or pole above head height, respecting the manufacturer's stated separation distance.", "effect": "Keeps people out of the main beam and the strongest sidelobes.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-eas" ] }, { "action": "Never work directly in front of the aperture while the terminal is powered.", "effect": "The main beam is the only region where levels approach the exposure limit." } ], "measureWith": [ "broadband-rf-meter" ], "related": [ "limits:fcc-mpe-public-1500-100000" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "fcc-eas", "title": "Equipment Authorization Search (FCC ID lookup, includes SAR test reports)", "publisher": "Federal Communications Commission", "url": "https://www.fcc.gov/oet/ea/fccid", "kind": "government", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/satellite-internet-dish", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/satellite-internet-dish", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/satellite-internet-dish.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } }, { "id": "emitters:fm-broadcast-tower", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "fm-broadcast-tower", "name": "FM / TV broadcast transmitter", "summary": "Broadcast sites radiate tens to hundreds of kilowatts ERP — thousands of times a cell sector — but from tall masts in the 30–300 MHz band where the FCC's public limit is at its most restrictive.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "radio mast", "broadcast antenna", "TV transmitter" ], "category": "radiofrequency", "environment": [ "outdoor" ], "bands": [ { "label": "FM broadcast (88–108 MHz)", "minHz": 88000000, "maxHz": 108000000 }, { "label": "VHF/UHF television", "minHz": 174000000, "maxHz": 700000000 } ], "transmitPower": { "quantity": "power", "unit": "W EIRP", "value": 100000, "basis": "regulatory", "note": "100 kW ERP is a mid-size FM allocation; licensed powers range from a few hundred watts to over 1 MW ERP for some TV facilities.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-oet65" ] }, "dutyCycle": "Continuous, constant-envelope transmission — unlike cellular, there is no traffic-dependent variation.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 100, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 796000, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 100000 W, d = 100 m", "note": "Main-beam free-space value; broadcast antennas concentrate energy toward the horizon, not the tower base.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-oet65" ] } }, { "meters": 500, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 31800, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 100000 W, d = 500 m", "note": "Main-beam free-space value.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-oet65" ] } }, { "meters": 2000, "value": { "quantity": "power-density", "unit": "µW/m²", "value": 1990, "basis": "computed", "method": "S = EIRP / (4πd²) with EIRP = 100000 W, d = 2000 m", "note": "Main-beam free-space value.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-oet65" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "Check the FCC ASR and licence records for ERP, height and antenna pattern before estimating exposure.", "effect": "Broadcast exposure is dominated by height and pattern, which vary enormously between sites.", "sourceIds": [ "fcc-asr" ] }, { "action": "Measure with a meter that covers 88–700 MHz; many consumer RF meters start at 200 MHz or higher and will read near zero next to an FM mast.", "effect": "Prevents a false negative caused by the meter's lower frequency limit." } ], "measureWith": [ "broadband-rf-meter", "spectrum-analyser" ], "related": [ "limits:fcc-mpe-public-30-300" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "fcc-oet65", "title": "OET Bulletin 65: Evaluating Compliance with FCC Guidelines for Human Exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields", "publisher": "Federal Communications Commission, Office of Engineering and Technology", "url": "https://www.fcc.gov/general/oet-bulletins-line", "year": 1997, "kind": "government", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "fcc-asr", "title": "Antenna Structure Registration (ASR) public access database downloads", "publisher": "Federal Communications Commission", "url": "https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/data/public-access-files-database-downloads", "kind": "government", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "fcc-1310", "title": "47 CFR § 1.1310 — Radiofrequency radiation exposure limits", "publisher": "U.S. Government Publishing Office (eCFR)", "url": "https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/section-1.1310", "kind": "regulation", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/fm-broadcast-tower", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/fm-broadcast-tower", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/fm-broadcast-tower.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } }, { "id": "emitters:household-background-magnetic", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "household-background-magnetic-field", "name": "Household background magnetic field (50/60 Hz)", "summary": "Away from appliances, homes typically sit below a few milligauss; the WHO's epidemiological association with childhood leukaemia begins at a daily average of 3–4 mG (0.3–0.4 µT).", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "background EMF", "ambient magnetic field" ], "category": "elf-magnetic", "environment": [ "home" ], "bands": [ { "label": "Power frequency", "minHz": 50, "maxHz": 60 } ], "dutyCycle": "Continuous, varying with household and grid load; evening peaks are common.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 1, "value": { "quantity": "magnetic-flux-density", "unit": "mG", "value": 0.1, "max": 4, "basis": "measured", "note": "Range commonly reported in residential surveys away from appliances and service equipment. Values above this usually indicate a specific source: service panel, wiring error, or an external line.", "sourceIds": [ "niehs-emf", "who-elf" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "Log for 24 hours rather than spot-reading; use the 95th percentile of night-time values for a bedroom assessment.", "effect": "Power-frequency fields track load and vary hour to hour, so spot readings mislead.", "sourceIds": [ "sbm-2024" ] }, { "action": "Walk the perimeter with the meter to find the source before considering any mitigation.", "effect": "Elevated background is nearly always one identifiable source, most often the service panel or a net-current wiring fault." } ], "measureWith": [ "elf-gaussmeter", "data-logger" ], "related": [ "limits:who-elf-leukaemia-association", "limits:sbm-2024-magnetic-bands", "protocols:elf-magnetic-survey" ], "questions": [ "what-is-a-safe-milligauss-level" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "niehs-emf", "title": "Electric and Magnetic Fields", "publisher": "National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences", "url": "https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/emf", "kind": "government", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "who-elf", "title": "Electromagnetic fields and public health: exposure to extremely low frequency fields", "publisher": "World Health Organization", "url": "https://www.who.int/teams/environment-climate-change-and-health/radiation-and-health/non-ionizing/exposure", "year": 2007, "kind": "government", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "sbm-2024", "title": "Building Biology Evaluation Guidelines for Sleeping Areas (SBM-2024)", "publisher": "Institut für Baubiologie + Nachhaltigkeit (IBN)", "url": "https://buildingbiology.com/site/downloads/SBM-2024_EVALUATION_GUIDELINES_EN.pdf", "year": 2024, "kind": "ngo", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/household-background-magnetic-field", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/household-background-magnetic-field", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/household-background-magnetic-field.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } }, { "id": "emitters:electrical-service-panel", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "electrical-service-panel", "name": "Electrical service panel and meter base", "summary": "The highest-current point in a building: readings in the tens of milligauss are normal within a metre, falling to background within two to three metres.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "breaker box", "distribution board", "consumer unit" ], "category": "elf-magnetic", "environment": [ "home", "workplace" ], "bands": [ { "label": "Power frequency and harmonics", "minHz": 50, "maxHz": 2000 } ], "dutyCycle": "Continuous, proportional to total building load.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 0.3, "value": { "quantity": "magnetic-flux-density", "unit": "mG", "value": 10, "max": 100, "basis": "measured", "note": "Typical range within arm's reach of a residential panel under normal load.", "sourceIds": [ "niehs-emf", "sbm-2024" ] } }, { "meters": 1, "value": { "quantity": "magnetic-flux-density", "unit": "mG", "value": 2, "max": 20, "basis": "measured", "note": "Typical range at 1 m.", "sourceIds": [ "niehs-emf", "sbm-2024" ] } }, { "meters": 3, "value": { "quantity": "magnetic-flux-density", "unit": "mG", "value": 0.2, "max": 2, "basis": "measured", "note": "Usually indistinguishable from background by 2–3 m.", "sourceIds": [ "niehs-emf", "sbm-2024" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "Do not place a bed, desk or child's play area on either side of the panel wall.", "effect": "Two to three metres of separation reduces the field to background; magnetic fields pass through walls unaffected.", "sourceIds": [ "sbm-2024" ] }, { "action": "Have an electrician check for net current on the neutral and for shared or crossed neutrals.", "effect": "Wiring faults, not the panel itself, cause the elevated whole-house readings that do not fall off with distance." } ], "measureWith": [ "elf-gaussmeter" ], "related": [ "limits:sbm-2024-magnetic-bands", "emitters:household-background-magnetic" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "niehs-emf", "title": "Electric and Magnetic Fields", "publisher": "National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences", "url": "https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/emf", "kind": "government", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "sbm-2024", "title": "Building Biology Evaluation Guidelines for Sleeping Areas (SBM-2024)", "publisher": "Institut für Baubiologie + Nachhaltigkeit (IBN)", "url": "https://buildingbiology.com/site/downloads/SBM-2024_EVALUATION_GUIDELINES_EN.pdf", "year": 2024, "kind": "ngo", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/electrical-service-panel", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/electrical-service-panel", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/electrical-service-panel.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } }, { "id": "emitters:transmission-line", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "high-voltage-transmission-line", "name": "High-voltage transmission line", "summary": "Fields directly beneath a loaded transmission line reach tens of milligauss and fall off roughly with distance for a balanced three-phase circuit, reaching background at 30–60 m for typical loadings.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "power line", "overhead line", "pylon", "HV line" ], "category": "elf-magnetic", "environment": [ "outdoor", "home" ], "bands": [ { "label": "Power frequency", "minHz": 50, "maxHz": 60 } ], "dutyCycle": "Continuous, proportional to circuit loading, which varies through the day and season.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 0, "value": { "quantity": "magnetic-flux-density", "unit": "mG", "value": 10, "max": 100, "basis": "measured", "note": "Directly beneath the conductors at mid-span, dependent on current, conductor height and phase arrangement.", "sourceIds": [ "niehs-emf" ] } }, { "meters": 30, "value": { "quantity": "magnetic-flux-density", "unit": "mG", "value": 1, "max": 10, "basis": "measured", "note": "Typical range at 30 m from the centreline.", "sourceIds": [ "niehs-emf" ] } }, { "meters": 60, "value": { "quantity": "magnetic-flux-density", "unit": "mG", "value": 0.2, "max": 3, "basis": "measured", "note": "Approaching residential background at 60 m for typical loadings.", "sourceIds": [ "niehs-emf" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "Measure over 24 hours at the property line and inside the building, since line loading varies.", "effect": "A single daytime reading can understate or overstate the annual average by several times." }, { "action": "Compare the annual average against the Swiss 1 µT installation value and the Dutch 0.4 µT policy target for new lines.", "effect": "Gives a defensible frame of reference; no regulatory limit anywhere is close to typical residential exposure.", "sourceIds": [ "ch-onir", "sbm-2024" ] }, { "action": "Treat magnetic shielding as a last resort; it requires high-permeability alloy and rarely gives more than 50% reduction in a residential retrofit.", "effect": "Sets expectations correctly — distance and source correction are the only reliable options." } ], "measureWith": [ "elf-gaussmeter", "data-logger" ], "related": [ "limits:ch-onir-power-lines", "limits:who-elf-leukaemia-association", "studies:iarc-elf-2b-2002" ], "questions": [ "how-far-should-i-live-from-a-power-line" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "niehs-emf", "title": "Electric and Magnetic Fields", "publisher": "National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences", "url": "https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/emf", "kind": "government", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "who-elf", "title": "Electromagnetic fields and public health: exposure to extremely low frequency fields", "publisher": "World Health Organization", "url": "https://www.who.int/teams/environment-climate-change-and-health/radiation-and-health/non-ionizing/exposure", "year": 2007, "kind": "government", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "ch-onir", "title": "Ordinance relating to Protection from Non-Ionising Radiation (ONIR / NISV, SR 814.710)", "publisher": "Swiss Confederation", "url": "https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/2000/38/en", "year": 2000, "kind": "regulation", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/high-voltage-transmission-line", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/high-voltage-transmission-line", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/high-voltage-transmission-line.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } }, { "id": "emitters:pad-mount-transformer", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "pad-mount-transformer", "name": "Pad-mounted or pole-mounted distribution transformer", "summary": "A local transformer produces a strong but rapidly decaying magnetic field: often tens of milligauss at a metre, at or near background by five metres.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "distribution transformer", "green box transformer" ], "category": "elf-magnetic", "environment": [ "outdoor", "home" ], "bands": [ { "label": "Power frequency and harmonics", "minHz": 50, "maxHz": 2000 } ], "dutyCycle": "Continuous, proportional to the load of the served customers.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 1, "value": { "quantity": "magnetic-flux-density", "unit": "mG", "value": 5, "max": 50, "basis": "measured", "note": "Typical range at 1 m from the enclosure under normal load.", "sourceIds": [ "niehs-emf" ] } }, { "meters": 3, "value": { "quantity": "magnetic-flux-density", "unit": "mG", "value": 1, "max": 10, "basis": "measured", "note": "Typical range at 3 m.", "sourceIds": [ "niehs-emf" ] } }, { "meters": 5, "value": { "quantity": "magnetic-flux-density", "unit": "mG", "value": 0.2, "max": 3, "basis": "measured", "note": "Usually background by 5 m.", "sourceIds": [ "niehs-emf" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "Keep habitable rooms and outdoor seating more than 5 m from the unit where site layout allows.", "effect": "Transformer fields decay faster than transmission-line fields because the source is compact." }, { "action": "If readings do not fall with distance, look for the secondary service conductors rather than the transformer.", "effect": "Unbalanced service conductors, not the transformer core, are the usual cause of persistent elevated readings." } ], "measureWith": [ "elf-gaussmeter" ], "related": [ "emitters:transmission-line" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "niehs-emf", "title": "Electric and Magnetic Fields", "publisher": "National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences", "url": "https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/emf", "kind": "government", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/pad-mount-transformer", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/pad-mount-transformer", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/pad-mount-transformer.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } }, { "id": "emitters:electric-blanket", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "electric-blanket", "name": "Electric blanket and heated mattress pad", "summary": "A resistive heating element in direct body contact for eight hours: among the highest whole-night ELF magnetic exposures in a home unless the element is low-field wound or switched off before sleep.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "heated blanket", "electric underblanket" ], "category": "elf-magnetic", "environment": [ "home" ], "bands": [ { "label": "Power frequency", "minHz": 50, "maxHz": 60 } ], "dutyCycle": "Thermostat cycling; the field appears only while the element draws current.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 0.02, "value": { "quantity": "magnetic-flux-density", "unit": "mG", "value": 5, "max": 100, "basis": "measured", "note": "Range reported for legacy resistive elements at body-contact distance; low-field ('dual-wound') designs measure substantially lower.", "sourceIds": [ "niehs-emf" ] } }, { "meters": 0.3, "value": { "quantity": "magnetic-flux-density", "unit": "mG", "value": 0.5, "max": 10, "basis": "measured", "note": "Typical range at 30 cm.", "sourceIds": [ "niehs-emf" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "Pre-heat the bed and unplug the blanket before getting in.", "effect": "Removes the exposure entirely while keeping the benefit." }, { "action": "Choose a low-field dual-wound element if the blanket must run overnight.", "effect": "Counter-wound elements cancel most of the external field." } ], "measureWith": [ "elf-gaussmeter" ], "related": [ "limits:sbm-2024-magnetic-bands" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "niehs-emf", "title": "Electric and Magnetic Fields", "publisher": "National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences", "url": "https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/emf", "kind": "government", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/electric-blanket", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/electric-blanket", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/electric-blanket.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } }, { "id": "emitters:induction-cooktop", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "induction-cooktop", "name": "Induction cooktop", "summary": "Induction hobs work by driving a 20–100 kHz coil, producing intermediate-frequency magnetic fields that are strong at the hob edge and fall off steeply — and that most consumer gaussmeters cannot measure because their bandwidth stops at 2 kHz.", "status": "provisional", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "induction hob", "induction stove" ], "category": "elf-magnetic", "environment": [ "home", "workplace" ], "bands": [ { "label": "Intermediate frequency (20–100 kHz)", "minHz": 20000, "maxHz": 100000 } ], "dutyCycle": "Only while cooking, and only with a pan on the active zone.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 0.1, "value": { "quantity": "magnetic-flux-density", "unit": "µT", "value": 0, "basis": "measured", "note": "Levels at the hob edge depend strongly on pan size, pan centring and coil design, and are assessed against the ICNIRP intermediate-frequency reference level rather than the 50/60 Hz value. Model-specific measurement is required; no representative range is published here.", "sourceIds": [ "icnirp-2010" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "Use pans that cover the full cooking zone and keep them centred.", "effect": "An uncovered coil area radiates more; correct pan sizing is the main design mitigation." }, { "action": "Stand back from the hob while it runs rather than leaning over it.", "effect": "Intermediate-frequency fields fall off very steeply with distance from the coil." }, { "action": "Use a meter rated to at least 100 kHz; a 2 kHz gaussmeter will read near zero at an induction hob.", "effect": "Avoids a false negative from an out-of-band instrument." } ], "measureWith": [ "intermediate-frequency-meter" ], "related": [ "quantities:magnetic-flux-density" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "icnirp-2010", "title": "Guidelines for Limiting Exposure to Time-Varying Electric and Magnetic Fields (1 Hz to 100 kHz)", "publisher": "International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection", "url": "https://www.icnirp.org/en/publications/article/lf-guidelines-2010.html", "year": 2010, "kind": "guideline", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/induction-cooktop", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/induction-cooktop", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/induction-cooktop.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } }, { "id": "emitters:electric-vehicle", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "electric-vehicle", "name": "Electric vehicle cabin (traction and charging)", "summary": "EV cabins contain low-frequency magnetic fields from battery cables, traction motor and inverter, strongest in the footwell and over the pack, with a separate profile during fast charging.", "status": "provisional", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "EV EMF", "hybrid car EMF" ], "category": "elf-magnetic", "environment": [ "vehicle" ], "bands": [ { "label": "DC and traction ripple", "minHz": 0, "maxHz": 2000 }, { "label": "Inverter switching harmonics", "minHz": 2000, "maxHz": 100000 } ], "dutyCycle": "Proportional to current draw: highest under hard acceleration, regenerative braking and DC fast charging.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 0.1, "value": { "quantity": "magnetic-flux-density", "unit": "mG", "value": 0, "basis": "measured", "note": "Cabin levels are highly model- and position-specific and depend on cable routing. Measure at the seat position of interest during acceleration and during charging; published generic ranges are not reliable across models.", "sourceIds": [ "icnirp-2010" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "Measure at each seating position while driving and while charging, logging rather than spot-reading.", "effect": "Peak conditions occur transiently under acceleration and regeneration." }, { "action": "Do not sit in the vehicle during DC fast charging if minimising exposure matters to you.", "effect": "Charging currents are the largest in the vehicle's duty cycle." }, { "action": "Use a meter with bandwidth to at least 100 kHz to capture inverter harmonics.", "effect": "A 50/60 Hz-only gaussmeter misses most of an EV's spectrum." } ], "measureWith": [ "elf-gaussmeter", "intermediate-frequency-meter", "data-logger" ], "related": [ "quantities:magnetic-flux-density" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "icnirp-2010", "title": "Guidelines for Limiting Exposure to Time-Varying Electric and Magnetic Fields (1 Hz to 100 kHz)", "publisher": "International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection", "url": "https://www.icnirp.org/en/publications/article/lf-guidelines-2010.html", "year": 2010, "kind": "guideline", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/electric-vehicle", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/electric-vehicle", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/electric-vehicle.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } }, { "id": "emitters:dimmer-switch", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "dimmer-switch", "name": "Dimmer switch and phase-cutting controls", "summary": "Phase-cutting dimmers chop the mains waveform and inject harmonics from a few kilohertz up to about 1 MHz onto the building wiring — the classic source of what practitioners call dirty electricity.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "light dimmer", "triac dimmer" ], "category": "dirty-electricity", "environment": [ "home", "workplace" ], "bands": [ { "label": "Harmonics 2 kHz–1 MHz", "minHz": 2000, "maxHz": 1000000 } ], "dutyCycle": "Whenever the dimmed circuit is on and not at full brightness.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 0.3, "value": { "quantity": "electric-field-strength", "unit": "V/m", "value": 0, "basis": "measured", "note": "Assessed as conducted harmonic content on the circuit, not as a distance profile. Building-biology practice grades harmonics from 2 kHz–1 MHz more severely than the 50/60 Hz field by a factor of roughly 10–100.", "sourceIds": [ "sbm-2024" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "Replace phase-cutting dimmers with plain switches, or with dimmable LED drivers designed for low conducted emissions.", "effect": "Removes the harmonic source rather than filtering its symptoms.", "sourceIds": [ "sbm-2024" ] }, { "action": "Measure conducted harmonics on the circuit before and after any filter installation.", "effect": "Plug-in filters shift and sometimes increase harmonic content; only measurement shows the net effect." } ], "measureWith": [ "dirty-electricity-meter", "oscilloscope-line-adapter" ], "related": [ "limits:sbm-2024-electric-bands", "glossary:dirty-electricity" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "sbm-2024", "title": "Building Biology Evaluation Guidelines for Sleeping Areas (SBM-2024)", "publisher": "Institut für Baubiologie + Nachhaltigkeit (IBN)", "url": "https://buildingbiology.com/site/downloads/SBM-2024_EVALUATION_GUIDELINES_EN.pdf", "year": 2024, "kind": "ngo", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/dimmer-switch", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/dimmer-switch", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/dimmer-switch.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } }, { "id": "emitters:led-lighting", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "led-lighting", "name": "LED lamps and low-cost drivers", "summary": "The switch-mode driver inside a cheap LED lamp can put measurable high-frequency harmonics on the circuit and produce visible flicker; well-filtered drivers do neither.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "LED bulb", "LED driver noise" ], "category": "dirty-electricity", "environment": [ "home", "workplace", "school" ], "bands": [ { "label": "Driver switching harmonics", "minHz": 20000, "maxHz": 1000000 } ], "dutyCycle": "While the lamp is on.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 0.3, "value": { "quantity": "electric-field-strength", "unit": "V/m", "value": 0, "basis": "measured", "note": "Emissions are driver-specific and conducted rather than radiated; compare lamps by measuring the same circuit with each lamp fitted.", "sourceIds": [ "sbm-2024" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "A/B test lamps on the same circuit with a dirty-electricity meter and keep the quietest.", "effect": "Driver quality varies by more than an order of magnitude between lamps at the same price point." }, { "action": "Prefer lamps that state low flicker percentage and EMC compliance figures.", "effect": "Flicker and conducted emissions both trace back to driver design." } ], "measureWith": [ "dirty-electricity-meter", "flicker-meter" ], "related": [ "emitters:dimmer-switch" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "sbm-2024", "title": "Building Biology Evaluation Guidelines for Sleeping Areas (SBM-2024)", "publisher": "Institut für Baubiologie + Nachhaltigkeit (IBN)", "url": "https://buildingbiology.com/site/downloads/SBM-2024_EVALUATION_GUIDELINES_EN.pdf", "year": 2024, "kind": "ngo", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/led-lighting", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/led-lighting", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/led-lighting.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } }, { "id": "emitters:solar-pv-inverter", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "solar-pv-inverter", "name": "Solar PV inverter and optimisers", "summary": "String inverters and panel-level optimisers switch at kilohertz to tens of kilohertz and are wired into the building's supply, so they can raise both magnetic fields near the DC and AC runs and conducted harmonics throughout the house.", "status": "provisional", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "string inverter", "microinverter", "solar EMF" ], "category": "dirty-electricity", "environment": [ "home", "workplace" ], "bands": [ { "label": "Power frequency", "minHz": 50, "maxHz": 60 }, { "label": "Switching harmonics", "minHz": 2000, "maxHz": 500000 } ], "dutyCycle": "Daylight hours, proportional to generation; some units also have a night-time standby carrier.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 1, "value": { "quantity": "magnetic-flux-density", "unit": "mG", "value": 0, "basis": "measured", "note": "Depends on inverter topology, cable routing and whether panel-level electronics use power-line communication. Measure at the inverter, along the DC and AC runs, and on circuits inside the house.", "sourceIds": [ "sbm-2024", "icnirp-2010" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "Site the inverter on a garage or exterior wall, away from bedrooms, and keep DC and AC runs out of occupied wall cavities.", "effect": "Addresses the dominant magnetic-field contribution at the design stage, when it is nearly free." }, { "action": "Specify optimisers or microinverters that do not use power-line communication, or that can have it disabled.", "effect": "Power-line communication deliberately injects a carrier onto house wiring." }, { "action": "Measure conducted harmonics before and after commissioning to attribute changes correctly.", "effect": "Provides a baseline; without one, every later reading is unattributable." } ], "measureWith": [ "elf-gaussmeter", "dirty-electricity-meter" ], "related": [ "emitters:dimmer-switch", "protocols:elf-magnetic-survey" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "sbm-2024", "title": "Building Biology Evaluation Guidelines for Sleeping Areas (SBM-2024)", "publisher": "Institut für Baubiologie + Nachhaltigkeit (IBN)", "url": "https://buildingbiology.com/site/downloads/SBM-2024_EVALUATION_GUIDELINES_EN.pdf", "year": 2024, "kind": "ngo", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "icnirp-2010", "title": "Guidelines for Limiting Exposure to Time-Varying Electric and Magnetic Fields (1 Hz to 100 kHz)", "publisher": "International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection", "url": "https://www.icnirp.org/en/publications/article/lf-guidelines-2010.html", "year": 2010, "kind": "guideline", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/solar-pv-inverter", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/solar-pv-inverter", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/solar-pv-inverter.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } }, { "id": "emitters:bedroom-wiring-electric-field", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "bedroom-wiring-electric-field", "name": "Bedroom wiring AC electric field", "summary": "Live conductors in walls and in lamp flex create a power-frequency electric field that couples to the body whether or not any current flows; building biology grades below 1 V/m with ground reference as 'no anomaly'.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "body voltage", "AC electric field bedroom" ], "category": "elf-electric", "environment": [ "home" ], "bands": [ { "label": "Power frequency and harmonics", "minHz": 50, "maxHz": 2000 } ], "dutyCycle": "Continuous — the field exists whenever the circuit is energised, even with everything switched off.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 0.3, "value": { "quantity": "electric-field-strength", "unit": "V/m", "value": 1, "max": 50, "basis": "measured", "note": "SBM-2024 bands with ground reference: <1 V/m no anomaly, 1–5 weak, 5–50 strong, >50 extreme. Without ground reference the bands are <0.3 / 0.3–1.5 / 1.5–10 / >10 V/m.", "sourceIds": [ "sbm-2024" ] } }, { "meters": 0.3, "value": { "quantity": "body-voltage", "unit": "mV", "value": 10, "max": 1000, "basis": "measured", "note": "SBM-2024 body-voltage bands with ground reference: <10 mV no anomaly, 10–100 weak, 100–1000 strong, >1000 extreme. Readings depend entirely on the grounding method used, so protocol must be identical to compare.", "sourceIds": [ "sbm-2024" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "Unplug bedside lamps and chargers at the socket, not just at the switch.", "effect": "Removes the nearest energised conductor, usually the largest single contribution at the pillow.", "sourceIds": [ "sbm-2024" ] }, { "action": "Fit a demand switch (Netzfreischalter) on the bedroom lighting circuit.", "effect": "De-energises the circuit when no load is drawing, eliminating the field for the whole night.", "sourceIds": [ "sbm-2024" ] }, { "action": "Use shielded cable or grounded shielding paint on the wall behind the bed head where rewiring is impractical.", "effect": "Grounded conductive surfaces block power-frequency electric fields effectively — unlike magnetic fields." } ], "measureWith": [ "ac-electric-field-meter", "body-voltage-kit" ], "related": [ "limits:sbm-2024-electric-bands", "protocols:body-voltage-survey", "quantities:body-voltage" ], "questions": [ "why-do-i-get-a-high-reading-with-everything-switched-off" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "sbm-2024", "title": "Building Biology Evaluation Guidelines for Sleeping Areas (SBM-2024)", "publisher": "Institut für Baubiologie + Nachhaltigkeit (IBN)", "url": "https://buildingbiology.com/site/downloads/SBM-2024_EVALUATION_GUIDELINES_EN.pdf", "year": 2024, "kind": "ngo", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/bedroom-wiring-electric-field", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/bedroom-wiring-electric-field", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/bedroom-wiring-electric-field.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } }, { "id": "emitters:hair-dryer", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "hair-dryer", "name": "Hair dryer and electric shaver", "summary": "Motor appliances held against the head: among the strongest ELF magnetic fields in a home at the point of use — up to 700 mG (70 µT) at 15 cm across the models measured — but used for minutes a day, and down to at most 70 mG (7 µT) by 30 cm.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "hairdryer EMF", "blow dryer radiation", "electric razor EMF", "shaver EMF" ], "category": "elf-magnetic", "environment": [ "home" ], "bands": [ { "label": "Power frequency", "minHz": 50, "maxHz": 60 } ], "dutyCycle": "Minutes per day, only while the motor runs — the shortest exposure of any high-field household appliance.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 0.15, "value": { "quantity": "magnetic-flux-density", "unit": "mG", "value": 1, "max": 700, "basis": "measured", "note": "Measured range at 15 cm across hair dryers (1–700 mG / 0.1–70 µT) and electric shavers (4–600 mG / 0.4–60 µT) in the EPA's 1992 survey of 60 Hz appliances. The spread between models is three orders of magnitude, so the appliance class predicts far less than the individual unit.", "sourceIds": [ "nrc-1997-appliance-fields", "epa-1992-appliance-fields" ] } }, { "meters": 0.3, "value": { "quantity": "magnetic-flux-density", "unit": "mG", "value": 0, "max": 100, "basis": "measured", "note": "By 30 cm the strongest shaver measured 100 mG (10 µT) and the strongest dryer 70 mG (7 µT); the weakest units were indistinguishable from background at this distance.", "sourceIds": [ "nrc-1997-appliance-fields", "epa-1992-appliance-fields" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "Treat these as duration exposures, not level exposures: brief daily use is a small share of a cumulative dose.", "effect": "Epidemiology on power-frequency fields uses time-weighted averages, in which a two-minute peak contributes little.", "sourceIds": [ "who-elf" ] }, { "action": "Measure the specific unit rather than trusting a class figure, and prefer a dryer whose motor sits away from the handle.", "effect": "Field strength at the hand and head is dominated by the motor's position and winding, which varies by three orders of magnitude between models." } ], "measureWith": [ "elf-gaussmeter" ], "related": [ "emitters:household-background-magnetic", "limits:sbm-2024-magnetic-bands", "quantities:magnetic-flux-density" ], "questions": [ "what-is-a-safe-milligauss-level" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "nrc-1997-appliance-fields", "title": "Possible Health Effects of Exposure to Residential Electric and Magnetic Fields, Table 2-3: magnetic-field strengths of common household appliances", "publisher": "National Research Council (US), National Academies Press", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK232734/table/ttt00003/", "year": 1997, "kind": "peer-reviewed", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "epa-1992-appliance-fields", "title": "EMF in Your Environment: Magnetic Field Measurements of Everyday Electrical Devices (EPA 402-R-92-008)", "publisher": "U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Radiation and Indoor Air", "url": "https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPURL.cgi?Dockey=000005EP.TXT", "year": 1992, "kind": "government", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/hair-dryer", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/hair-dryer", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/hair-dryer.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } }, { "id": "emitters:vacuum-cleaner", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "vacuum-cleaner", "name": "Vacuum cleaner", "summary": "A high-current motor at floor level and at arm's length: 100–700 mG (10–70 µT) at 15 cm and 20–200 mG (2–20 µT) at 30 cm, with no unit in the measured set falling to background at 30 cm.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "hoover EMF", "vacuum EMF" ], "category": "elf-magnetic", "environment": [ "home", "workplace" ], "bands": [ { "label": "Power frequency", "minHz": 50, "maxHz": 60 } ], "dutyCycle": "Continuous while running, typically under an hour per session.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 0.15, "value": { "quantity": "magnetic-flux-density", "unit": "mG", "value": 100, "max": 700, "basis": "measured", "note": "Measured range at 15 cm from the body of the machine (10–70 µT), from the EPA's 1992 survey of 60 Hz appliances — a class range, not a figure for any particular modern unit.", "sourceIds": [ "nrc-1997-appliance-fields", "epa-1992-appliance-fields" ] } }, { "meters": 0.3, "value": { "quantity": "magnetic-flux-density", "unit": "mG", "value": 20, "max": 200, "basis": "measured", "note": "Measured range at 30 cm (2–20 µT). Unlike most appliances, the weakest unit measured was still well above background at this distance.", "sourceIds": [ "nrc-1997-appliance-fields", "epa-1992-appliance-fields" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "Use the full length of the wand and hose rather than working close to the motor housing.", "effect": "The field falls off steeply: 30 cm of extra separation cut the measured range by roughly a factor of five." }, { "action": "Keep a canister or upright machine's motor away from the torso of whoever is pushing it.", "effect": "Exposure tracks the distance to the motor, not to the nozzle." } ], "measureWith": [ "elf-gaussmeter" ], "related": [ "emitters:household-background-magnetic", "limits:sbm-2024-magnetic-bands" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "nrc-1997-appliance-fields", "title": "Possible Health Effects of Exposure to Residential Electric and Magnetic Fields, Table 2-3: magnetic-field strengths of common household appliances", "publisher": "National Research Council (US), National Academies Press", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK232734/table/ttt00003/", "year": 1997, "kind": "peer-reviewed", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "epa-1992-appliance-fields", "title": "EMF in Your Environment: Magnetic Field Measurements of Everyday Electrical Devices (EPA 402-R-92-008)", "publisher": "U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Radiation and Indoor Air", "url": "https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPURL.cgi?Dockey=000005EP.TXT", "year": 1992, "kind": "government", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/vacuum-cleaner", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/vacuum-cleaner", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/vacuum-cleaner.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } }, { "id": "emitters:corded-power-tool", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "corded-power-tool", "name": "Corded power tool (drill, circular saw)", "summary": "The highest hand-held power-frequency fields measured in a household set: circular saws reached 1,000 mG (100 µT) at 15 cm and 300 mG (30 µT) at 30 cm, with drills roughly five times lower.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "power drill EMF", "circular saw EMF", "power tool EMF" ], "category": "elf-magnetic", "environment": [ "home", "workplace" ], "bands": [ { "label": "Power frequency", "minHz": 50, "maxHz": 60 } ], "dutyCycle": "Seconds to minutes per cut or hole; total daily exposure is short for occasional use and substantial for trade use.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 0.15, "value": { "quantity": "magnetic-flux-density", "unit": "mG", "value": 50, "max": 1000, "basis": "measured", "note": "Measured range at 15 cm in the EPA's 1992 survey of 60 Hz appliances, across power saws (50–1,000 mG / 5–100 µT) and drills (100–200 mG / 10–20 µT).", "sourceIds": [ "nrc-1997-appliance-fields", "epa-1992-appliance-fields" ] } }, { "meters": 0.3, "value": { "quantity": "magnetic-flux-density", "unit": "mG", "value": 9, "max": 300, "basis": "measured", "note": "Measured range at 30 cm across saws (9–300 mG / 0.9–30 µT) and drills (20–40 mG / 2–4 µT).", "sourceIds": [ "nrc-1997-appliance-fields", "epa-1992-appliance-fields" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "For trade-frequency use, treat this as an occupational exposure and compare against the occupational reference level rather than a public one.", "effect": "ICNIRP sets a separate, higher occupational reference level for an informed and supervised workforce; the public value does not apply to a working day.", "sourceIds": [ "icnirp-2010" ] }, { "action": "Hold the tool by the handle as designed rather than bracing a hand or forearm over the motor housing.", "effect": "The motor is the source; a few centimetres of separation from the housing changes the reading substantially." } ], "measureWith": [ "elf-gaussmeter" ], "related": [ "emitters:household-background-magnetic", "limits:icnirp-2010-occupational-magnetic-50-60" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "nrc-1997-appliance-fields", "title": "Possible Health Effects of Exposure to Residential Electric and Magnetic Fields, Table 2-3: magnetic-field strengths of common household appliances", "publisher": "National Research Council (US), National Academies Press", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK232734/table/ttt00003/", "year": 1997, "kind": "peer-reviewed", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "epa-1992-appliance-fields", "title": "EMF in Your Environment: Magnetic Field Measurements of Everyday Electrical Devices (EPA 402-R-92-008)", "publisher": "U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Radiation and Indoor Air", "url": "https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPURL.cgi?Dockey=000005EP.TXT", "year": 1992, "kind": "government", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/corded-power-tool", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/corded-power-tool", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/corded-power-tool.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } }, { "id": "emitters:kitchen-motor-appliance", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "kitchen-motor-appliance", "name": "Electric can opener, mixer and blender", "summary": "Small kitchen motors used at arm's length: can openers were the strongest household appliance measured, at 500–1,500 mG (50–150 µT) at 15 cm and 40–300 mG (4–30 µT) at 30 cm, for a few seconds' use.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "can opener EMF", "blender EMF", "food mixer EMF", "kitchen appliance EMF" ], "category": "elf-magnetic", "environment": [ "home" ], "bands": [ { "label": "Power frequency", "minHz": 50, "maxHz": 60 } ], "dutyCycle": "Seconds to a couple of minutes; the field exists only while the motor turns.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 0.15, "value": { "quantity": "magnetic-flux-density", "unit": "mG", "value": 30, "max": 1500, "basis": "measured", "note": "Measured range at 15 cm in the EPA's 1992 survey of 60 Hz appliances, across can openers (500–1,500 mG / 50–150 µT), mixers (30–600 mG / 3–60 µT) and blenders (30–100 mG / 3–10 µT).", "sourceIds": [ "nrc-1997-appliance-fields", "epa-1992-appliance-fields" ] } }, { "meters": 0.3, "value": { "quantity": "magnetic-flux-density", "unit": "mG", "value": 5, "max": 300, "basis": "measured", "note": "Measured range at 30 cm across can openers (40–300 mG / 4–30 µT), mixers (5–100 mG / 0.5–10 µT) and blenders (5–20 mG / 0.5–2 µT).", "sourceIds": [ "nrc-1997-appliance-fields", "epa-1992-appliance-fields" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "Judge these by cumulative time, not peak level: a can opener at 1,500 mG for ten seconds a day contributes less to a daily average than a bedside clock radio at 5 mG all night.", "effect": "Time-weighted average, the metric used in the epidemiology, is dominated by long low-level exposures rather than brief peaks.", "sourceIds": [ "who-elf" ] }, { "action": "Step back or let the appliance run unattended where the design allows.", "effect": "The measured range drops by roughly an order of magnitude between 15 cm and 30 cm." } ], "measureWith": [ "elf-gaussmeter" ], "related": [ "emitters:household-background-magnetic", "emitters:microwave-oven" ], "questions": [ "what-is-a-safe-milligauss-level" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "nrc-1997-appliance-fields", "title": "Possible Health Effects of Exposure to Residential Electric and Magnetic Fields, Table 2-3: magnetic-field strengths of common household appliances", "publisher": "National Research Council (US), National Academies Press", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK232734/table/ttt00003/", "year": 1997, "kind": "peer-reviewed", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "epa-1992-appliance-fields", "title": "EMF in Your Environment: Magnetic Field Measurements of Everyday Electrical Devices (EPA 402-R-92-008)", "publisher": "U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Radiation and Indoor Air", "url": "https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPURL.cgi?Dockey=000005EP.TXT", "year": 1992, "kind": "government", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/kitchen-motor-appliance", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/kitchen-motor-appliance", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/kitchen-motor-appliance.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } }, { "id": "emitters:fluorescent-lighting", "collection": "emitters", "slug": "fluorescent-lighting", "name": "Fluorescent tube lighting", "summary": "Ballast-driven tubes measured 20–100 mG (2–10 µT) at 15 cm, falling to at most 30 mG (3 µT) at 30 cm — relevant because the fitting is often directly above a desk or bed rather than at arm's length.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "fluorescent tube EMF", "strip light EMF", "CFL EMF" ], "category": "elf-magnetic", "environment": [ "home", "workplace", "school" ], "bands": [ { "label": "Power frequency", "minHz": 50, "maxHz": 60 }, { "label": "Electronic ballast switching", "minHz": 20000, "maxHz": 60000 } ], "dutyCycle": "Continuous while lit; magnetic ballasts hum at the power frequency, electronic ballasts add a switching frequency in the tens of kilohertz.", "distanceProfile": [ { "meters": 0.15, "value": { "quantity": "magnetic-flux-density", "unit": "mG", "value": 20, "max": 100, "basis": "measured", "note": "Measured range at 15 cm from the fitting (2–10 µT) in the EPA's 1992 survey of 60 Hz appliances, dominated by the ballast rather than the tube.", "sourceIds": [ "nrc-1997-appliance-fields", "epa-1992-appliance-fields" ] } }, { "meters": 0.3, "value": { "quantity": "magnetic-flux-density", "unit": "mG", "value": 0, "max": 30, "basis": "measured", "note": "The strongest fitting measured 30 mG (3 µT) at 30 cm; the weakest was indistinguishable from background.", "sourceIds": [ "nrc-1997-appliance-fields", "epa-1992-appliance-fields" ] } } ], "mitigations": [ { "action": "Mount the fitting at ceiling height rather than in a desk or under-cabinet lamp within 30 cm of the head.", "effect": "Normal ceiling separation puts the ballast beyond the distance at which it is distinguishable from background." }, { "action": "Measure with an instrument rated above 2 kHz if the fitting uses an electronic ballast.", "effect": "A power-frequency gaussmeter reads near zero at the ballast's switching frequency, producing a false negative." } ], "measureWith": [ "elf-gaussmeter", "intermediate-frequency-meter" ], "related": [ "emitters:led-lighting", "emitters:household-background-magnetic" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "nrc-1997-appliance-fields", "title": "Possible Health Effects of Exposure to Residential Electric and Magnetic Fields, Table 2-3: magnetic-field strengths of common household appliances", "publisher": "National Research Council (US), National Academies Press", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK232734/table/ttt00003/", "year": 1997, "kind": "peer-reviewed", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "epa-1992-appliance-fields", "title": "EMF in Your Environment: Magnetic Field Measurements of Everyday Electrical Devices (EPA 402-R-92-008)", "publisher": "U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Radiation and Indoor Air", "url": "https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPURL.cgi?Dockey=000005EP.TXT", "year": 1992, "kind": "government", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters/fluorescent-lighting", "html": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/fluorescent-lighting", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/emitters/fluorescent-lighting.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/emitters" } } ] }