{
  "id": "questions:why-do-fcc-and-icnirp-limits-differ",
  "collection": "questions",
  "slug": "why-do-fcc-and-icnirp-limits-differ",
  "name": "Why do FCC and ICNIRP limits differ?",
  "summary": "Same thermal basis, different units, averaging masses and breakpoints; some countries add precautionary layers such as Switzerland's installation values.",
  "status": "verified",
  "lastVerified": "2026-08-12",
  "data": {
    "question": "Why are U.S. and European EMF limits different numbers?",
    "answer": "They are built on the same thermal basis but use different units, averaging masses and frequency breakpoints. The FCC expresses public RF limits in mW/cm² and averages SAR over 1 gram of tissue; ICNIRP expresses reference levels in W/m² and averages local SAR over 10 grams, so a phone's published SAR differs between regions without any difference in the device. Some countries then add precautionary layers on top — Switzerland's installation limit values are roughly a tenth of ICNIRP's reference levels in field-strength terms — which is a policy choice, not a different reading of the science.",
    "cluster": "regulation",
    "aliases": [
      "FCC vs ICNIRP",
      "why are EMF limits different by country"
    ],
    "related": [
      "standards:fcc-mpe",
      "standards:icnirp-2020",
      "glossary:reference-level"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "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"
    },
    {
      "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"
    },
    {
      "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/questions/why-do-fcc-and-icnirp-limits-differ",
    "html": "https://emfbase.com/questions/why-do-fcc-and-icnirp-limits-differ",
    "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/questions/why-do-fcc-and-icnirp-limits-differ.md",
    "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/questions"
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}