Biological effects from exposure to electromagnetic radiation emitted by cell tower base stations and other antenna arrays

Biological effects from exposure to
electromagnetic radiation emitted by cell tower
base stations and other antenna arrays

B. Blake Levitt and Henry Lai

Abstract: The siting of cellular phone base stations and other cellular infrastructure such as roof-mounted antenna arrays,
especially in residential neighborhoods, is a contentious subject in land-use regulation. Local resistance from nearby residents
and landowners is often based on fears of adverse health effects despite reassurances from telecommunications service
providers that international exposure standards will be followed. Both anecdotal reports and some epidemiology studies
have found headaches, skin rashes, sleep disturbances, depression, decreased libido, increased rates of suicide, concentration
problems, dizziness, memory changes, increased risk of cancer, tremors, and other neurophysiological effects in populations
near base stations. The objective of this paper is to review the existing studies of people living or working near
cellular infrastructure and other pertinent studies that could apply to long-term, low-level radiofrequency radiation (RFR)
exposures. While specific epidemiological research in this area is sparse and contradictory, and such exposures are difficult
to quantify given the increasing background levels of RFR from myriad personal consumer products, some research does
exist to warrant caution in infrastructure siting. Further epidemiology research that takes total ambient RFR exposures into
consideration is warranted. Symptoms reported today may be classic microwave sickness, first described in 1978. Nonionizing
electromagnetic fields are among the fastest growing forms of environmental pollution. Some extrapolations can
be made from research other than epidemiology regarding biological effects from exposures at levels far below current
exposure guidelines.
Key words: radiofrequency radiation (RFR), antenna arrays, cellular phone base stations, microwave sickness, nonionizing
electromagnetic fields, environmental pollution.