U.S. policy on wireless technologies and public health protection: regulatory gaps and proposed reforms
Abstract
The current U.S. regulatory framework governing non-ionizing radiofrequency radiation (RFR) used in all wireless technology is outdated and lacks adequate protection, oversight, and enforcement. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) was given regulatory jurisdiction by the U.S. Congress in 1996 over RFR exposure standards setting even though FCC has no in-house expertise regarding health or environmental effects from RFR. FCC is a licensing/engineering entity that relies on other government agencies for guidance on ambient exposures and devices. However, all relevant civilian public health and environmental agencies have been defunded from non-ionizing radiation research activities and oversight. Thus, current regulations have remained unchanged since 1996. Human exposure limits are designed to protect against short-term high-intensity effects, not today's long-term chronic low-intensity exposures. Scientific evidence indicates that children's thinner skulls, unique physiology, and more conductive tissues result in significantly higher RFR absorption rates deeper into critical brain regions, which are still in development and thus more sensitive to environmental insults. However, current policies offer no safeguards for children/pregnancy or vulnerable populations. Growing research also indicates risks to wildlife, especially pollinators. In 2021, a U.S. federal court mandated that the FCC show proper review of growing scientific evidence, after a cursory FCC…
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