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W ha t st e ps ca n I t a k e t o r e duce m y e x posur e t o r a dio fr e que ncy
e ne r gy fr om m y w ir e le ss phone ?
I f t here is a risk from t hese product s - and at t his point we do not know
t hat t here is - it is probably very sm all. But if you are concerned about
avoiding even pot ent ial risks, you can t ake a few sim ple st eps t o m inim ize
your exposure t o radio frequency energy ( RF) . Since t im e is a key fact or
in how m uch exposure a person receives, reducing t he am ount of t im e
spent using a wireless phone will reduce RF exposure.
" I f you m ust conduct ext ended conversat ions by wireless phone
every day, you could place m ore dist ance bet ween your body and
t he source of t he RF, since t he exposure level drops off
dram at ically wit h dist ance. For exam ple, you could use a headset
and carry t he wireless phone away from your body or use a
wireless phone connect ed t o a rem ot e ant enna.
Again, t he scient ific dat a do not dem onst rat e t hat wireless phones are
harm ful. But if you are concerned about t he RF exposure fr om t hese
product s, you can use m easures like t hose described above t o reduce
your RF exposure from wireless phone use.
W ha t a bout childr e n u sin g w ir e le ss phone s?
The scient ific evidence does not show a danger t o users of wireless
phones, including children and t eenagers. I f you want t o t ake st eps t o
lower exposure t o radio frequency energy ( RF) , t he m easures described
above would apply t o children and t eenagers using w ireless phones.
Reducing t he t im e of wireless phone use and increasing t he dist ance
bet ween t he user and t he RF source will reduce RF exposure.
Som e groups sponsored by ot her nat ional governm ent s have advised t hat
children be discouraged from using wireless phones at all. For exam ple,
t he governm ent in t he Unit ed Kingdom dist ribut ed leaflet s cont aining such
a recom m endat ion in Decem ber 2000. They not ed t hat no evidence exist s
t hat using a wireless phone causes brain t um ors or ot her ill effect s. Their
recom m endat ion t o lim it wireless phone use by children was st rict ly
precaut ionary; it was not based on scient ific evidence t hat any healt h
hazard exist s.
D o ha nds- fr e e k it s for w ir e le ss phone s r e duce r isk s fr om e x posur e
t o RF e m issions?
Since t here are no known risks from exposure t o RF em issions from
wireless phones, t here is no reason t o believe t hat hands- free kit s reduce
risks. Hands- free kit s can be used w it h wireless phones for convenience
and com fort . These syst em s reduce t he absorpt ion of RF energy in t he
head because t he phone, w hich is t he source of t he RF em issions, w ill not
be placed against t he head. On t he ot her hand, if t he phone is m ount ed
against t he waist or ot her part of t he body during use, t hen t hat part of
t he body w ill absorb m ore RF energy. Wireless phones m arket ed in t he
U.S. are required t o m eet safet y requir em ent s regardless of whet her t hey
are used against t he head or against t he body. Eit her configurat ion should
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