Health Issues Related to Electromagnetic Fields

1. The Health Issue Regarding the Electric Field

The health issue began with reports of non-specific health complaints, including headaches, loss of vigor, nausea, and fatigue, from workers at 500 kV electric power facilities in the Soviet Union in 1966. Occupational exposure to very strong low-frequency electric fields was initially suspected as the cause. However, subsequent researches revealed that the electric field was not the actual cause.

2. The Health Issue Regarding the Magnetic Field

In 1970s, researchers in the United States reported on children's health, specifically childhood cancer, in areas near transmission lines. These reports started the beginning of growing concerns about whether magnetic fields generated by everyday electricity use could have an impact on health. This shift in focus from electric fields to magnetic fields raised public concerns about health effects, leading to ongoing research and discussions on magnetic fields and their potential effects on health around the world, discussions continue until today.

2.1 Lawsuit Against 765 kV Ultra-High Voltage Transmission Lines Project in U.S., 1973

In 1973, residents initiated a lawsuit against a construction project involving 765 kV ultra-high voltage transmission lines in New York State, USA. The lawsuit was subsequently mediated by the state's Public Utility Commission and ultimately reached a settlement.

The conditions of the settlement were:

The limit value of electric field shall be 1.6 kV/m (kilovolt per meter) beneath the existing transmission lines;

Hereafter new construction of transmission lines shall not be permitted without the safety assurance;

Research shall be conducted on effects of electromagnetic field to ensure the safety.

Following the settlement, the New York State Transmission Lines Project was launched, with a focus on researching the effects of electromagnetic fields. Under this project, extensive research was carried out from the late 1970s through the 1980s, culminating in the publication of the final report in 1987. The report's conclusion indicated that there were no scientific justifications to suggest that low-frequency electric fields present in residential and occupational environments caused any adverse biological or health effects.

This lawsuit brought widespread recognition to the health issue of electric fields in general.

2.2 Epidemiological Study by Wertheimer And Leeper In U.S., 1979

In 1979, Nancy Wertheimer (University of Colorado, U.S.) and Ed Leeper published the results of their epidemiological study on the relationship between low-frequency magnetic fields and human health. They conducted a case-control study involving 344 fatal cases of childhood cancer, and their findings indicated that children living in proximity to transmission and distribution lines had a higher mortality rate from childhood cancer.

2.3 Epidemiological Study by Savitz in U.S., 1987

In 1987, David Savitz and his colleagues (the University of North Carolina in the United States) reported that the incidence rate of childhood cancer, especially leukemia, in children under the age of 14 living in the vicinity of distribution lines was 1.5 to 2 times higher compared to children living farther away from these distribution lines.

As Savitz was famous epidemiologist in those days, their study concluding increased incidence rate gathered attention.

2.4 Epidemiological Study by Feychting and Ahlbom in Sweden, 1992

In 1992, Maria Feychting and Anders Ahlbom (Karolinska National Institute, Sweden) analyzed domestic data in Sweden from 1960 to 1985 and published the results that relative risk of developing childhood leukemia by children living within 300 m from transmission lines increased 2.7 times at exposure level of magnetic field (calculated value) more than 0.2µT (microtesla).

These epidemiological study reports caused media coverage on health effect issue of electromagnetic field and then electromagnetic field was recognized as a social issue by general public.

3. Research on Electromagnetic Fields at International Organizations and Beyond: Key Initiatives

• In 1987, the World Health Organization (WHO) published "Environmental Health Criteria No. 69 (Magnetic Field)" and concluded that there were no established effects below an induced current density of 1 mA/cm² (equivalent to 500µT in magnetic field level).
• In 1993, the U.S. government initiated the "Electric and Magnetic Fields Research and Public Information Dissemination (EMF-RAPID) Program" with a budget of approximately 65 million dollars, from 1993 for a six-year period.
• In 1996, WHO established "The International EMF Project".
• In 1999, the final report of the EMF-RAPID Program was published, and it concluded that "the scientific evidence indicating that exposure to extremely low-frequency electric and magnetic fields is harmful is weak."
• In 2001, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) published "IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans Vol. 80 (Non-ionizing Radiation, Part 1: Static and Extremely Low-Frequency (ELF) Electric and Magnetic Fields)." In this publication, “extremely low-frequency magnetic fields” were classified as "possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B)" while “static electric fields, static magnetic fields, and extremely low-frequency electric fields” were classified as "not classifiable as to their carcinogenicity to humans (Group 3)".
• In 2007, WHO published "Environmental Health Criteria No. 238 (Extremely Low Frequency Fields)” and concluded that "evidence suggested in epidemiological studies regarding relationship between childhood leukemia and extremely low frequency magnetic field is not strong enough to consider there is a causal relationship but strong enough to remain concerns. Scientific evidence supporting link between several other diseases and extremely low frequency is weaker than that of childhood leukemia”. And WHO published "Fact sheet No. 322" and concluded that the “evidence related to childhood leukemia is not strong enough to be considered causal”.

4. History of Health Issues Related to Electromagnetic Fields in Japan

In 1976, regulations were introduced regarding the electric fields generated by electric power facilities. However, the primary aim of these regulations was not to prevent health effects on humans but to prevent the perception of electrostatic induction by humans, similar to the sensation of experiencing weak shocks when touching objects like a doorknob.

Here, we present research activities and responses to the health effects of electromagnetic fields generated by electric power facilities in Japan:

• In 1982, the Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI) initiated research on the biological effects of electromagnetic fields.
• In 1984, CRIEPI initiated cooperative research with the U.S. Department of Energy under the Japan-U.S. Science and Technology Agreement, using baboons. In 1992, they published research results, concluding that "no effects of electromagnetic fields on the behavior and neurophysiology of baboons were found.".
• In the 1990s, the Environmental Agency (now the Ministry of the Environment), the Science and Technology Agency (now the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology), the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (now the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry), and the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare conducted research on electromagnetic fields. By and large, their conclusion was that no significant health effects from extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields were found.
• In 2006, Dr. Michinori Kabuto and his colleagues (The National Institute of Environmental Studies) reported an increased risk of childhood leukemia was observed in cases of long-term residential exposure to magnetic fields exceeding 0.4µT.
• In 2007, side by side with the actions of the WHO, the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry established the "Working Group for Addressing Countermeasures on Electromagnetic Fields from Electric Power Facilities" within the Subcommittee on Electric Power Safety, part of the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Subcommittee under the Advisory Committee for Natural Resources and Energy.　In June 2008, the Working Group published its report, which included policy recommendations such as the introduction of a limit value on magnetic field exposure based on the Guidelines provided by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). These recommendations also encompassed the promotion of further research and the enhancement of risk communication, including the establishment of an information dissemination center focused on electromagnetic fields.
• In July 2008, reflecting the recommendations, JEIC was established as a neutral, permanent organization.
• In March 2011, the decision was made to introduce a limit value recommended by ICNIRP (200µT) for magnetic fields generated by electric power facilities. Subsequently, in November of the same year, the Decree of the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (regarding the determination of technical standards for electric power facilities [only in Japanese]) came into force.