mr. sc. ANKICA KOSOVEC-KRŽELJ, B.Sc. Eng. el. Croatian Association for Protection against Electromagnetic Radiation HUZEZ
SUMMARY
The development of modern technologies has significantly increased human exposure to the effects of electromagnetic fields and non-ionizing radiation. Considering that these are relatively new technologies and that the effects of long-term exposure to non-ionizing radiation are intensively researched, a number of relevant institutions, including the World Health Organization, the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, call for caution and warn of possible harmful consequences for the environment and human health, especially when it comes to "vulnerable groups" such as children and young people.
The fact is that the biological effects of radio frequency electromagnetic field radiation are still there is no consensus in the scientific community because, in addition to studies that have not established harmful effects, there is an increasing number of those that unequivocally establish an increased risk for the occurrence of malignant as well as numerous neurovegetative diseases. 2B). In addition, the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe called for the application of the "precautionary principle" and proposed a series of preventive measures with the aim of avoiding or limiting possible risks.
Unfortunately, these recommendations are not sufficiently respected. For example, when installing a source of non-ionizing radiation, it is sufficient to meet only the limits of permitted emissions of electromagnetic fields defined by the Ministry of Health's Regulation on protection against EM fields. rulebook (NN 146/14), the limit levels for the strength of the electric field in the frequency range used by the new generation of mobile telephony (2-10 GHz) for the area of increased sensitivity are 40%, and for public areas 95% of the values defined by the recommendations of the International Commission for Protection against Ionizing Radiation (ICNIRP). These values are many times higher than in some other EU countries, but it is important to point out that some of the countries that apply the ICNIRP values at the national level, their regions and cities are allowed to set their own, as a rule, lower limits. The ICNIRP STATEMENT (published in: HEALTH PHYSICS 82(4): 540-548; 2002) requires, in cases where it is possible to identify the permissible limit of radiation, the application of alternative strategies with the aim of avoiding or limiting health risks. These alternative strategies, as a rule, include an obligation transparent communication with the local administration and the local community of plans for the development of mobile networks, agreement on locations for the installation of base stations, compliance with urban, aesthetic and landscape criteria for the placement of antenna poles and roof supports in the space, alignment with spatial plans as well as the preparation of environmental and/or health impact studies and similar
2B OR NOT 2B – PANDORINA KUITJA ” “2B OR NOT 2B – PANDORAS' BOX”
documents, which, in accordance with point 8.4.4 of Resolution VE 1385, ensures that mobile telephony antennas are not installed exclusively and only according to the interests of telecom operators.
According to a study by the World Association of Mobile Operators GSMA ("Base Station Planning Permission"), Croatia is one of only four countries in Europe (along with Romania, Portugal and Slovakia) in which public discussion and consultation with local government bodies are not mandatory. However, in contrast to Croatia, in the three mentioned countries a building permit is mandatory, so local government authorities and/or the local community can still influence the locations of base stations, either directly or indirectly through spatial planning documents.
In 2009, the Ministry of Construction and Spatial Planning of Croatia abolished the until then valid obligation to obtain building and location permits. Antenna masts, first only on the roofs of existing buildings, and a little later those on the ground were included in "simple buildings" which, according to the Ordinance on Simple and Other Buildings and Works (Official Gazette 79/14), can be built without a building permit. Croatia is an exception in Europe in this respect, and as antenna masts are exempted from spatial planning documents in Croatia by the Decree of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, this type of regulation results in uncritical installation of antennas which, with an increased risk to health population, results in enormous devastation of space. Thus, unlike other European countries, telecom operators have the exceptional privilege of choosing technical and technological solutions that maximize their profits, because the permitted limits of electromagnetic emissions are high enough that in practice they are impossible to exceed. Antennas placed ten meters from someone's window or balcony are given permission to work without problems, and the Regulatory Agency (HAKOM) states that 90% of installed base stations have measured radiation levels. below 10% of the permitted value.
Croatia should implement important recommendations from VE Resolution 1815 and EU Parliament 2008/2211(INI). Within the various ministries (education, health, environment) targeted information campaigns should be developed for teachers, parents and children that would warn about the specific risks of potentially harmful long-term exposure to mobile and other devices that emit microwaves. These campaigns, in accordance with the mentioned resolutions, would encourage the application of equally effective but less risky wired technologies and propose measures for the responsible use of mobile phones and domestic wireless networks, with the aim of reducing unnecessary exposure to their electromagnetic field emissions. of ionizing radiation into space. The code of good practice generally defines the way of conducting a dialogue with the local administration and the local community, the spatial and aesthetic criteria of fitting into urban areas and the landscape, the public availability of the results of the assessment and measurement of electromagnetic field emissions, and the obligation of joint use of locations with the aim of optimizing the total number of base stations.
LEGISLATION AND PRACTICE ASKING MOBILE TELEPHONY BASE STATIONS IN CROATIA
Mr. Sc. ANKICA Kosovec-KRŢELJ, BSc. Eng. el. Croatian Association for Protection of electromagnetic radiation HUZEZ
ABSTRACT
The development of modern technology has significantly increased the influence of human exposure to electromagnetic fields and ionizing radiation. Since it is a relatively new technology and to influence long-term exposure to ionizing radiation is not widely investigated, a range of relevant institutions, including the World Health Organization, the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, are calling for caution and warning of possible harmful consequences for the environment and human health, especially when it comes to "vulnerable groups" such as children and young people.
The fact is that the biological effects of radiation of radio frequency electromagnetic fields, there is still no consensus in the scientific community as to the studies that have not observed adverse effects, an increasing number of those that clearly establish increased risk for malignancy and numerous neuro-vegetative disorders.
It should be noted that the World Health Organization (WHO), based on two years of intensive research by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) conducted in 14 countries, declared no ionizing radiation caused by radio frequency electromagnetic fields "possible carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2B). In addition, the European Parliament (European Parliament) and PACE (Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe) with their resolutions called for the application of the "precautionary principle" and proposed a series of preventive measures to avoid or limit potential risks.
In Croatia, unfortunately, these recommendations are not sufficiently respected. For example, when setting up the sources of ionizing radiation it is not enough to satisfy only the limits of allowed emissions of electromagnetic fields defined in the Regulations on the Protection of the EM field of the Ministry of Health. According to the current regulations (OG 146/14) threshold level for the electric field strength in the frequency range used by the new generation of mobile telephony (2-10 GHz) for the area of increased sensitivity is 40% and for the public of 95% of the values defined by the recommendations of the International Commission for the protection of non-ionizing radiation (ICNIRP). These values are several times greater than in some other EU countries, but it is important to point out that some of the countries that apply the ICNIRP's value at national level, their regions and cities allow for the possibility of determining their own, generally substantially lower limit.
The document ICNIRP STATEMENT (published in: Health Physics 82 (4): 540-548, 2002) is required, in cases where it is possible to identify a risk, but not with certainty determine the permitted level of radiation, the use of alternative strategies with the aim of avoiding or limiting health risk. The relevant national authorities are responsible for the definition and implementation of these alternative strategies. These alternative strategies typically include the obligation of transparent communication with local government and local community plans for the development of mobile networks, agreement on the location for setting up base stations, respecting urban, aesthetic and landscape criteria accommodation masts and roof acceptance in space, harmonization with regional plans as and preparation of environmental impact studies and / or health and similar documents, which, in accordance with paragraph 8.4.4 of Resolution VE 1385, ensures that the cell tower is not placed solely and only to the interests of the calf operators.
Croatia is, according to a study of the World Association of mobile operators GSMA ("Base Station Planning Permission") one of only four countries in Europe (along with Romania, Portugal and Slovakia) which is not mandatory public hearing as well as consultations with local government bodies. But, unlike the Croatian, in the said three countries a building permit is required and thus local government authorities and/or local community may still affect the location of base stations, either directly or indirectly through the documents related to spatial planning.
The Ministry of Construction and Physical Planning 2009: Croatian lifted the previously valid obligation of obtaining a building and location permit. Antenna towers, initially only on the roofs of existing buildings, and later those in the country were included in the "simple structures" which, according to the Ordinance on simple and other buildings and works (OG 79/14), can be built without a building permit. By that Croatia is an exception in Europe, and that Croatian Government Regulation antenna towers excluded from physical planning documents, such legislation has the effect of uncritical antennas that, with the increased risk to the health of the population, resulting in the devastation of vast space.
So, unlike other European countries, in Croatia calf operators have an exceptional privilege to choose technical and technological solutions that maximize their profits, because the permissible limits of electromagnetic emissions are high enough that it is in practice impossible to exceed. An antenna ten meters from one's window or balcony, no problem getting a license to operate a Regulatory Agency (HAKOM) notes that 90% of the installed base stations have measured radiation levels below 10% of the allowed value.
Croatia would in its legislation need to implement the relevant recommendations of the CoE Resolution 1815 and the EU Parliament 2008/2211 (INI). Within the various ministries (education, health, environment) should develop targeted information campaigns for teachers, parents and children that point to specific risks of potentially harmful long-term exposure to mobile and other devices that emit micro waves, and run awareness campaigns in general. Team to campaigns, in accordance with those resolutions, encourage the application of equally effective but less risky wired technologies, and proposed measures for the responsible use of mobile phones and domestic wireless networks, in order to reduce unnecessary exposure of their emissions of electromagnetic fields.
Croatia should define and implement a "Code of Good Practice", as is common in other European countries, where the calf operators, relevant ministries and the regulator in cooperation with citizens and interested public setting agreed rules of origin are not ionizing radiation in space. Code of good practice in the rule defines the way of dialogue with the local authorities and the local community, spatial and aesthetic criteria fitting into the urban areas and landscape, public access to the results of the assessment and measurement of emissions of electromagnetic fields and the obligation to use common locations in order to optimize the total number of base stations.
