Do BTS (base transceiver station) towers pose a health risk to humans?

(Baonghean) - In Nghe An province, there are currently 5 mobile network operators providing terrestrial mobile communication services with 2.3 million subscribers served by 3,800 2G and 3G BTS stations.

Over the years, the Information and Communications sector has made breakthroughs in infrastructure development, promptly meeting the communication needs and serving socio-economic development, national defense, and security. Mobile base transceiver stations (BTS) are increasingly appearing in densely populated areas, especially in large cities.

Along with the increased construction of BTS stations by telecommunications companies, the issue of electromagnetic radiation from BTS stations has also been widely publicized in the media. People have come to understand and recognize the safety of electromagnetic radiation from BTS stations for their health.

However, recently in some localities in the province such as Yen Son and Luu Son communes (Do Luong district), the town area and Dien Minh commune (Dien Chau district), Hung My and Hung Thong communes (Hung Nguyen district), Nghi Thach and Nghi Van communes (Nghi Loc district), Cong Thanh commune (Yen Thanh district)... there are still some people wondering about the impact of BTS stations on human health.

This not only causes concern among the public but also hinders network operators from developing new BTS stations, especially in the context of new technologies like 4G and 5G, where the number of BTS stations needs to increase and must be installed in residential areas to ensure service quality for users.

In fact, during the development of the Vietnamese Standard TCVN 3718-1:2005, the Ministries of Science and Technology, Health, Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, and other relevant agencies conducted numerous studies, concluding that: "Given the frequency range of radio waves, the power of the equipment at receiving and transmitting stations, and the technical specifications of mobile phones currently in Vietnam, there is no concrete scientific evidence to confirm that waves emitted by receiving and transmitting stations, including those from individual mobile phones, have a negative or harmful effect on human health."

The Ministry of Science and Technology has stipulated a non-occupational exposure limit (for people living and working long-term within the range of a BTS station) for the frequencies of terrestrial mobile phone base stations, derived as an equivalent flat wave power density of 2W/m2 (point 6.3, TCVN 3718-1:2005). This level is lower and stricter than international standards and those of other countries such as the European Union, Japan, the United States, and Australia.

Calculations based on the Vietnamese National Standard for Radio Frequency Radiation Safety Management and the national technical regulations on electromagnetic field exposure from public terrestrial telephone base stations show that outside the horizontal range of 2-5 meters from the BTS antenna tower, the level of electromagnetic exposure from the BTS has decreased below the prescribed safety level, ensuring the long-term health of people living nearby, and current BTS stations all meet this condition.

Nghe An currently has 3800 BTS stations from 5 network operators, mostly located in residential areas.

Since 1996, when mobile networks developed rapidly in developed countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) have conducted in-depth, long-term research and issued recommendations on this issue.

To date, these studies have all concluded: "Considering the very low levels of exposure and the research results collected so far, there is no convincing scientific evidence to suggest that weak radio frequency signals from base transceiver stations and radio networks cause harmful health effects." The research results also determined the safe level (referred to as the safe electromagnetic field exposure level) for the long-term lives of people in the area surrounding the base transceiver station.

Health authorities in developed countries have also conducted in-depth studies on electromagnetic exposure from base transceiver stations and widely publicized their findings in the media. Specifically, the Australian Radiation Protection Agency published a national scientific assessment stating: "There is no convincing evidence that exposure to electromagnetic fields from low-power radio spectrum has adverse effects on human health."

Similarly, the French Environmental Health and Safety Agency concluded: “Given the concerns about cancer, we accept that low power levels in mobile phones and radiation levels that do not affect living tissues, and that experiments on animals exposed to electromagnetic fields for extended periods did not cause cancer or promote cancer development.”

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission concluded: “There is no scientific evidence linking base transceiver stations (BTS) to cancer and other conditions such as headaches, dizziness, vertigo, or memory loss.” The Canadian Health Protection Committee stated: “To date, there is no solid evidence to suggest that electromagnetic radiation from mobile phones has adverse effects on humans.”

The competent authorities of Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden have all concluded: "There is no scientific evidence of adverse health effects from mobile phone base stations and handheld devices operating below the power levels set by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection."

In Vietnam in general, and Nghe An in particular, before being put into operation, BTS stations must be inspected to ensure full compliance with safety standards regarding electromagnetic field exposure and be issued a certificate of inspection, thus meeting the conditions for operation and ensuring safety for people living in the surrounding area.

The results of the specialized inspection on compliance with regulations on electromagnetic exposure testing of BTS stations in 2015 by the Department of Information and Communications showed that 90% of the total number of BTS stations had been tested (1682/1867), the remainder were newly installed in 2015 and are currently undergoing testing renewal.

With current regulations and monitoring mechanisms, if telecommunications companies comply with the proper procedures, we can rest assured about the impact of BTS waves on people's health.

Phan Manh