As part of its Charter to protect public health and in response to public concern, the World Health Organization (WHO) established the international EMF Project in 1996.  The purpose of the EMF Project is to assess the scientific evidence of possible health effects of EMF in the frequency range from 0 to 300 GHz.

A key aspect of the WHO EMF project is the Environmental Health Criteria (EHC) where formal health risk assessments will be made on exposure to EMF.  The WHO monograph will include a scientific review of all studied health outcomes and it will provide an overview of risk management policies and practices around the world.

The EMF research timeline shows the major reviews and research projects leading up to the WHO Environmental Health Criteria.

At the ITU International Workshop on EMF in May 2013, Dr Emilie van Deventer from the WHO provided an overview of the WHO EMF program advising the EHC review process was already underway and was expected to be completed in 2015.

Dr Emilie van Deventer told the workshop that a draft of the EHC is scheduled for the September - October 2013 timeframe and a second draft in early 2014.

Click here for the WHO Presentation

As part of the EHC process, the WHO is convening a seminar on 5 June 2013 at the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) in Paris, France. The purpose of the seminar is to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to present their views on specific questions to be addressed during the course of this project. The discussions at the seminar and their conclusions will be considered carefully in the development of the WHO monograph.

Information on the WHO seminar is available here


Review of the ICNIRP EMF Safety Guidelines

Also at the ITU workshop, Rüdiger Matthes, Chairman of the International Commission on Non Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) presented an overview of the EMF Safety Guidelines and told delegates that the Guidelines would be reviewed following the WHO EHC.

Click here for the ICNIRP Presentation