Switzerland: Device radiation: Federal Council opposes control

Device radiation: Federal Council opposes control
by Pascal Sigg, infosperber.ch, 19 January 2024 - auto-translation

Over 40 cell phones have so far failed French safety tests. Switzerland continues to deliberately look the other way.

(Photo): How strongly do smartphones and tablets emit radiation? Three children with an iPad. © Harrison Haines

A few months ago, it also made headlines in Switzerland that Apple's iPhone 12 failed the French tests. The ANFR also responded to this with a recall. Apple has since offered a software update, which means the device is approved again in France.

However, Belgium, Germany and Italy, which also requested the update, did not receive it . And Swiss users didn’t receive one either. An Apple spokesman confirmed this to Infosperber. This means that the device would actually not be market-compliant in this country.

A spokesman for the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) wrote to Infosperber: “Switzerland has not requested an update from Apple.” Like other EU states, they are waiting for a decision from the EU Commission to adopt the French conformity assessment. Apple said the result was due to the special French testing protocol.

Insiders are not convinced by this argument. France is the only European country that systematically tests ( Infosperber reported ). ETH professor emeritus Niels Kuster, who develops and sells the measuring systems with the company SPEAG, told Infosperber: “The fact that Apple only had to install the update on devices registered in France surprised many in Europe.”

A few days ago, another device, the Emporia Smart 4 smartphone, failed the French tests. The National Frequency Agency (ANFR) recently demanded that the manufacturer Emporia take the smartphone off the market. According to the announcement, the state agency requires retailers to remove the devices from the shelves, even if there is no corresponding instruction from the manufacturer Emporia. According to the NGO Phonegate Alert, this model is the 46th mobile phone identified as dangerous. The organization is of the opinion that it exceeded the limit four times.

The federal government has been accepting risks for years

However, it seems impossible for Switzerland to somehow respond to French warnings. There is actually an agreement between Switzerland and EU countries such as France on the mutual recognition of conformity assessments.

But it is now clear: the federal government is turning a blind eye to mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets or laptops. A spokesman for the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) responded to Infosperber's request: "There is no market monitoring of products with regard to their health effects caused by non-ionizing radiation." The Federal Council consciously accepts possible health risks. And for years.

After the Phonegate scandal became known ( Infosperber reported ), National Councilors Silva Semadeni (SP/GR) and later Martina Munz (SP/Schaffhausen) submitted interpellations on radiation from mobile devices. The Federal Council responded to the latter : “The Federal Council is prepared to have the situation with cell phones and other similarly emitting devices reassessed by the end of 2020 and, if necessary, to intensify enforcement.”

It also suggested that there was actually a responsible body by writing: "The responsible enforcement authorities can already prohibit the further marketing of products that endanger the safety or health of users or third parties."

The heavy current inspectorate is responsible - and yet not

But after the iPhone 12 outcry, Marionna Schlatter wanted to know from the Federal Council again: Who is responsible for market surveillance for radiation-emitting devices in the country?

The answer sounded a little different this time. The Federal Council wrote at the end of November 2023: The Federal Heavy Current Inspectorate (ESTI) would actually be responsible for this. But this cannot carry out its task. The reasons it cites are a lack of legal basis in federal law regarding low- and high-voltage electrical systems as well as a lack of necessary specialist knowledge regarding the measurement of exposure to non-ionizing radiation.

When Infosperber asked, the ESTI stated clearly: “Mobile phones do not fall within the ESTI’s area of ​​responsibility.” The heavy current inspectorate - which is part of the Electrosuisse trade association - simply does not care about electromagnetic radiation, but rather about burning batteries. OFCOM answers media inquiries to the federal administration.

Devices are larger sources of radiation than antennas

In the federal administration, the Federal Office for the Environment is responsible for possible health risks from antenna radiation; the Federal Office of Public Health for the risks of device radiation. However, its task is limited to publishing fact sheets.

Experts repeatedly point out that the electromagnetic radiation emitted by end devices is stronger than that from antennas. The federal government's 5G information platform, for example, states: "The radiation during a conversation with your own cell phone leads to the highest exposure compared to all other sources of radiation."

[The figure shows the contributions of different radiation sources to the average total dose to which a person is exposed in Europe. One can easily understand the German "Own source vs. external source". Handy = cell phone -- Schnurlostelefon = cordless phone]

Medium whole body dose; Source: van Wel, L. et al. (2021), graphics: FOEN

This is why antenna radiation is always compared to device radiation. The mobile phone providers are responsible for the former and are subject to certain limits and controls. The latter is mainly determined by individual use. Here, too, there are limit values ​​that the manufacturers are responsible for adhering to. With the exception of France, no country carries out regular independent controls. The radiation exposure is primarily influenced by individual use: Do you put the laptop on your lap? Do you hold your cell phone to your ear?

That is why mobile phone providers repeatedly argue that the main responsibility for radiation exposure does not lie with them, but rather with the users themselves. However, measurements in trains or trams also show that a considerable part of the radiation measured comes from other travelers' devices.
The Federal Council does not want to do anything despite the “enforcement gap”.

But it is now clear: the Federal Council is even less interested in this radiation than antenna radiation, although there are also limit values ​​here that, even if adhered to, are unlikely to provide sufficient protection. The latest BAG [Federal Office of Public Health] fact sheet states: “There are still uncertainties regarding the health effects of long-term exposure to high-frequency radiation from cell phones.” The BAG therefore recommends making phone calls with headphones or a wireless hands-free device.

In a review study, prominent US researchers recently called for children to be protected from all electromagnetic radiation that does not directly benefit them. It has been proven that the radiation limits used in many places do not sufficiently protect children in particular from health risks ( Infosperber reported ).

The NGO “Phonegate Alert” is constantly putting pressure on the authorities in France to ensure that they carry out the measurements seriously ( Infosperber reported ). It is therefore also the organization that works most effectively for Swiss smartphone users. Its founder, the doctor Marc Arazi, said about the Federal Council's stance a few days ago: “We call on the Swiss authorities to act as quickly as possible. It is their duty to ensure that everything is done to ensure that cell phone manufacturers comply with safety standards, which has not been the case for too many years."

In her motion, National Councillor Marionna Schlatter calls for the Federal Council to appoint a market surveillance authority to test end devices that emit non-ionizing radiation for compliance with the limit values.

The Federal Council does recognize an “enforcement gap” when it comes to device radiation. But: “Due to cost/benefit considerations and the federal financial situation, the necessary resources cannot currently be made available. Market surveillance should therefore be dispensed with at the moment.”

Astonishment at inconsistency

Schlatter is astonished by the Federal Council's response. “Obviously the Federal Council assumed that by spending years searching for a responsible authority, it could simply let the matter disappear under the table. I think the fact that it is saying now of all times that it is foregoing controls is – let’s say – courageous.”

She also writes to Infosperber that she finds the cost/benefit argument “absurd”. “The Federal Council’s stance is not compatible with the precautionary principle. Limit values ​​only work if they are controlled. Otherwise you could do without emission controls for cars. The Federal Council's answer is clear: it considers the limit values ​​to be unnecessary. This is all the more astonishing because when discussing the radiation limits of mobile phone antennas, it is regularly argued that the greatest radiation comes from the end device. I don't understand why control should be dispensed with here."

Experts also agree. The environmental epidemiologist Martin Röösli, professor at the Basel Tropical and Public Health Institute and head of the federal expert group BERENIS, tells Infosperber: "The fact that there is no precautionary principle when it comes to device radiation is not consistent."

It is still unclear when the National Council will consider Schlatter's motion.


Here's how you can protect yourself

The French NGO “Phonegate Alert” makes the following recommendations for protection against device radiation: 

1. Avoid direct physical contact with the device: do not carry it in trouser or shirt pockets, bras or the like, do not make phone calls with the device on your ear (use headphones or hands-free function).

2. Only use the device when necessary: switch it off overnight, keep it well away from your body (during the day on your desk or in a handbag or rucksack), if possible do not use it on the move or when reception is poor.

3. Protect sensitive people: Keep children away from mobile devices for as long as possible, as little use as possible by pregnant women, heart patients should be particularly careful.

Pascal Sigg is an editor at Infosperber and a freelance reporter.

Original article in German:
https://www.infosperber.ch/gesellschaft/technik/geraetestrahlung-bundesrat-stemmt-sich-gegen-kontrolle/