Belgium

• RF limits lower than ICNIRP in specific municipalities such as Belgium.
• 2013 Federal Public Health Regulations Bans Cell Phones Designed for Young Children and Advertising Cell Phones for Young Children
• Ghent Belgium bans wi-fi from pre-schools and day care
• Health authorities recommend reducing exposure to cell phone radiation and provide extensive public health information

 

Detailed information hyperlinked to sources

Regarding 5G

• 4/2020 Belgian telco Proximus will halt 5G network deployment in the city of Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve to hold a Town Hall to address all health concerns of citizens. Read news coverage. 
• Belgium, Brussels, Radiation concerns halt Brussels 5G development, for now, HLN Brussels Times, 01/04/2019

 

In Brussels, a map of all the locations of antennas is accessible online where the technical data of each installation is listed. People can ask for a compliance measurement, free of charge

Protective policy on ELF-EMF Magnetic fields: In Flanders, new power lines  over schools and childcare centres should be avoided and passing over homes kept to a minimum. New schools and childcare centres should not be more than year-averaged exposure greater than 4 milligauss.  In Brussels, a ministerial instruction requires that the magnetic field  levels in places near newly installed transformers where children under 15 may stay is kept below a 24-hour average of 4 milligauss. Wallonia  applies the limits in the EU recommendation to transformers.RIVM Report

April 2019: Brussels refuses 5G and refuses to raise limit values to allow full 5G deployment.

• HLN News Brussels government refuses 5G: “Brussels residents are not guinea pigs”
• Brussels Times Radiation concerns halt Brussels 5G development, for now

2014: Ghent Belgium bans wi-fi from pre-schools and day care. Read the Flanders Today article: “Ghent bans wi-fi from pre-schools and day care”

2013 Federal Public Health Regulations Bans Cell Phones and Advertising Cell Phones for Young Children

• Original Legislation:“New rules for selling mobile phones: Practical guide for sellers and distributors”
• Phones designed for children under 7 years old are prohibited from sale.
• Total Advertising Ban on cell phones aimed at children.
• Mandatory Radiation SAR levels must be available for consumers at point of sale.
• Warning label on phones: “Think about your health – use your mobile phone moderately, make your calls wearing an earpiece and choose a set with a lower SAR value.”
• Recommendations include use of hands-free methods to keep the phone away from the body such as text messaging and not making calls when the signal is weak, such as in elevator/vehicle.
• Flanders Today News article: “Belgium bans sale of mobile phones designed for children”

2014 Presentation on the “Implementation of the Council Recommendations in Belgium” by the Ministry of Public Health of Belgium.

• Belgium Governments’s frequently asked questions about the new law.
• Press Release by Dr. Moskowitz: “Belgium Adopts New Regulations To Promote Cell Phone Radiation Safety”
• Lower RF Limits are Precautionary in accordance with advice of the Belgium Health Council.

 

2009 Resolution of the Belgian Parliament  – “Introduction of new rules for mobile phone sales”

Belgian Health Food and Safety Brochure on Wireless Devices: This document discusses everything from DECT home phones to baby monitors to Bluetooth to SAR.

“Considering that baby monitors can differ so greatly, it is advisable to carefully follow the instruction manual, to place the baby set at a sufficient distance from the crib (at least 1 m) and to use the ‘voice activation’ setting, among other things.”

The Belgian Foundation Against Cancer warns that intensive use of a mobile phone can increase the risk of contracting cancer. They suggest that children younger than 12 should not use a mobile phone, and that using a mobile phone as an alarm clock is not desirable because the phone is in close proximity to the head the entire night. The Cancer Foundation also strongly advises people not to use a mobile phone in the car or a train. Read details in the Mobile Phones Section 7: UK & International regulations by Alasdair and Jean Philips.

WHO International EMF Project Report on national activities in Belgium for 2010-2016

• Details the research and legislation activities of Belgium

Maps of Cellular Antennae

The Government of the Brussels Capital Region Has Maps of Cellular Antennae: A map of all the locations of antennas is accessible online with the technical data of each installation.

Flanders Belgium Department of  the Environment Website Section on “Radiation: transmitting antennas, WiFi, mobile …”

 

• Radiation is unhealthy or not?
• FAQ on transmitting antennas and health

 

Belgian Federal Public Service: Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment Recommends Reducing Exposure

• “Wireless Devices” – Document describing regulation for wireless telecommunication equipment, wireless home telephones, baby monitors, wireless on the Internet, bluetooth, and comparison of SAR values
• Specific tips for Wi-Fi installations: “In order to limit the exposure, the following simple measures can be taken:  Only switch on your wireless network connection when it is needed. This concerns the wifi adapter in your laptop in particular. Otherwise, your laptop tries to continually connect to the network, and that leads to unnecessary exposure and decreases the life expectancy of the batteries.  Place the access point away from places where you spend lots of time.”
• Tips for prudents use – “So far, it has not been proven that the radiation from mobile phones is harmful to their users. But on the foundation of current scientific knowledge, health risks relating to long-term, frequent mobile phone use cannot be ruled out. Experts – including those on the Superior Health Council – advise everyone to limit their exposure to mobile phone radiation.”
• Mobile phones and children – “The use of the mobile phone by children is a special point of attention. Children may be more sensitive to radio waves. Children absorb twice as much radiation in the brain than adults do, and 10 times more in the bone marrow of the skull. In addition, due to the popularity of the mobile phone, the cumulative exposure of the current generation of children will be much higher by the time they reach their adulthood than that of the current adults.”
• Electromagnetic hypersensitivity: This webpage contains information about complaints, the state of affairs of the scientific research and advice about what can be done in this situation.
• Wireless on the Internet “Only switch on your wireless network connection when it is needed. This concerns the wifi adapter in your laptop in particular. Otherwise, your laptop tries to continually connect to the network, and that leads to unnecessary exposure and decreases the life expectancy of the batteries. Place the access point away from places where you spend lots of time. “
• Brochure electromagnetic fields in Dutch, French and German