From July 1st, the SAR display of all equipment generating radiofrequency radiation (more than 20mW) used in close proximity to the body will be displayed to better inform the public. France already has a comparable law for cell phones but now the regulations are extended to devices which include tablets, connected watches, wireless headsets, and more. ANFR will check the SAR measurements for these devices to ensure compliance. SAR is a measure used for cell phone radiation exposure.
Just like cell phones, the SAR must appear in the instructions as well as at points of sale and near the equipment. In sharp contrast, efforts such as the Berkeley and San Francisco Cell phone Right To Know Ordinances to inform the US public about cell phone radiation at point of sale in the United States have been hit with lawsuits by the wireless industry.
ANFR , the government frequency test agency of France, created a video explaining the new regulations.
France already has some of the most consumer friendly regulations regarding cell phones and Wi-Fi. An order of November 15, 2019 “Relating to the display of the specific absorption rate of radioelectric equipment and to consumer information” NOR: SSAP1834792A by the Minister of Solidarity and Health, Agnès Buzyn and the Minister of Economy and Finance, Bruno Le Maire
Sates that the following information be displayed under “TYPES OF INFORMATION TO APPEAR UNDER THE SECTION “PRECAUTIONS FOR USING THE APPLIANCE”
- “Information on the behavior to adopt to reduce exposure to radiation emitted by radio equipment
- Use the radio equipment under good reception conditions to reduce the amount of radiation received.
- Use a hands-free kit or a loudspeaker, if suitable for radio equipment. Make reasonable use of radio equipment such as the mobile phone, by children and adolescents, for example by avoiding night-time communications and by limiting the frequency and duration of calls.
- Keep radio equipment away from the belly of pregnant women.
- Keep radio equipment away from the lower abdomen of adolescents.”
2015 National Legislation – “Law on sobriety, transparency, information and consultation for exposure to electromagnetic waves” did the following and more:
- WiFi Banned in Nursery Schools,
- WiFi on “OFF” as Default to Minimize Exposures in Schools
- Cell Tower Emission Compliance Verified
- Citizens Will Have Access Cell Tower Radiation Measurements
- Cell Antennae Maps For the Country
- Continued Evaluation of Health Effects
- SAR Radiation Labeling for Phones Mandated
- Information on Reducing Exposures Mandatory- on cell phone package. .
- WIFI Hotspots will be Labeled
- Advertisements Must Recommend Devices to Reduce Radiation Exposure to the Brain
- Advertising for cell phone not accompanied by such a kit is forbidden. Companies in violation will be fined 75,000 Euros.
- Children Must Be Provided Protections: At the request of the buyer, equipment reducing cell phone radiation exposures to the head for children less than 14 years should be provided.
- New public information campaign on reducing exposure.
- Report on Electrohyper-sensitivity to Parliament
- Le Monde.fr News Article: “A law to frame exposure to the airwaves”
In October the Ministers of the Ecological and Inclusive Transition, of Solidarity and of Health and of the Economy and Finance of the government of France issued a press release calling on the European Commission to strengthen the premarket test requirements for new mobile phones by ensuring cell phone radiation SAR tests be carried out in positions of (body) contact with the device, and not at 5 mm as is currently the requirement. Press Release
ANFR has the SAR (a measure of cell phone radiation exposure) levels posted HERE. As an example the SAR for Apple products can be found HERE.
Samsung phones can be found HERE. Examples of cell phone radiation SAR tests can be found in the ANFR spreadsheet to the left in the column entitled reports. See this test for example.
Until 2014, phones in France were checked for SAR at body contact by ANFR and many were found to violate the SAR limits. However, they were still deemed “compliant” because phones are not mandated to be tested in body contact positions.
In addition to the SAR limit for head and trunk (abdomen, chest etc) of 2 W/kg, the law provides that the SAR for the members (hands, wrists, arms, legs, feet etc) be under 4 W/kg. The French National Frequencies Agency (ANFR) will carry out tests on new products, to be put on sale after 1 July. As with some mobile phones, the agency will be able to issue a formal notice to the manufacturer to correct an emission problem, or to obtain a withdrawal of the defective devices.
- Order of November 15, 2019 relating to the display of the specific absorption rate of radioelectric equipment and to consumer information
- Decree n ° 2019-1186 of 15 November 2019 relating to the display of the specific absorption rate of radioelectric equipment
