Spaniards among the most concerned European citizens regarding the effects of EMFs on health

16/02/2011

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  |  Source: CCARS

Spaniards are among the most concerned European citizens regarding the potential effects of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) on health; at the same time, however, they are among the least informed Europeans on the issue, according to the data obtained in the special Eurobarometer 2010 regarding the effects on health of EMFs.

Emilio Muñoz, president of the Comité Científico Asesor de Radiofrecuencias y Salud (Scientific Advisory Committee on Radio Frequencies and Health)(CCARS), has analysed the results of this survey and has concluded that Spanish citizens are among those who admit to being most concerned about the risks of these sources: 44 % are worried about high tension power lines (compared to the European average of 35 %) and 27 % express concern about mobile phone handsets (the European average is 26 %). Furthermore, 18 % of Spaniards consider there is a high risk involved both in using computers and computing instruments (the European average is 20 %) and electrical appliances (the European average is 17%).

Spaniards’ response levels are located, as in practically all the survey, in the mid regions, except for cases of more complex or more innovative technologies, such as radar equipment and wireless computer networks, and especially for spontaneous answers: here, the percentage decrease in the number of right answers for Spain has been considerably greater than the European average decrease.

The survey conducted, which was proposed by the European Commission's General Directorate of Health and coordinated by the General Directorate of Communication, shows that among the 15 potentially dangerous environmental factors, the five electromagnetic field sources (high-tension power lines, mobile phone masts, mobile phone handsets, computers and household electrical equipment) come last, behind chemicals, the quality of food, the quality of air outdoors, noise, the quality of air indoors, the quality of water in rivers and lakes, exposure to sun, and housing conditions.

Within those low levels of concern for EMF sources as risk factors, high tension power lines and mobile phone masts emerge as more worrying; a third of those polled are most concerned about these risks, while mobile phone handsets are the most worrying aspect for a quarter of interviewees.

Muñoz points out that “the Spaniards polled display intermediate or low levels of concern in their answers with regard to the ten factors that cause most worry among Europeans. These levels fluctuate from 51 % for chemical agents at one end and 31 % for housing conditions at the other”.

According to Muñoz, what this report highlights is “European citizens’ knowledge about the objects that are a source of electromagnetic fields has declined with regard to the 2006 Eurobarometer”. In this regard, Europeans identified mobile phone masts (59 %), mobile phone handsets (59 %), high tension power lines (58 %), computers (40 %), radar equipment (39 %), electrical appliances (35 %), and wireless computer networks (32 %) as sources of EMFs.

The president of the CCARS has pointed out that “this important and interesting exercise in public opinion analysis serves to highlight once again the problems and limitations inherent in these exercises, which provide data which is sometimes contradictory and circumstances that are paradoxical, although one must acknowledge their importance for decision-making”.
This special Eurobarometer was generated from a series of surveys conducted in the spring of 2010 and covers the 27 countries of the EU and a total of 26,602 European citizens who were polled.