ARPANSA has released an action plan outlining activities that will be undertaken as part of the Australian Government’s Electromagnetic Energy (EME) Program.
The EME Program is an initiative of Government aimed at providing information and assurance to the Australian public as well as continued research into the safety of EME sources such as telecommunications infrastructure.
With emerging public concern in response to the roll-out of the fifth generation of mobile phone technology (5G), the enhanced program provides a greater focus on dissemination of accurate and reputable information within the community.
Public education and communication activities under this program will be overseen by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications.
ARPANSA’s role in this program is to continue scientific research, international engagement and provision of expert scientific advice. Planned activities are outlined in the newly published ARPANSA EME Program Action Plan 2020-2024.
‘ARPANSA is pleased to be contributing to the Government’s work in supporting community assurance and understanding of EME from various sources including new telecommunications like the 5G network’ said Dr Gillian Hirth, Chief Radiation Health Scientist and Deputy CEO of ARPANSA.
‘Our role in conducting, evaluating and contributing to research on this topic is vital to Australia’s reputation as a leader in radiation science and core to our role in protecting the public and environment from the harmful effects of radiation’.
ARPANSA’s scientific assessment of research into health impacts of EME at various frequencies and power levels forms the basis of the Australian EME Safety Standard. The Standard is enforced by regulators including the Australian Communications and Media Authority to ensure that all sources of EME exposure are operated within the safety limits.
