Mobile phone cell tower safety

In recent years health concerns have been raised over mobile phone site safety.

All Vodafone and Telecom mobile phone sites comply with the New Zealand Standard for radiofrequency exposures (NZS 2772.1:1999).

In fact, all mobile phone sites operate at a small fraction of the allowable level in the standard. The standard provides for public exposures up to 450 microwatts per square centimetre.

Actual maximum exposures around mobile phone sites are typically in the range of 3 to 7 microwatts per square centimetre.

Environmental health officers assess land use consent applications for mobile phone sites to ensure compliance with the standard.

The Ministry of Health and the Ministry for the Environment publish National Guidelines for Managing the Effects of Radiofrequency Transmitters, which states that there are no established adverse effects from exposures to radiofrequency fields, which comply with the New Zealand Standard.