Abstract

Study Overview

This research aims to estimate the number of individuals, including children under the age of five, living near high or very high voltage power lines in France and their exposure to magnetic fields.

Background

• The health impacts of extremely low-frequency magnetic fields, particularly their long-term effects such as childhood leukaemia, are not well-understood.
• The International Agency for Research on Cancer has categorized exposures over 0.4 μT as 'possibly carcinogenic to humans' specifically regarding childhood leukemia.
• Existing data on populace exposure, especially among children, to these fields is insufficient.

Methodology

Different exposure scenarios were analyzed based on the proximity and type of residential areas to overhead and underground high voltage lines. A multilevel linear model used data from Réseau de transport d'électricité, a key player in France's electrical transmission network, to derive estimates.

Findings

• Estimates show that between 0.11% and 1.01% of the French general population are living in areas potentially exposed to fields >0.4 μT.
• For children under five, the exposure is between 0.10% and 1.03% depending on the considered scenario.

Conclusions

The study's methodology enables accurate estimations of the number of residents, educational, and health facilities near high-voltage lines. This contributes to understanding potential risks and inconsistencies reported in earlier studies regarding epidemiological outcomes linked to electromagnetic field exposure.