Estimation of the general population and children under five years of age in France exposed to magnetic field from high or very high voltage power line using geographic information system and extrapolated field data

Abstract

Overview

The influence of extremely low-frequency magnetic fields on health, specifically long-term effects such as childhood leukaemia, is still uncertain. Notably, the International Agency for Research on Cancer has designated exposure to magnetic fields exceeding 0.4 μT as 'possibly carcinogenic to humans (group 2B)' concerning childhood leukaemia.

Objective

The study's goal was to quantitatively assess the number of individuals, particularly children under five, living in proximity to high (≥63 kV) or very high voltage lines in France, evaluating both general population and young children's exposure.

Methods

• The research utilized a multilevel linear model based on data from Réseau de transport d'électricité, the entity overseeing France's electricity transmission.
• Assessment focused on potential residential proximity to overhead and underground high-voltage lines under various scenarios.

Findings

Estimates indicate that between 0.11% and 1.01% of the French population and between 0.10% and 1.03% of children under five are living in zones potentially subject to magnetic field levels above 0.1 μT and 0.4 μT depending on the exposure scenario.

Conclusion

This methodology could enhance our understanding of the total number of individuals, including vulnerable groups like children and health institutions, living near high-voltage power lines. Such proximity has often been hypothesized as a possible contributor to the mixed results observed in related epidemiological studies.