Temporal change of outdoor RF-EMF levels in four European countries: a microenvironmental measurement study

Authors: Beléčková L, Veludo AF, Aminzadeh R, Van Bladel H, Griffon V, Cardis E, Dongus S, Eeftens M, Guxens M, Joseph W, de Llobet P, Mazet P, Van Torre P, Thielens A, Vermeulen R, Wiart J, Röösli M, Huss A.

Year: 2025 Jul 11

Category: Environmental Health / Exposure Assessment

Journal: Environmental Research

DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2025.122315

URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S001393512501566X?via%3Dihub

Abstract

Introduction

Over the past two decades, the amount of transmitted mobile data has increased rapidly. It remains unknown whether the implementation of new technologies enabling this increase has led to changes in outdoor radio-frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) exposure. This study utilizes microenvironmental measurements to investigate temporal trends in RF-EMF exposure between 2016 and 2023 in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, and Spain, following a harmonized protocol across campaigns. Microenvironmental measurements specify exposure data collected in predefined small areas categorized by their specific functions, allowing comparison of exposure trends between countries and years.

Methods

Data collection was performed as part of the ACCEDERA (2016-2018), ETAIN (2023), and GOLIAT (2023) projects, with researchers walking identical routes equipped with RF-EMF exposimeters. Consistent microenvironments were identified in each country, and the exposure from mobile base stations, mobile phones, and the total exposure were compared across different years.

Findings

  • Measurements between 6 and 14 unique microenvironments per country were compared.
  • No significant changes were found in exposure from mobile base station origins (total downlink exposure) between baseline (2016) and follow-up (2023) in the four countries studied.
  • Median values of mobile base station exposure ranged from 0.11 mW/m2 (Switzerland, 2023) to 0.62 mW/m2 (Netherlands, 2018).
  • No consistent trend in RF-EMF exposure was observed across individual microenvironments or countries.

Conclusion

Despite an eightfold increase in mobile data traffic across Western Europe, RF-EMF outdoor exposure levels measured in included microenvironments did not show a change between 2016 and 2023. It is important to note that exposures to electromagnetic fields are linked by many studies to potential health risks, so ongoing monitoring and research are crucial to inform EMF safety and risk assessment.

RF-EMF exposure assessment temporal trends Europe outdoor measurement microenvironment mobile base stations
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