Statement of Ronald B. Herberman, MD Chairman of Board ...

Worldwide Cell Phone Safety
Recommendations and Policies
September 2011
On May 31,2011 the World Health Organization/International Agency for Research on
Cancer classified the electromagnetic radiation from cell phones as possibly carcinogenic to
humans based on an increased risk for glioma, a malignant type of brain cancer, associated
with use of mobile phones.
ACTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES
U.S. FEDERAL COJ1RIUUIC,\l'fOUS CO\lMISSION
Kegulato~y powers oi,lcvelopi~lg safcc) jlrndards or'ccll ~lar phones was given hy rhc FDA to thc FCC.
The FCC and FDA have not updated thew consumer information subsequent to the WHO class~fication in
May 201 I. Unbeknownst to most consumers, the FCC requires thatevery celluiarphonc manual mclude a
safe d~staiice warning because when the phone is held to the body the user may he exposed to microwave
radiat~on that couldexcced the federal safety limit for cxposure. Thisreqmrement isdue to the way in
whlch the FCChas the devices tested Unfortunately, this information is h~dden iu fine print in cellular
phone manuals most users never read.
I
SAN FRANCISCO. CALTFORNlA was the first city and county in the nation to pass cell phone
safety legislation in July 2011. The "Right to Know" ordinance passed the Board of Supervisors
unanimously and was signed by Mayor Lee on August 2,201 1. The ordinancerequires cell phone
retailers to distribute an educational sheet created by thc San Fmnclsco Department of Enviro~lmenthat
explains mdiorrequency emlssioiis from cell phones and how consumas can min~mizc thclr exposure,
This mfonnahonal sheetwill be given to purchaseis at the point of salc. Each retailer must also display a
poster (also crcated by the SFDOE) that statcs that cell phones emit radiofrequeticy energythat is
absorbed by the head and body
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BURLINGAME. CALIFORNIA: On August 15,201 1, Burlingame dty touncil voted to indudeeel1
phoneguidelines as part of their Healthy Living in Burlingame initiative. The guidelines w11 be
distnbutcd to residents and wll include the WHO classification and precautions a consumer can take if
concerned. The CTIA-Wireless Assoc~at~on presented to Burlingame City Counc~l in September 20 10.
The Council then determined to include guidelmes in their initiative.