Long-awaited, the ANSES report on 5G considers that the new frequency bands are not dangerous to health. While acknowledging that data is lacking to assess their real impact.
- 5G, whose official name is IMT-2020, is the fifth generation of standards for mobile telephony.
- According to figures from Arcep, as of January 31, 2021, nearly 10,000 sites have been opened by the four French telephone operators.
“5G: no new health risks given the available data”, writing ANSES in a press releasegiving the green light to the deployment of this new technology, which divides the French, health professionals and politicians.
The 3.5 GHz and 26 GHz bands
Technological developments and the multiplication of digital uses modify the exposure of the population to electromagnetic fields in the field of radio frequencies. With the deployment of 5G, new frequency bands are (3.5 GHz band) or will soon be used (26 GHz band). “Following on from its expert appraisal work on radiofrequencies and health, and on the basis of the scientific data available to date, ANSES considers it unlikely that the deployment of 5G in the 3.5 GHz frequency band will present new health risks”, say public health experts. “For the 26 GHz frequency band, the data are not, at present, sufficient to conclude on the existence or not of health effects”, they add.
“Need for further research”
However, as knowledge of the links between exposure and health effects needs to be strengthened, ANSES emphasizes the need to continue research and in particular to monitor changes in population exposure as the number of antennas and the increased use of networks. In this sense, the Agency launched on April 20 a public consultation in order to collect possible comments from the scientific community and interested stakeholders. “Exposure to electromagnetic fields today is not representative of what it will be in the future”, justify the experts.
Emmanuel Macron in favor of 5G
Last September, President Emmanuel Macron came out in favor of 5G, ironically about those who would prefer “the Amish model”, in reference to this American religious community hostile to technology.“I hear many voices that rise to explain to us that we should take up the complexity of contemporary problems by returning to the oil lamp! I do not believe that the Amish model makes it possible to solve the challenges of contemporary ecology “, the President had then insisted, triggering a cascade of reactions on the Web.
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