SRP1 (02)

Embargo until 0.01 Thursday 27 June 2002

Mobile phone companies aim for green light

In a presentation today  (27 June) at the Society for Radiological Protection’s meeting on ‘Radio wave exposures’, Mike Dolan, Director of the Mobile Telecoms Advisory Group (MTAG), a special interest group within the Federation of the Electronics Industry (FEI) which focuses on mobile phone issues described the key features of the Commitments and the changes which they have brought about. The “traffic light” system, for instance, aims to install some objectivity into an often emotive area by allowing operators and planners to score answers to questions about the proposed location of a mast (e.g. how near a school or houses?) and evaluate how much consultation is needed.  A high score could mean setting up a local drop-in centre where plans are on display and staff can answer questions.

Network operators are so aware of public concern over the siting of masts that Orange, O₂, Vodafone, Hutchison 3G and T-mobile last August agreed a set of best-practice promises; now they are gearing up to carry out their first audit to see if the idea is working.

Today, the UK has about 45 million mobile phone users, almost double the number of users two years ago.  This vastly increased usage - and the desirability of being able to use a mobile phone almost everywhere – has inevitably brought with it the need for increasing numbers of masts (or base stations).  But while most people are enthusiastic about having a mobile, putting up masts is sometimes perceived as threatening and undesirable.
 
Following the publication of the Stewart report in 2000, a major government research programme has been set up (funded in part by a £3.68 million contribution from the industry) to investigate the possible health and biological effects of radiofrequency transmissions.  The operators’ Ten Commitments are primarily intended to address concerns in the community about mobile phone masts, to balance this with the need for further mast development and to provide more support to a planning system not designed or intended to address possible health risks.

The Ten Commitments call for the operators to provide:

• Clear standards and procedures to deliver better consultation with local communities – making sure the public is well informed.
• Early, pre-application consultation with local planning authorities – helping both the planners to be aware of possibilities and the operators to be aware of possible problems.
• Clear policies on site sharing, with regular progress reports.
• Workshops on technology developments in telecommunications – keeping councillors and local government officers informed.
• A public database of information, compiled with government, on radio base stations – the Sitefinder database at http://www.sitefinder.radio.gov.uk.
• Check all radio base stations comply with international (ICNIRP) safety guidelines and produce a programme for ICNIRP compliance for all radio base stations – over 20,000 existing stations have now been checked.
• Provide a certificate of compliance with ICNIRP public exposure guidelines with all planning applications.
• Have enough staff to respond to complaints and enquiries within 10 working days.
• Financially support the government’s independent scientific research programme on mobile communications health issues.
• Develop standard documents for all planning applications – to make the application process more straightforward.

 ‘We’re making excellent progress with most of these aims’, says Mike Dolan.  ‘A steering group is looking at how to streamline site sharing plans and in the last year
we’ve delivered more than 50 training workshops around the country.  Extra staff are now being recruited to help with this and also with providing a fast response to complaints and queries. The base station database is up and running and the industry is giving £3.68 million towards the government’s independent research programme.  We all recognise how important it is to address public concerns over the siting of masts and the consultation process.’

Notes for editors
1. This release is based on the paper ‘Mobiles, base stations and dealing with public concern’ to be given by Mike Dolan (FEI) at The Society for Radiological Protection’s  one-day meeting, ‘Radio Wave Exposures – a Cause for Concern?’ held at Ribby Hall Conference Centre, near Preston, Lancashire on 27 June 2002.

2. Accredited journalists are welcome to free registration to attend this meeting. The Institute of Physics’ Press Office is handling media arrangements for this meeting, please contact Dianne Stilwell at the Institute Tel: +44 (0)20 7470 4875, Fax: +44 (0)20 7470 4848, E-mail: dianne.stilwell@iop.org if you would like to attend. The meeting programme and further information can be found on the Society for Radiological Protection’s Web page http://www.srp-uk.org/eventjun02.html.

3. Further information on this paper is available from Christine Jude, Chief Press Officer, Mobile Telecoms Advisory Group, Federation of the Electronics Industry, tel 020 7331 2029, e-mail cjude@fei.org.uk.  The MTAG website is at http://www.mobilemastinfo.com.

4. During the meeting itself please contact the Society's press officer, Brian Gornall. He will be available from 09.00 to 16.00 hours on Thursday 27 June 2002. To contact him during that time, call the reception desk on Tel: +44 (0)1772 674427, Mobile: +44 (0)78 3666 7163, Fax: +44 (0)1772 672734 (mark 'SRP urgent').

5. The Society for Radiological Protection was founded in 1963, the Society now has nearly 2000 members, including International members, and is the leading Scientific Society in the UK for all who are professionally concerned with safety aspects of uses of ionising and non-ionising radiation in education, central and local government, industry, medicine and research.

The Society has the following objectives :-

•  to promote and advance the science of radiological protection and allied fields;
• to promote, advance and disseminate to the public advantage, knowledge of radiological protection and allied fields;
• to encourage, support, promote and advance education and learning in radiological protection and allied fields;
• to promote and encourage high scientific, educational, regulatory and professional standards in radiological protection and allied fields.

Release researched and written by Sally Croft (sally.croft@scipr.globalnet.co.uk)
 

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