Dear Residents! You may have wondered about how mobile phone base station antennas around your home affect the health of people living there. Decades of studies by renowned scientific research institutes confirm that radiation within health limit values does not harm our bodies. However, for many, this fact is only reassuring if it is certified by measurement results.

In the National Media and Infocommunications Authority's popular Measurement Programme for a Healthy Living Environment project, we provide free and reliable measurement data on the level of EMF (radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation) pollution in housing estates.

If you indicate your intention to participate in the measurement programme, we will install an EMF measuring device in the building. The instrument is completely autonomous, requires no power supply and is connected to a monitoring centre to which it transmits the measurement data. It can be installed in an apartment, on a balcony or on the roof. We will conduct continuous monitoring for about a week using the instrument placed in the building. It takes about half an hour to install and remove the instrument.

To participate in our measurement programme, click on the link below and fill in the application form.

• E-form: site proposal for an instrument-based EMF test

All proposals are carefully evaluated, so it can take up to a few months until we make contact with you. However, it is also possible that no connection will take place despite the proposal, as the NMHH has to take other technical-measurement criteria into account in addition to its own measurement capacities when selecting sites for EMF measurements.

More information on EMF measurements

4 + 1 things to know about EMF

What can you do about EMF? We've put together some helpful advice to help you reduce even this EU prescribed maximum permissible exposure.

1. What is EMF (electromagnetic field)?

We are exposed to countless types of radiation from our environment. The Earth’s magnetic field, waves generated by lightning and electromagnetic radiation from outer space are of natural origin, whereas, for example, radio and TV broadcasting, mobile phone signals, electromagnetic field caused by electrical appliances, microwave ovens and waves generated by electrical machines and motors are the result of human activity. This latter radiation is commonly known as EMF. The question may be raised as to how mobile phone base station antennas in residential areas affect the health of the residents. There is no cause for concern, as decades of studies by renowned scientific research institutes confirm that radiation within the health limit does not harm our bodies.

2. By whom and how are the EMF measurements carried out and what are the authorities’ roles?

The deployment of mobile base stations and radio stations is supervised by several authorities, including the National Media and Infocommunications Authority (the Media Authority), the Hungarian Government Offices and the National Public Health Centre (NNK).
The Media Authority has a monitoring service and also monitors the field strengths generated by radio equipment and radio stations.   Since 5 January 2017, in addition to the existing informative measurements, the Media Authority has been given the legal mandate to officially monitor the health limit value in cooperation with the competent government office. The cooperation with the competent county or metropolitan offices (Public Health Department) is necessary to conduct official proceedings in cases related to EMF (pursuant to Article 4 of Decree 63/2004 (VII.26.) of the Ministry of Health, Social Affairs and the Family).
For more powerful base stations, an accredited laboratory or NNK test is required for commissioning, if they are to be installed on a residential building, or near a children's institution or hospital.
The organisations accredited for these measurementsare appointed on the basis of the National Accreditation Authority's certification, and have to meet strict requirements: apart from the Media Authority and NNK, only two market players are currently licensed for this type of measurement.
At the same time, other market players claim to do EMF measurements, dozens of which can be found online. These organisations do not have formal supervision to verify their measurement reliability and usually compare their measurement results to a benchmark value that is an order of magnitude lower than the official limit. For this reason, they often propose physically dubious protection, with the opposite effect to that intended.

3. What is the health limit and how often do you measure above the limit?

Currently, exceedances are only likely in operational areas (e.g. on the roof of a block of flats in the immediate vicinity of the base station). The Media Authority has not yet encountered any case where radiation in residential areas exceeded the limits set by the European Union, which is 28 V/m according to central European Union regulations.

4. What can you do about EMF?

We have collected some tips to help you further reduce even this low figure:

• Electrical equipment (such as a Wi-Fi router) should be placed so that no one is in its immediate vicinity for long periods of time;
• when not in use, turn off the power to electrical equipment such as Wi-Fi routers or computers;
• use speakers or head-sets when making a phone call;
• do not stand in the immediate vicinity of the microwave oven while it is in operation, and if it is not sealed properly or is damaged, do not use it.

+1. How does the Media Authority help?

The project of the National Media and Infocommunications Authority entitled Measurement program for a healthy living environment provides free and reliable measurement data on the level of electromagnetic pollution (radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation) affecting residential buildings.
The authority will install a free of charge EMF measuring device at the participants' homes to evaluate the radiation levels. The device is completely autonomous, requires no power supply and is connected to a monitoring centre to which it transmits the measurement data. It can be installed in an apartment, on a balcony or even on the roof. We will monitor continuously for about a week using the measuring device.

• Electronic form: site proposal for an instrument-based EMF test (Hungarian only)

All proposals are carefully evaluated, so it can take up to a few months until we make contact with you. However, it is also possible that no connection will take place despite the submission, as the NMHH has to take other technical-measurement criteria into account in addition to its own measurement capacities when selecting sites for EMF measurements.Further information and contact details: Electrosmog page on NMHH website or elektroszmog@nmhh.hu.