Who is afraid of generation five?

Antennas of the fifth generation cellular network (5G) have begun to go into operation around the world, and a tender for its deployment was recently published in Israel as well. What is the new network, which raises concerns about possible health effects among some researchers and the public, and is there really a reason for concern?

Neta Nissim, Zveta, news agency for science and the environment

For about two weeks from mid-October to the beginning of November 2018, an unusual event occurred in one of the parks in The Hague in the Netherlands: 350 starlings were found dead in the park, which caused panic among the residents. A host of explanations have been offered for the phenomenon, ranging from intentional or accidental poisoning to a genetic defect from which the birds suffered. But one of the theories, which gained momentum through websites and profiles of fans of contact theories on Facebook, turned in a completely different direction: an antenna of the new fifth generation (5G) cellular network was openly placed in the park area, and the conspiracy theory that was circulated was that a test of tools of the new network was the cause of the birds' deaths.

After several months, during which a postmortem was performed on those starlings at the Science Museum of Rotterdam, the true cause of their death became clear: toxins from the fruits of the Yew berries were found in the bodies of the birds, and it seems that they experienced a momentary disorientation in space or panic that caused them to crash to the ground. At the same time, it turned out that the post on Facebook was false: no trial of the new cellular network took place in the area at that time. However, the story reflects the concern and fear that has existed for years among the public when it comes to cellular antennas in general, and the new network in particular.

A fifth generation (5G) mobile network has recently been activated in several UK cities and has led to questions about possible health effects of the new technology. As of the beginning of 2018, there were already 113 5G network providers in 56 countries. In countries such as South Korea, the USA, Canada, England, China and the Netherlands, they have begun preparations for its implementation, and in some of them even the deployment of 5G networks, and formulated work plans to realize this goal. According to estimates, 2020 is expected to be the year of the network's big breakthrough, and by 2024 almost 1.9 billion people will use it.

In Israel, the Ministry of Communications is responsible for publishing the tender for the allocation of frequencies intended for the provision of services in the fifth generation alongside the allocation of additional frequencies in the fourth generation. Fourth generation networks are still being deployed in Israel, but the Ministry of Communications is already preparing to lay infrastructure for the fifth generation. Last July, the ministry publicly announced the tender, and according to the current schedule, the fifth generation network will be launched in Israel in 2020, and the winning operators will complete the retirement of the network within four years.

Ten times higher frequencies and more

The fifth generation of cellular networks, or 5G for short, is the next generation of cellular communication that will expand the fourth network (known in Israel as LTE) and its predecessors. Many are crowning the fifth generation as the basis for the next technological revolution.

Similar to previous cellular technologies, 5G networks rely on signals carried by radio waves - part of the electromagnetic spectrum - transmitted between the antenna and the mobile phone. The uniqueness of 5G is the use of higher frequencies than previous cellular networks, which allows more devices to access the Internet at the same time and at a higher speed. Because the waves travel shorter distances in built-up urban space, G5 networks require more antennas and transmitters located closer to ground level than with less advanced technologies.

According to Hadas Vegman, the professional director of the Tanuda Center, a national knowledge center for the effect of non-ionizing radiation on health, "The fifth cellular generation is designed to enable technological solutions to improve the existing capabilities of smart phones and to support the Internet through performance improvements. The main differences between the fifth cellular generation and the current generations (mainly the fourth) are in the operating frequencies, the fifth generation will operate near the frequencies of the current generations (approximately 900, 1800, 2100, 2600 MHz), and in addition at frequencies ten times higher and more. These are short waves with a length of several millimeters, and the radiation at these frequencies has a relatively small penetration depth into the human body."

She further adds that "Another communication technology that will distinguish the fifth generation is Massive MIMO (Multiple In/Multiple Out) technology - multiple input and multiple output. Each mobile site will be able to communicate with many users at the same time, in transmission and reception, and thus will be able to support Internet of Things - IoT systems that enable the ability to connect many 'smart objects' on the Internet designed for remote information collection, information analysis and management." The intention is a network that will support the simultaneous connectivity of "smart" objects such as cars, security cameras, parking lots, etc., in what will make the entire space "smart" and will be a significant technological leap forward. The deployment of the network is also expected to have positive indirect benefits, such as the activation of smart city infrastructure in cities, which will shorten travel times (synchronization of traffic lights) and promote autonomous transportation in a way that is expected to reduce air pollution in metropolitan areas, as well as educational and scientific benefits due to improved access and accessibility to information.

The consequences are still unclear

Despite the obvious technological upgrade brought about by the new network, questions also arise regarding possible health effects associated with placing a large number of cellular antennas in a populated area. The main concern among those who oppose the placement of the antennas is the exposure to non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation (the type of radiation emitted by antennas and cellular devices as well as WiFi radiation and electrical devices and infrastructures), which is used by all mobile phone technologies. Opponents of the new technology make a variety of claims that are mostly not supported by research, regarding the effect of exposure to this type of radiation and its connection to various health risks. As the story of the birds in the Netherlands well demonstrates, the fear of the new technology is already fueling various conspiracy theories today.

According to Wagman, "Many different studies are being conducted around the world trying to check whether non-ionizing radiation has an effect on the health of animals and humans and whether it can cause harm. The studies examine the entire range of non-ionizing radiation frequencies, from low to very high frequencies. The scientists also study a wide range of health outcomes such as cancer, degenerative diseases, behavioral changes and the effect on fertility and aging.

"As for the effects of unsorted radiation on health," she explains. "Non-ionizing radiation can react with biological tissue through a variety of mechanisms. The energy level of non-ionizing radiation is not high enough to cause the dissolution of bonds between atoms and molecules within the cells of the body and therefore, as far as we know today, non-ionizing radiation is not able to directly damage the hereditary material (DNA) inside the cell. At the same time, there may be a biological effect that works through other mechanisms.

"All the professional bodies currently involved in the field focus on two major effects of non-ionizing radiation on human health," she continues and explains, "a thermal effect when the tissues in the body are heated by radiation, and a non-thermal effect that is not related to the heating effect but to another change caused to the tissue by The frequency, the wavelength, the height of the wave and the electric or magnetic field. The issue of non-thermal effects is being examined to this day and does not have an unequivocal answer."

In 2014, the World Health Organization declared that "no negative health effects have been proven as a result of the use of mobile phones". However, the World Health Organization together with the International Agency for Research on Cancer have classified all radio frequency radiation (radiation emitted from mobile phones and antennas, including the 5G network) in group B2 - "possible carcinogen to humans". The reason for classifying the frequencies in this category is that there is certain and limited evidence , but which are not sufficient to link exposure to this type of radiation to cancer in humans or animals, there is no proof of a causal relationship between the two and no mechanism of effect has been found. It should be noted that eating pickled vegetables and using talcum powder are also defined as having the same level of risk (B2Group ), while processed meat is defined at a higher level of risk (Group 2A) - "factors known to be probable carcinogens in humans". Consumption of ethanol in alcoholic beverages is defined at the highest level of risk - "probably carcinogenic to humans" alongside exposure to asbestos and formalin (Group 1).

On the other side of the barrier, there are scientists from a variety of research fields who believe that there is indeed a real danger in using the 5G network. In a recently published petition, hundreds of doctors and scientists from various fields of research call on the European Union institutions to appoint an independent committee to examine the health hazards of the new network deployment. "Electromagnetic radiation at these frequencies has the potential to pose a risk to humans," they write, "and the fifth generation network will significantly increase exposure to this radiation."

According to Prof. Hagai Levin, head of the health and environment track at the School of Public Health of the Hebrew University and Hadassah, "The issue is indeed complicated. It is not yet scientifically clear to us what the consequences of the cellular network are on our health and the environment. What does worry me as a public health specialist are the immediate effects of deploying a network of this magnitude. One of the points that arise is an increase in electricity consumption and the number of network users when the capacity of each cellular antenna increases, and the environmental implications derived from this, such as an increase in resource consumption and air pollution, and the routing of areas in favor of the location of the antennas. The second point is the social consequences of the availability of the network connection among the public. Already today we are aware that the technological development harms the communication between us and creates loneliness, and this has worrying consequences".

The question of health damage has not yet been decided

"As far as the assessment of exposure in 5th generation technology is concerned, this is a complex issue and one must take into account all the aspects related to the characteristics of the technology that are unique compared to the previous generations", concludes Wagman. "There is difficulty in assessing the health effects of exposure to this radiation for several reasons; Firstly, the question of health damage has not yet been decided, and secondly, this technology is not yet widely used and there is no exposure of the general public to radiation at these frequencies. Accordingly, there is almost no knowledge on the subject of exposure's consequences on human health, and studies are required in the field, under laboratory conditions as well as population studies."

"In Israel, the Ministry of Communications is responsible for announcing the tender and starting the assimilation of the network," concludes Levin. "Currently the problem is that there is no reference to the health and environmental effects of the project. If a percentage of the funds invested in the project is taken and consciously allocated to examining the health, social and environmental effects, we will be able to better understand what the consequences of the 5G network are and public concern will be reduced."

The Ministry of Environmental Protection stated in response:

"The ministry relies on the position of the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health, a position based on many years of research. The threshold values ​​recommended by the World Health Organization also cover the range of frequencies that will be used in generation 5. The Ministry of Environmental Protection has set much stricter exposure thresholds in relation to the recommendations of the World Health Organization. The Ministry approves the construction and operation of each specific antenna with reference to the exposure thresholds and with reference to the specific environment of each antenna, including the existence of additional transmission centers. The Ministry of Communications consults with a joint work team for the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Ministry of Health and the Local Government Center.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection sees the deployment of 5th generation infrastructure as an essential means of reducing exposure to radiation, when the use of the transmission centers will be in accordance with the limits set by the radiation supervisor in the ministry. This technology is more efficient than the previous generations in the use of the broadcasting providers, and will allow a higher browsing speed and a large number of users at the same time.

These criteria, along with a wider intra-structural deployment and the use of antennas that use this technology, will significantly reduce the exposure to radiation, which will be significantly lower than the threshold recommended by the World Health Organization."

The Ministry of Health responded: "The director general of the ministry forwarded to the director general of the Ministry of Communications a letter detailing the ministry's position on the matter, in which it was recommended, among other things, to establish an inter-ministerial committee with the participation of representatives of the relevant ministries. As far as coordinating between the ministries and holding a public discussion on the issue is concerned, one should contact the party responsible for publishing the tender, i.e. the Ministry of Communications."

The Ministry of Communications stated in response: "Although the health aspects are not defined within the scope of activity of the Tenders Committee, to the best of our knowledge, which we rely on the authorized factors in the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the transition to the use of advanced technologies based on the 5th generation will lead to a decrease in risks from radiation. Moreover, a joint team of the ministries of communications, health, environmental protection and the planning administration began to examine the changes that would be required in this area for the establishment of infrastructures for the fifth generation, including in matters of radiation risks.