Exposure to 50 Hz Magnetic Fields in Homes and Areas Surrounding Urban Transformer Stations in Silla (Spain): Environmental Impact Assessment

Enrique A. Navarro-Camba, Jaume Segura-García and Claudio Gomez-Perretta
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Enrique A. Navarro-Camba: IRTIC, Universitat de València, C/. Catedrático José Beltran, 2, 46980 Paterna, Spain
Jaume Segura-García: Department Informática, ETSE, Universitat de València, Avd. de la Universidad S/N, 46100 Burjassot, Spain
Claudio Gomez-Perretta: Hospital Universitario La Fe, Avd. de Fernando Abril Martorell, 106, 46026 València, Spain

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 8, 1-11

Abstract: Exposure to extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELFs) is almost inevitable almost anywhere in the world. An ELF magnetic field (ELF-MF) of around 1 mG = 0.1 μT is typically measured in any home of the world with a certain degree of development and well-being. There is fear and concern about exposure to electromagnetic fields from high- and medium-voltage wiring and transformer stations, especially internal transformer stations (TSs), which in Spain are commonly located inside residential buildings on the ground floor. It is common for neighbors living near these stations to ask for stations to be moved away from their homes, and to ask for information about exposure levels and their effects. Municipality is the closest administration to the citizens that must solve this situation, mediating between the citizens, the utility companies and the national administration. In this case, the municipality of Silla (València, Spain) wanted to know the levels of exposure in the dwellings annexed to the TSs, to compare them with Spanish legislation and the recommendations coming from epidemiological studies. This article presents the first systematic campaign of ELF-MF measurements from TSs carried out in a Spanish city. Many measurements were carried out in the rooms of the apartments doing spatial averages of spatial grid measurements. Measurements are made in the bed and bedrooms and a weighted average and an environmental impact indicator were obtained for each location. We found that old TSs usually provide the highest peak exposure levels. A notable result of this work is that approximately one quarter of the population living above or next to a TS would be exposed to a weighted MF level greater than 0.3 μT, and that about a 10% of this population would not be able to relocate their bedroom or living room to minimize the level of exposure.

Keywords: ELF-MF; magnetic field exposure; environmental impact EMFs; urban transformer stations; transformer stations (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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