Science Fact Finder | Health and Medicine - Do Electromagnetic Fields Produced By Power Transmission Lines Present A Health Hazard?

Do electromagnetic fields produced by power transmission lines present a health hazard?

Electromagnetic fields are the fields of force associated with electric charge in motion, having both electric and magnetic components. No study of power transmission lines has produced evidence that's conclusive enough to answer this question. Scientists cannot agree on the significance of the inconsistent and puzzling findings produced by numerous studies.

Regarding electromagnetic fields in general, a 1990 study by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) noted that there may be a statistically significant link between cancer and exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields. ELF waves are nonionizing (don't produce an electrical charge) electromagnetic radiation that closely resemble micropulsations (tiny vibrations) within the body. Biological studies have yet to prove such...

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