Activities and future plans of the international commission on non-ionizing radiation protection (ICNIRP)

ICNIRP is an independent scientific organisation chartered by IRPA in May 1992. At that time ICNIRP took over the responsibility for Non-Ionizing Radiation (NIR) protection from its predecessor, the International Non-Ionizing Radiation Committee (INIRC) of IRPA, that commenced its work in 1977. ICNIRP was established for the purpose of advancing non-ionizing radiation protection for the benefit of people and the environment and in particular to provide guidance and recommendations on protection from non-ionising radiation exposure. Membership of ICNIRP comprises a Chairman, Vice-Chairman and up to twelve additional members. In addition, ICNIRP is served by four standing committees on Epidemiology, Biology, Physics and Optics. Members are selected on the basis of their independence, specialist expertise and geographical distribution. More information and a list of publications are available through ICNIRP's web page (http://www.icnirp.de). A revision of the Laser Guidelines were published in Health Physics in October 96, a confirmation of the UV-Guidelines in 12/96; guidelines on visible and infrared radiation in 9/97 and Guidelines on limiting exposure to electric, magnetic, and electromagnetic fields in 4/98. A revision of the Laser Guidelines is under consideration. Statements on health issues on radiotelephones and base transmitters were published in 4/96; about the Global Solar UV Index in 1/95 and on Laser pointers in 8/99. Statements on Light Emitting Diodes and on Pulsed Magnetic Fields are under consideration. A document on a General Approach to Protection against NIR will be finalized in 4/2000. Cooperation with International Organisations. The national societies of IRPA are involved in the review process of the draft ICNIRP guidelines. WHO is one of the most important INCIRP partners. Main issues are the WHO EMF Project and INTERSUN project and the collaboration in health risk assessment of exposure to NIR: Symposia on static, low and high frequency EMF, on Risk perception and communication and on EMF impact on the Environment have been jointly organised. In collaboration with the European Commission an expert group elaborated a proposal for research on possible health effects of RF fields, emitted by mobile telephones, which is now included in the Framework V-Programme. European ICNIRP members have given advice to the DG V concerning the public exposure to EMF. The result was a Council Recommendation on limiting exposure of the general public to electromagnetic fields, based on ICNIRP's EMF guidelines, which was approved last summer. One of the most important issues will be the work on reviews of the biological and health effects of static and ELF-Fields (this work started in 1998), on radiofrequency fields and on optical radiation. The reviews will contain a detailed health risk assessment and can be used from WHO and IARC for the revision of WHO's Health Criteria documents. Other issues will be the revision of the guidelines on UV-radiation, on Airbome Ultrasound and on EMF. The statements on UV-sunbeds and on the Use of Magnetic Resonance methods will be revised. One important issue is - in collaboration with WHO - the process of an International Harmonisation of EMF standards. One problem of the Commission are financial subsidies. ICNIRP owes great gratitude to the German Ministry of Environment for providing resources to maintain the ICNIRP secretariat and to IRPA and WHO for grants that allow ICNIRP to continue its independent activities. Unfortunately, the EU stopped its funding in 1998, so that ICNIRP has to look for other sources of funding. (author)