How far away is considered SAFE?

[VadimS9716]

I live near a pumping station that is considered high voltage and has 27 000 volts running through it. I live almost exacly 100 meters away from it and am worried about about high levels of EMF.Am I close enough that my health may be affected? I suppose I can always call up the company but am trying yahoo answers first! I find that if I stand in the on room that is facing it my cordless gets static but anywhere else in the house it is fine, I dont know if its caused by this or something else though, my phone is 900mhzanyways any input would be awesome!

[blade_runner263_54]

The sad short answer is: there is no such thing as a safe distance.Here are the reasons: 1. The magnetic field from a powerline decreases with distance, for sure. But the magnetic field from a powerline varies from moment to moment depending on how much current is flowing in the wire at the time. It will be higher during peak electricity usage times. So the only way to know how strong the field is at a given distance, AT ANY PARTICULAR MOMENT, is to measure it with a gaussmeter. We always recommend taking multiple measurements at various times during the day. 2. There could easily be additional sources of field. They might come from underground wires, ground mounted transformers, or even common sources within the home. They will add to the strength of the field emitted by the powerlines. Either field alone could be within tolerable limits, but could possibly exceed tolerable limits when combined. 3. The safety or danger of a magnetic field from a powerline depends on more than just the strength of the field. Some research has shown that harmonics (higher frequency fields), radio-frequency signals in the line, and power spikes may have more to do with health effects than just the normal 60 Hz magnetic field. 4. Sleeping The time of day that you are exposed may be very important. Some research shows that exposure during sleep may be more harmful than exposure during waking hours as it affects the melatonin balance which is a hormone that, among other things, fights cancers cells. 5. Whether you are located upwind or downwind of the powerline may also be important. Recent research has shown that the corona field around high tension lines can ionize the air around the lines. This ionized air has been thought to attract and concentrate radio-active particles and automotive pollutants that can be harmful. 6. There are probably other factors which determine how much EMF your body can tolerate, such as genetic predisposition, how much exposure you receive at work or school, your age, your exposure to harmful chemicals (pesticides, preservatives, etc.) which may be activated by the EMF, your overall health, and so on. 7. Most important of all, scientists simply do not yet know how much exposure is safe or harmful.While there are official standards for exposure to electric and magnetic fields, they are based on the amount of field needed to cause immediate harm. There is plenty of evidence to show that biological effects occur at levels well below the standard limits. In the end, we are each left to decide how much exposure we are willing to accept. One rule of thumb that is used by some experts is that you should limit your exposure to 60 Hz magnetic fields which are in excess of 2.5 mG. There is not a lot of scientific evidence to support this recommendation, but it is based on the Swedish recommendation for exposure to ELF fields from computer monitors.You should get a gaussmeter and make some measurements. At least find out if the fields from the powerline exceed the 2.5 mG guideline.

[kerryk]

You would have been better off asking the power company about your concerns. Having worked at an industrial plant where we had such voltages, you are safe, right where you are at. You are roughly 300 feet from the power lines, more than enough for any EMF, EMI, or anything else the power lines might do, short of an explosion that might send the power lines crashing down on your home. Such an explosion would have to come from some other source other than the power lines. Power companies do have to meet certain requirements before they put up power lines. They do not stick them just any where that they haphazardly decide to set up power lines. The have engineers who design the routes of the power lines. They have government over sight for what they do. They have city, county, legal, state and national laws and regulations that they have to adhere to. You are very safe, they have made sure of that. The power company is not as irresponsible as some people might want to believe that they are.

[PlayerX]

There are two field of an antenna. The near field and the far field. The thing are safe in the far field. The problem is with the near field and one should avoid being exposed to the near field.For an effective radiating antenna the near field ends at about 1/10 of the longest dimension. An effective radiating antenna is approximately 1/10 of the wavalength. C=FxLambda is the formula for calculating the wavelength. In my opinion you are at a pretty safe distance.

[gazir]

Nice long explanations by colleagues, some are going around like a research centers, however sure you are at a very safe distance since it is more than 50 meters, sleep well and happy dreams

[BruceD]

Alot of talk no real answer. Let me put it like this you are less exposed and safer 300 feeet away from this source versus setting 15 feet away from your color TV

[pritamm]

the breakdown strength of air is 30kVpeak/cm or 21.21kV(rms)so, 27kV will breakdown at max 1.273cmbut the strength can degrade due 2 moist weather & all sorts of reasons, but 4 those reasons it will at max go to 2.5cmso relax, unless u attempt 2 embrace the conductors u r safeTrust me, I am an electrical engg.

[vealmike]

The electro-magnetic field generated by this station will (at 100m) be thousands of times lower than the em field generated by your mobile phone (at 2cm).If you are worried about cancer induced from em fields, I strongly suggest you throw away your mobile phone, switch off your computer, your television, lawnmower, disconnect your house from the mains (at the road) AND THEN (and only then) campaign to get the pumping station enclosed in a copper / ferrite box.

[fuzza]

are there lines overhead or nearby? water near by? water under the house? metal or steel in the framing of your house? these all have the capacity to carry electromagnetic energy...

i wouldnt rely too much on what the company would say, "of course its safe" (we pay our scientists good money to write our reports....)

id be outta there...