On-demand EMF testing

The Malta Communications Authority (MCA), in collaboration with the Malta National Laboratory (MNL), is launching an on-demand Electro-magnetic Field (EMF) exposure measurement service.

Such tests can be conducted at any accessible location in any locality, be it a personal residence, office, place of work or school. This service will be provided at a reasonable fee and MNL technical specialists will conduct tests.

For example, anyone living close to a mobile phone base station can now have radiation levels within their residence tested at their convenience. MNL technicians will visit the requested and use the appropriate equipment to measure EMF exposure levels at the site and compare these with the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines at any three places within that site.

The results will be presented in writing to the requesting party in the form of a report signed by the test engineer or technician. Anyone requesting such a test may contact Eng. John Bugeja on tel 2279-8500 for an appointment or e-mail info@mca.org.mt.

The price of the on-demand tests is Lm52 for any location in Malta and Lm60 for tests in Gozo. Readings at additional localities within that same address may be requested cost Lm5 each. It must be emphasised however that this service is not intended to cater for testing of antennas or equipment and is not a replacement of the extensive on-site audits currently under way.

Last year, a three-year survey project of mobile phone base stations was initiated. This year a number of sites have been selected for a comprehensive audit. The selected locations are in Balzan, Birkirkara, Iklin, Floriana, Gzira, Dingli, Gudja, Hamrun, Marsa, Marsaxlokk, Safi, Pembroke, Swieqi, Gharghur, Mdina, Mellieha, Msida, Mtarfa, Naxxar, Pieta, Qrendi, St Julian's, St Paul's Bay, Siggiewi, Sliema, Tarxien, Valletta, Zabbar, Zebbug, Zejtun, Zurrieq, Kercem, Marsal-forn, Mgarr (Gozo), Nadur, Rabat, San Lawrenz, Sannat, Xewkija, Xlendi and Zebbug (Gozo).

The sites are being audited to confirm that the mobile phone base stations are operating correctly and safely. It must be emphasised that the fact that a particular site has been selected does not mean there are suspicions the electromagnetic field emissions are expected to exceed the current accepted ICNIRP guidelines. Survey results will be made available to the general public during the course of the project at www.mca.org.mt/emf. To date, over 50 sites have been audited and the results are also available online.

The Malta Communications Authority, established in 2001, is the national agency responsible for telecommunications regulation. It assumed the previous responsibilities of the Office of the Telecommunications Regulator, as laid out in the Telecommunications Act of 1997. The Authority has also assumed the regulatory function for e-commerce and is, in the future intended to assume the responsibility, Currently, the Authority regulates the field of communications in the manner prescribed by law.

The Authority's primary role is to offer consumers choices and value for money. In addition, the Author-ity has a strategic role to promote sectoral investment intended to create an environment that is conducive to business and that ensures sustainability of competition.

For further information visit www.mca.org.mt, phone 2133-6840, fax 2133-6846 or e-mail info@mca.org.mt.