Put Low Radiation Smart Phones on Your Shopping List

Shoppers looking for smart phones with the most features don't have
to expose themselves to higher radiation levels to get what they want, a
new analysis by Environmental Working Group shows.

A review of the capabilities of 80 models of the latest generation of
smart phones -- and the published radiation levels that industry doesn't
like to talk about -- showed that some full-feature phones emit
relatively low levels of radiation. EWG's analysis undercuts industry's
contention that feature-packed phones inevitably produce higher
emissions.

The report:

For example, the hot-selling LG Quantum phone has a "specific
absorption rate" or SAR value of just 0.35 watts per kilogram (W/kg),
one-quarter of the radiation emitted by the Motorola Droid and other
high radiation models. The SAR is a government-mandated measure of how
much radiation is absorbed by the body.

For the past several years, industry has been pressing the Federal
Communications Commission, the Food and Drug Administration and other
federal agencies to raise the maximum allowable SAR value of 1.6 W/kg, a
safety standard adopted in 1996 based on industry's own
recommendations. Industry has also fiercely opposed efforts by San
Francisco and other jurisdictions to require that cell phone retailers
provide consumers with easy-to-find information on each phone's
radiation output at the point of sale, arguing that calling attention to
these numbers suggests that there is a health risk from cell phones
that meet the federal standard.

The issue of whether cell phone use, especially by children, may
increase the risk of some kinds of head and brain tumors remains
unresolved. Research to date has not produced conclusive results, but
several large epidemiological studies have pointed to an increased risk
for people who have used cell phones the longest.

"As this review shows, it's relatively easy to select a number of
smart phones for your family and friends this holiday season that emit
less radiation," said Jane Houlihan, EWG's senior vice president for
research. "These devices are likely at the top of many children's wish
lists this year, and parents should know there are big differences in
how much radiation each emits when making their selections."