Electric and Magnetic Fields (EMF)
The EMF levels produced by the Heartland Project are expected to be well below the exposure guidelines established by the International Commission on Non-ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) for public exposure (833 milligauss) and are well within the range of magnetic field levels that we are exposed to in our everyday lives. Neither Health Canada nor the World Health Organization has recommended that the general public need to take steps to limit everyday exposures to EMF.
Our current computer modelling of the projected magnetic field levels from the Heartland Project reveal that at a distance of about 150 metres from the proposed 500 kilovolt (kV) transmission line, the average magnetic field level is expected to be about one milligauss, and will continue to diminish as you move further from the line. We will continue to model the EMF levels as the design of the proposed Heartland transmission line is finalized.
What is EMF?
- Electric and magnetic fields (EMF) are sometimes jointly referred to as electromagnetic fields, or EMF. EMF is found wherever there is electricity, whether it is wiring, appliances, computers or power lines.
- Exposure to the field is determined by how strong the field is at its source (a blender, a computer, a power line); how far away you are from the source and how long you stay near the source. The strength of EMF drops quickly as you move away from the source.
- Magnetic fields can be higher near commonly used electrical appliances including power saws and microwave ovens than near transmission lines. The magnetic field associated with overhead transmissions lines is similarly low and drops off quickly as one moves away from the lines as it does from other sources of magnetic fields.
Electric and Magnetic Fields
The Heartland Project Team recognizes that some people are concerned about Electric and Magnetic Fields (EMF) which exist everywhere there is electricity. We treat those concerns very seriously. The Heartland Team is guided by EMF research that is compiled and reviewed by national and international health agencies, including Health Canada and the World Health Organization. The Heartland Team provides information to people who have questions to keep them informed about the status of EMF research and typical levels of EMF from various sources.
EMF from power lines is referred to as "extremely low frequency" (ELF) electric and magnetic fields. After more than 30 years of research that includes thousands of studies and numerous reviews by health agencies, Health Canada and the World Health Organization have not concluded that exposure to extremely low frequency EMF at levels associated with power lines cause any long-term adverse affect on human, plant or animal health.
Related Links
- World Health Organization
- Health Canada
- Canadian Electricity Association
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
- Federal-Provincial-Territorial Radiation Protection Committee