Most electromagnetic waves people encounter in their daily lives are benign to humans, a group of international experts said yesterday at a conference in Taipei. The groups said that those concerned with radiation should avoid prolonged contact with electronic devices to reduce electromagnetic exposure.
As more and more home appliances and electronic devices — including wireless Internet, cell phones, computers and even hair dryers — permeate people’s daily lives, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) yesterday hosted a conference to discuss the impacts of non-ionizing radiation to human health.
EPA Department of Supervision, Evaluation and Dispute Resolution Director-General Yang Ching-shi (楊慶熙) said: “While many appliances emit electromagnetic waves, the radiation levels are so far below the international safety standard of 833 milligauss [mG] that people should not be overly concerned with their affects on health.”
“For example, washers and refrigerators emit a very low level of electromagnetic wave [20mG to 30mG], but most people would not put their heads close to these appliances for a long time,” he said.
Though hairdryers can emit radiation up to 300mG during use, Yang said that most people’s limited contact with the dryers would cause no adverse health effects.
In addition to the duration of exposure, Yang said that because distance to the radiation source drastically affected its exposure level, rearranging home furnishings could reduce one’s exposure to the waves.
“For example, though stereo systems may emit up to 35mG of radiation, it would pose little threat to people if they were far enough from the system,” he said.
Based on this practice — which the EPA nicknames “electromagnetic wave feng-shui” — Yang said that as a rule of thumb people should place their beds and sofas away from radiation sources.
Electromagnetic feng-shui techniques may come in handy for people who are concerned about non-ionizing radiation in their lives.
“While some people are allergic to electromagnetic waves and therefore may be more sensitive, others may feel that they are affected more because of psychological reasons,” Yang said.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
Speeding and badly maintained roads were the main causes of a school bus accident on a rainy day in Taipei last year that severely injured two people and left 22 with minor injuries, the Taiwan Transportation and Safety Board said. On March 11 last year, a Kang Chiao International School bus overturned inside the Wenshan Tunnel (文山隧道) on the northbound lane of the Xinyi Expressway. The tour bus, owned by Long Lai Co, exceeded the speed limit after entering the tunnel, the board’s investigation found. Sensing that the rear of the vehicle was swaying, the driver attempted to use the service and exhaust
Central and southern Taiwan are to see increasingly heavy rainfall from last night through Friday due to the effects of a low-pressure system and southwesterly winds, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said Tropical Storm Co-May had weakened into a low-pressure system on Saturday, but that it strengthened again into a tropical depression (TD 11) near the seas around Japan's Ryukyu Islands due to favorable environmental conditions. The tropical depression is expected to persist for two to three days, moving west-northwest by this afternoon and reaching China's Zhejiang through the East China Sea tomorrow,