Ministry to keep close watch on cellular antennas’ radiation

New blue-and-white technology is set to make Israel a world leader in the field.

By EHUD ZION WALDOKS
cell phones 88 224 (photo credit: Courtesy)
cell phones 88 224
(photo credit: Courtesy)
The Environmental Protection Ministry will flip the switch on a new system in the coming days that will enable continuous, real-time monitoring of radiation from cellular antennas all over the country, the ministry announced Sunday.
The new Guardian Government program from Wave Guard Technologies, an Israeli firm, will monitor radio frequencies and non-ionizing radiation in real time, enabling a complete picture of radiation from antennas for the first time. If a specific site goes above the radiation level on its permit, the system will notify ministry employees.
The company claims on its Web site that its products are groundbreaking and can revolutionize the way governments monitor and regulate non-ionizing radiation.
Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan praised the system’s capabilities.
“The ability to continuously monitor radiation from cellular antennastransforms Israel into a global leader in the field of radiationmonitoring,” he said in a statement.
“The new system enables us to inform the public in real time andenables complete transparency in the field of radiation between thecellular companies, the ministry and the public,” he added.
Until now, inspectors carried out manual inspections once a year. Thoseinspections even came under fire by the state comptroller because theinspectors were paid by the cellphone companies and there was reason to doubt the impartiality of the readings.
While the inspections will continue even with the new automated system,Erdan has ordered that ministry employees conduct them instead ofoutside contractors.