Cell phones emit radiation to send voice and text messages to the other caller. Health risks aren’t confirmed, but some (not all) studies of frequent cell phone users suggest increased risks for brain and mouth tumors and children’s behavior problems.
To be on the safe side, follow the tips below to reduce exposures.
1. BUY A LOW-RADIATION PHONE
Look up your phone on EWG’s buyer’s guide. (Your phone's model number may be printed under your battery.) Consider replacing your phone with one that emits the lowest radiation possible and still meets your needs.
2. USE A HEADSET OR SPEAKER
Headsets emit much less radiation than phones. Choose either wired or wireless (experts are split on which version is safer) using our cell phone headset guide. Some wireless headsets emit continuous, low-level radiation, so take yours off your ear when you're not on a call. Using your phone in speaker mode also reduces radiation to the head.
3. LISTEN MORE, TALK LESS
Your phone emits radiation when you talk or text, but not when you're receiving messages. Listening more and talking less reduces your exposures.
4. HOLD PHONE AWAY FROM YOUR BODY
Hold the phone away from your torso when you're talking (with headset or speaker), not against your ear, in a pocket, or on your belt where soft body tissues absorb radiation.
5. CHOOSE TEXTING OVER TALKING
Phones use less power (less radiation) to send text than voice. And unlike when you speak with the phone at your ear, texting keeps radiation away from your head.
6. POOR SIGNAL? STAY OFF THE PHONE
Fewer signal bars on your phone means that it emits more radiation to get the signal to the tower. Make and take calls when your phone has a strong signal.
7. LIMIT CHILDREN’S PHONE USE
Young children’s brains absorb twice the cell phone radiation as an adult’s. EWG joins health agencies in at least 6 countries in recommending limits for children’s phone use, such as for emergency situations only.
8. SKIP THE “RADIATION SHIELD”
Radiation shields such as antenna caps or keypad covers reduce the connection quality and force the phone to transmit at a higher power with higher radiation.
How much radiation does your cell phone emit?
The Environmental Working Group, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group, thinks you should know. To make things easy, this week the group released a list ranking more than 1,000 cell phones according to the radiation levels they emit.
Questions regarding health risks associated with cell phone radiation have persisted for years. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has stated that scientific evidence does not indicate negative health outcomes from exposure to radio frequency energy from cell phones.
But the Environmental Working Group disagrees.
"We would like to be able to say that cell phones are safe," Olga Naidenko, EWG senior scientist and lead author of the study, said in a statement. "But we can't. The most recent science, while not conclusive, raises serious issues about the cancer risk of cell phone use that must be addressed through further research. In the meantime, consumers can take steps to reduce exposure."
The watchdog group created the list based on technical data provided by the manufacturers. The full list can be viewed here.
But check below to see if your phone made the list of the 10 best phones -- or the 10 worst.
WORST 10
EWG's List of Highest Radiation Phones:
1. Motorola MOTO VU204
2. T-Mobile myTouch 3G
3. Kyocera Jax S1300
4. Blackberry Curve 8330
5. Motorola W385
6. T-Mobile Shadow
7. Motorola C290
8. Motorola i335
9. Motorola MOTO VE240
10. Blackberry Bold 9000
BEST 10
EWG's List of Lowest Radiation Phones:
1. Samsung Impression
2. Motorola RAZR V8
3. Samsung SGH-t229
4. Samsung Rugby
5. Samsung Propel Pro
6. Samsung Gravity
7. T-Mobile Sidekick
8. LG Xenon (GR500)
9. Motorola Karma QA1
10. Sanyo Katana II
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Young children’s brains absorb twice the cell phone radiation as an adult’s. EWG joins health agencies in at least 6 countries in recommending limits for children’s phone use, such as for emergency situations only.
