Responsible electromagnetic field management: Tours Métropole Val de Loire projects
- 21/08/2023
- Environmental health, Exem, In my city, News
For more than 15 years, Tours Métropole Val de Loire has paid particular attention to the conditions under which mobile telephony installations are deployed. In particular, it has set up an electromagnetic field observatory to monitor, understand and inform the public about the electromagnetic field generated by base stations.
This observatory is responsible for carrying out measurements or requesting measurements from ANFR. These measures may be one-off, to accompany new developments, or regular at symbolic locations, or at the request of local residents.
Deploying 5G and monitoring electromagnetic fields
As part of the 5G deployment, the Metropolis has first pilot in 2021 a mission of reflection, called “5G, Let’s talk about it”, to think about the impact of this new technology on our environment, to imagine its potential contributions or, more generally, to consider the place of digital technology in our society. The Mission, which involved residents, association representatives, business leaders and elected representatives over a period of several weeks, resulted in an opinion comprising 43 proposals.
Secondly, a working group made up of elected representatives from the various local authorities in the area drew up a “5G, Let’s get moving” action plan, based on the mission’s recommendations. This action plan, adopted in 2022 by the Metropolis and its municipalities, runs from 2022 to 2025 and is monitored every six months by a dedicated steering committee.
Sensors for measuring electromagnetic fields in real time
In addition to the rollout of 5G, this action plan responds to the expectations expressed regarding uses and practices, the challenges of responsible digital technology and the fight against exclusion and digital insecurity. It also includes the reinforcement of measurements and controls of electromagnetic fields on its territory.
With this in mind, and in order to boost the activity of its observatory, the municipality asked EXEM to install and supervise 5 permanent sensors. Set up and operational by early 2023 in 4 municipalities, they are located in areas chosen specifically for their type: dense urban areas, high-traffic areas, business parks, tourist sites and town centres.
As well as monitoring field strength levels (available on the www.observatoiredesondes.com website), the data collected will be used to enhance the measurement data already available to the general public. In the long term, they will also provide a better understanding of the levels and fluctuations of electromagnetic fields in relation to population numbers and activities in general. Following on from these initiatives, Tours Métropole Val de Loire has already begun looking into the development of this permanent sensor system and other innovative ways of measuring and mapping electromagnetic fields in its area…
