At the 19th Council of the Federation Council, which focused on “Communication Development Development until 2035”, representatives from the Ministry of Cyphra and Rospotrebnadzor expressed conflicting views on changing sanitary norms and regulations (SanPinov) that govern the allowable levels of radio frequency radiation for 5G networks.
The Ministry of Construction is pushing for the revision of current norms to streamline the establishment of a 5G network in Russia. Their stance is supported by a study conducted by the Research Institute of Labor Medicine, N.F. Measure, in 2020 at the request of the Moscow Department of Information Technologies. The research concluded that radiation levels up to 20-25 μW/sq cm can be deemed safe for individuals. Within residential areas, it is recommended to maintain levels below 10 μW, while outdoor settings can go up to 40 μW. The current SanPin regulations cap the maximum radiation level in major mobile communication zones at 10 μW.
On the contrary, Rospotrebnadzor disagrees with the Ministry of Construction. The agency stated that existing research on the impact of electromagnetic fields on human health, especially frequencies above 2 GHz (pertinent to 5G in Russia), indicate that radiation levels within the established standards pose no risks to health. Therefore, Rospotrebnadzor sees no reason to reassess the norms.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Construction argues that a review of the norms is necessary. They highlight that all primary stations in Russia currently comply with the existing SanPiN standards. However, these standards were developed in the 1980s and are considered among the strictest globally.
Leading Russian cellular operators such as MTS, Megafon, and Vimpelcom also concur with the view that the current restrictions in Russia are excessively stringent.