International Cooperation on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection

Abstract

The increased use in recent years of non-ionizing radiation (NIR) devices has led to the development by the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for Europe (WHO/EURO) of a programme on NIR protection. As part of this programme, WHO/EURO convened two working groups to review the general situation in Europe and to evaluate the results of an international symposium in Warsaw, 1973, on effects from microwaves. A third working group, on health effects from lasers, will take place later in 1974. Other activities of an international nature related to NIR have been undertaken by the Commission of the European Communities and the International Radiation Protection Association. In view of the growing need for inter-country co-operation and agreement on NIR units, definitions and standards, a proposal has been made for the establishment, along the lines of the existing international commissions on ionizing radiation, of a Commission on NIR (CONIR), which could devote itself to these tasks.