San Francisco's cell phone radiation ordinance put on hold

San Francisco's cell phone radiation law was going to require sellers of mobile devices like cell phones, to display a warning right next to each device for sale, that shows the amount of radiation that eminates from that particular handset. The CTIA sued the city and took away its trade show from San Francisco as punishment, saying that all phones have to pass requirements set by the FCC and are safe.

The law passed by a 10-1 vote by the Board of Supervisors and was supposed to take effect in February. The launch of the law was delayed until May 1st and then June 15th. Currently, there is no start date for the ordinance.

The problem is not the CTIA lawsuit but is the accuracy of the proposed warning label which could lead buyers to end up purchasing a phone that emits more radiation than other models. As a result, Supervisor John Avalos has said that he wants to make some changes to the law. These changes appear to dilute the original warning. "There will still be some information that's going to be shared (with cell phone buyers), but it's going to be somewhat less." Instead of a strong warning which would have measured how much radiation was absorbed into the body and brain from a specific cell phone, the city could end up requiring mobile device sellers to pass out a tip sheet to buyers that gives information on how to avoid radiation exposure, such as using a hands-free device and keeping the phone away from your body.

The CTIA disputes that cell phone radiation is a dangerous health hazard. For example, while the FCC requires that phones sold in the United States produce a maximum SAR level of 1.6 watts per kilogram of body tissue, some phones emit as little as 0.2 watts per kilogram.