First let us look into the safety standards being enforced by governing bodies and their implications on our safety from microwave radiation. All microwave ovens made after October 1971 have to confirm to a radiation safety standard enforced by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This standard limits the amount of microwaves that can leak from an oven. The limit is set at 5 milliwatts of microwave radiation per square centimeter at a distance of 2 inches from the oven surface. This standard is very conservative as this level of radiation is far below the level, which can cause actual harm to people. Furthermore, the microwaves emitted, weaken with distance traveled and as you move away from an oven, the level leaking microwave radiation that might be reaching you decreases dramatically. For example, someone standing 20 inches from an oven would receive approximately one one-hundredth of the amount of microwaves received if he were standing at 2 inches.
Other safety precautions enforced by the standard require all ovens to have two independent interlocking systems that stop the production of microwaves the moment the latch is released or the door opened. All ovens are required to have labels stating that they meet safety requirements and also have labels stating the precautions for use. FDA tests microwaves in different usage situations as well as in its own laboratories. FDA also monitors manufacturer’s testing and manufacturing facilities to ensure that no faulty products are passed onto the customers.
Microwaves are used to detect speeding cars (speed detectors), to detect flying aircraft (radars), and to send telephone and television communications over long distances (satellite transmissions). Many manufacturing industries use microwaves in their production processes. Researchers are working to determine the impacts of microwaves on the human body. Since microwaves and microwave using devices have become very common in today’s life styles it is essential that we determine the harmful effects of microwaves, if any.
Microwave ovens can heat body tissue the same way it heats food (since practically all meat, human or otherwise, is essentially the same). Exposure to high levels of microwaves can cause severe burns. The human eye is particularly sensitive to intense heat, and exposure to high levels of microwaves can cause cataracts. Likewise, the testes are very sensitive to changes in temperature and high levels of heat can alter or kill sperm, producing temporary sterility. But these injuries can only be caused by exposure to very huge dosages of microwave radiation, much higher that those that can leak from a microwave oven. There is practically no scientific knowledge as to what happens to people exposed to low levels of microwave radiation. There are no visible short-term problems but what happens in the long run has still not been determined.
