Ref: DOIA 2324-1443

 

Kia ora J Bruning,

 

On behalf of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment I
acknowledge your email of 9 January 2024 requesting under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following:

 

‘Dear Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment, This is not to be
forwarded to the Ministry of Health. This is a request specifically
directed to MBIE who administers the Resource Management (National
Environmental Standards for Telecommunication Facilities) Regulations 2016
(NESTF Regulations) as well as the Radiocommunications Regulations 2001,
Radiocommunications Act 1989 and the Telecommunications Act 2001.
Installations of base stations and small cell devices have accelerated. As
a consequence, population level radiofrequency radiation exposures,
thermal and non-thermal from multiple sources have scaled up. Yet there is
very little information publicly demonstrating that MBIE, as the
responsible agency and the agency that controls the science and research
budget, is taking steps to understand and evaluate the altered risk
environment. _openBraceIdentifier_1_closeBraceIdentifier_ MBIE is the
responsible agency for establishing and maintaining maximum exposure
limits for the public. NESTF 2016 Users Guide states ‘The standard sets
maximum exposure limits for the public that are around 50 times lower than
the recognised threshold for established effects.’ (i) Please
transparently disclose these maximum exposure limits (which I presume is
detailed in NZS 2772.1:1999) for the public (do not refer me to a
paywalled PDF document). This includes residential exposure limit
standards for acute and chronic exposure limits. (ii) Please state what
the ‘recognised threshold for established effects’ is and supply complete
citations for the scientific studies used to establish the threshold
level. (iii) Please advise names of all New Zealand-based expert
public-sector scientists/technical experts who have supplied expert
information or reports discussing the safety of these standards (NZS
2772.1: 1999), during the period January 2020 and December 2023.
_openBraceIdentifier_2_closeBraceIdentifier_ (a) Please advise which
funding schemes have been established; and which public-sector funding
pots have been established by MBIE, to enable the following activities to
be undertaken by publicly-funded, non-industry researchers: (i) Long-term
or spot assessments to monitor and record levels of microwave radiation in
New Zealand urban environments in order to assess effects from increasing
proliferation of cellular communications systems. (ii) Methodological
reviews of the scientific literature to assess the evidence on health risk
from non-thermal radiofrequency fields exposures based on proximity to
base stations or small cell devices. (iii) Assessments of chronic
(long-term) risk to vulnerable populations: including infants, children;
and people with electromagnetic hypersensitivity and microwave syndrome.
(iv) Cost-benefit analyses of cost, speed, reliability and energy
efficiency of 5G communications in comparison to existing broadband and
wired solutions. (b) Please supply research received by MBIE discussing
issues (i) - (iv). _openBraceIdentifier_3_closeBraceIdentifier_ (a) Please
advise what funding has been set aside for MBIE as regulator with
oversight to investigate citizen complaints of health deterioration
following the installation of base stations, small-cell devices or 5G or
wireless ‘smart’ meters in proximity to their residence. (b) Please advise
the name of the database established to record complaints.
_openBraceIdentifier_4_closeBraceIdentifier_ Please supply all
memos/reports/emails reviewing global levels and best practice RFR
standards regarding maximum exposure limits for the public.
_openBraceIdentifier_5_closeBraceIdentifier_ Please supply
memos/reports/emails discussing the potential lowering of New Zealand RFR
standards. (Note: The paper Ministry of Health. 2022. Interagency
Committee on the Health Effects of Non-ionising Fields: Report to
Ministers 2022, does not attempt to review the scientific literature but
rather, serves as a discussion paper which only vaguely covers the content
above and cites often quite old, or narrow in scope research. As such, it
is not sufficiently rigorous for regulatory purposes.)

 

Please note that the days from 25 December 2023 to 15 January 2024
(inclusive) are defined as non- working days in the Act and are not
counted in the calculation for the response due date. This may affect the
time period for responding to your request.

 

We will endeavour to respond to your request as soon as possible, and no
later than 13 February 2024, being 20 working days after the day your
request was received. If we are unable to respond to your request by then,
we will notify you of an extension of that timeframe.  If you have any
enquiries regarding your request feel free to contact us via email to
[1][MBIE request email].

 

 

Nâku noa, nâ

Ministerial Services

 

Corporate Services, Finance & Enablement

Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

15 Stout Street, Wellington 6011 |  PO Box 1473 Wellington 6140

 

 

References

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1. mailto:[MBIE request email]

Ref: 2324-1443

Dear J Bruning

Please see attached documents in response to your Information Request of 9
January 2024.

If you have any queries regarding your request, feel free to email us at
[1][email address]

 

 

Ngâ mihi nui

 

MINISTERIAL SERVICES

Building Resources and Markets

25 The Terrace – Pastoral House, Wellington Central, Wellington 6011

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]