Belgium is investigating the iPhone 12 after France’s too-much-radiation claims

The Belgium government says it will review the potential health risks linked to Apple’s iPhone 12, becoming the latest European country to react after France ordered a halt to sales citing breaches of radiation exposure limits, reports Reuters.

The Dutch digital watchdog also said it was looking into the matter and would ask the U.S. firm for an explanation, while stressing there was “no acute safety risk.” And the Italian industry ministry said it was monitoring the situation but not taking any action for now, notes Reuters.

On September 12 France’s National Frequency Agency notified Apple today to withdraw its iPhone 12 from sale as it emits “too powerful waves, the LeParisien reported.

If the American manufacturer doesn’t comply, Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister in charge of Digital Affairs, threatens to go further, the article adds. The ban was implemented after France’s radiation watchdog, Agence nationale des frequences (ANFR), did its own testing on the iPhone 12. Without revealing the testing methodology or the results, a French minister said that the iPhone 12 exceeded the country’s Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) for RF exposure.

“Apple is expected to respond within two weeks”, Jean-Noel Barrot, France’s junior minister for the Digital economy told Le Parisian “If they fail to do so, I am prepared to order a recall of all iPhones 12 in circulation. The rule is the same for everyone, including the digital giants.”

SAR is a measure of the amount of radio frequency energy absorbed by the body when using a mobile phone. In the U.S., the FCC requires cell phone manufacturers to ensure that their phones comply with objective limits for safe exposure. Any cell phone at or below these SAR levels (that is, any phone legally sold in the U.S.) is a “safe” phone, as measured by these standards. The FCC limit for public exposure from cellular telephones is an SAR level of 1.6 watts per kilogram (1.6 W/kg).

The ANFR claims to have found absorption at 5.74 watts per kilogram for its testing on-contact. The European Union (EU) limit for on-contact exposure is 4 watts per kilogram.

Not surprisingly, as noted by AppleInsider, Apple denies that iPhone 12 modem exceeds French limits on radio exposure. The tech giant says it’s provided the ANFR with documentation from multiple international regulatory agencies. 

All of the data provided shows that Apple is in compliance with limits, everywhere in the world. The company has also said that it is contesting the results of the AFNR testing. It is not stopping communication with the agency, but rather, will continue the discussion to ensure that the model is not discontinued.