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Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems

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Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems

“Radio Frequency Identification” technologies - RFID, “Radio Frequency IDentification” - allow the identification, at a distance and by means of radio waves, of any object provided with an “RFID tag”. This tag can be decrypted using an external "reader" which collects and transmits the information contained in the tag. This method of identification, which does not require contact between the labels and the reader, makes it possible to meet many needs.

RFID technologies are therefore booming today, with applications already widespread. The latter thus cover areas ranging from remote sensing to everyday transactions (public transport tickets, electronic tolls, labels affixed to packaging, etc.) and contributes to improving the traceability of products and goods. In November 2005, the France Nature Environnement (FNE) association asked the Agency to assess the possible impacts of RFID technologies on the environment and human health, in particular with regard to the electromagnetic fields emitted by these systems. .

The Agency was therefore asked to carry out: an assessment of the national and international regulatory status of RFID technologies, a scientific review of studies on the possible health risks associated with their use, an assessment of the overall health risk, vis-à-vis the general population. The aspects of the question asked by the FNE association relating to respect for private life that do not fall within the competence of the Agency were therefore not dealt with in the expert report. A paragraph in the report nevertheless presents the position of the CNIL (National Commission for Informatics and Freedoms) on this subject, at the date of writing of the report.

The Agency's work The collective expertise carried out by the Agency focused on: evaluation of the levels of electromagnetic fields generated by current RFID systems (collection of technical information, measurement campaigns), the search for data on the assessment of environmental impacts, assessment of human exposure (general and professional population), the referencing of any biological effects identified in the literature, assessment of health impacts. The risks for the general population as well as for people exposed in the course of their professional activities were examined.

To carry out its expertise, the Agency relied on a review of the international literature but also on the hearing of experts and industrialists working in the field of RFID: inventory of the characteristics and uses of RFID , regulations and dedicated standards, technologies used. The expertise also required the implementation of measurement campaigns aimed at assessing the exposure of the general population as well as professionals to RFID systems.However, it should be noted that occupational exposure may be greater than that of the general population.

Agency recommendations On this basis, the Agency issued in January 2009 a collective expert report and an opinion recommending in particular: “It is necessary to continue scientific watch on research into the biological effects of radiation at the specific frequencies of RFID, including the physical and technical characteristics of these signals.

The regulations in force and to come require manufacturers, integrators and companies using RFID systems to guarantee the safety and health of people (general population as well as professionals), including with regard to exposure to electromagnetic fields. It is therefore important to meet these requirements through various controls and measures, and to anticipate future provisions so that compliance with regulatory limit values is achieved a priori, from the design of the devices.

The methods of measuring electromagnetic fields emitted by RFID devices mainly refer to whole body type exposures. RFID systems, especially at low frequencies, generally induce very localized exposures. The standardization should be enriched with simpler measurement procedures in order to take this particular situation into account, and to make it possible to assess exposure by certification laboratories.

The task force report highlights the very significant growth of the RFID technology sector. RFID tags, which can take many forms today, on a very large number of media, all contain a metal antenna. Even if the sizes of these labels are sometimes extremely small, the question of sustainable development and therefore the recycling of these labels often doomed to be destroyed at the same time as their support, arises. We must encourage the marketing of the least polluting labels. "

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