What Kind Of Radiation Do Data Centers Emit?

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Data centers are popping up all over the country, with a huge number of them scheduled to be constructed despite ongoing issues and concerns. They consume an inordinate amount of power and water, make too much noise, and reduce the air quality. But do they also emit harmful radiation? The short answer is, yes they do, but it’s a low-level form of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation, or an electromagnetic field (EMF). Tied to that are other forms of emissions, such as infrared heat, visible light, noise, and radiofrequency signals, a majority of which come from the equipment in use.

Although there are definitely valid concerns about living near or being in proximity to a data center, the radiation they emit shouldn’t cause anyone harm. The reasons are two-fold. The radiation would largely be contained to the local area or very close to the building, not extending much farther than the facility grounds. These centers are actually engineered to be shielded from external exposure. In addition, current evidence reveals that low levels of radiation aren’t likely to be a health risk. Although, long-term exposure warrants concern.

The biggest risk from radiation is heating of body tissues, according to the World Health Organization. However, that’s generally an effect of very high levels of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation — not the low levels produced by a data center.

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Ionizing electromagnetic radiation exposure can be concerning. But the “non-ionizing” radiation produced by data centers and a wide variety of electronics is not considered dangerous at standard levels. It can be produced by servers and networking gear including routers, power-supply systems, control panels, computer controls, and other smaller wireless signal transmission devices, a lot of which you’ll find in the average data center. Many of those same devices can be found in your home, at work, and in your general surroundings on a smaller scale. Routers, cell phones, mobile devices, computers, and smart TVs also produce low-level forms of EMF, as does just about anything that carries electricity or has a wireless transmitter or similar technology, from Wi-Fi to Bluetooth and beyond.

That doesn’t mean there’s no harm whatsoever. There could be and likely is risk, especially over the long term and from overexposure. But the fact remains that a data center nearby probably won’t expose you to more radiation than what already exists. It is a good idea to limit exposure where you can, which means it would be helpful to know which of your home electronics gives off the most radiation. Typically, kitchen appliances and old, less-efficient electronics like CRT TVs and vacuums may emit high readings.