What type of radiation do data centers emit?

Data centers are popping up across the country, and many of them are expected to be built despite ongoing problems and concerns. They consume a lot of energy and water, make too much noise and reduce air quality. But do they also emit harmful radiation? The short answer is yes, but it is a low-level form of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation, or electromagnetic field (EMF). Added to this are other forms of emissions, such as infrared heat, visible light, noise and radio frequency signals, the majority of which come from the equipment used.

While there are legitimate concerns about living near or near a data center, the radiation they emit is not expected to cause harm to anyone. The reasons are twofold. The radiation would be largely confined to the local area or very close to the building, not extending much further than the facility grounds. These centers are actually designed to be protected from external exposures. Additionally, current evidence reveals that low levels of radiation are unlikely to pose a health risk. However, there are concerns about long-term exposure.

The biggest risk from radiation is heating of body tissues, according to the World Health Organization. However, this is usually an effect of very high levels of radio frequency electromagnetic radiation, not the low levels produced by a data center.

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

This does not mean that there is no harm. There could be, and probably are, risks, especially in the long term and from overexposure. But the fact remains that a nearby data center probably won’t expose you to more radiation than what already exists. It’s a good idea to limit exposure as much as possible, which means it would be helpful to know which of your home electronics emit the most radiation. Typically, older, less efficient kitchen appliances and electronics like CRT TVs and vacuum cleaners can emit high readings.