San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors has approved a new law requiring cell phone retailers to post the amount of radiation emitted by each phone they sell.
The board voted 10-1 Tuesday to approve a first-of-its-kind ordinance that requires stores to disclose the phones’ specific absorption rate, or SAR.
The measure is backed by Mayor Gavin Newsom, who is expected to sign it within 10 days.
Opponents say the city is responding to unfounded concern over cell phone radiation. Whether or not the radiation produced by cell phones causes cancer or other health problems is still a matter of debate among scientists.
Advocates say they hope the labels will dissuade consumers from buying higher-radiation phones until the science is clearer.
