Do transformers produce radiation?

First, it's crucial to clarify a concept for the public: in the field of electromagnetic environment and health, what exists around power transmission and transformation facilities such as transformers are "electric fields" and "magnetic fields," not "electromagnetic radiation." "Electromagnetic radiation" is a specific engineering term in radio communication and electromagnetic compatibility, referring to the phenomenon of energy being emitted into space or propagating through space in the form of electromagnetic waves. Using it as a description of the environmental impact of power facilities on health is inappropriate. Power transmission facilities are essentially energy transmission devices, not electromagnetic wave energy emitters; what exists around them is an "electromagnetic field," not "radiation."

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So, why don't power transmission and transformation facilities such as transformers cause electromagnetic radiation effects on the surrounding environment? The reason is that the power frequency magnetic field generated by AC power transmission and transformation facilities belongs to the extremely low frequency (50Hz) range, with a wavelength as long as 6000 kilometers. The actual length of transmission lines is much shorter than this wavelength, thus failing to generate effective electromagnetic radiation. Furthermore, the power frequency electric field and power frequency magnetic field are independent of each other in space, unlike high-frequency electromagnetic fields which couple and propagate energy alternately. International authoritative organizations, in relevant documents, explicitly classify them as "power frequency electric field" and "power frequency magnetic field," avoiding the term "electromagnetic radiation."

How do international authoritative organizations define electromagnetic fields?

For a long time, the misuse of the phrase "power transmission and transformation facilities generate electromagnetic radiation" in some domestic articles has exacerbated public misunderstanding and concern. In fact, authoritative organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), and the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) strictly use terms such as "electric field," "magnetic field," or collectively "EMF (electromagnetic field)" when dealing with electromagnetic environments below 100 kHz and public health issues, refusing to use the inaccurate term "electromagnetic radiation."