The French authority for controlling radiation levels has banned the sale of Apple’s iPhone 12 phone, after tests that it says show it violated the limits allowed in Europe for exposure to radiation.

The National Frequency Agency (ANFR) said on Tuesday that the level of radiation from this model was higher than the law defines.

Jean-Noel Barrot, the French minister for the digital economy, told Le Parisien newspaper that a software upgrade could solve the problem. If Apple does not fix the problem, the ANFR said it would order a recall of all phones of this model throughout France.

Apple disputes ANFR’s conclusions, saying that many international bodies have determined that the iPhone 12 complies with global radiation standards.

WHAT EXCEEDING RADIATION LIMITS MEAN

The standard level of radiation absorption is expressed in watts per kilogram of body weight. Radiation from mobile phones is caused by the electromagnetic field near the device that is created by the radio frequencies through which the signal is transmitted.

Unlike exposure to X-rays, or gamma rays – which cause radioactive waste – the radiation emitted by mobile phones fails to break down chemical bonds or change the cells of the human body.

WHAT HAS ANFR IDENTIFIED?

ANFR said it recently tested 141 phones, including some iPhone 12 models, bought in stores. In independent laboratory tests, two iPhone 12 devices did not comply with EU standards, the Digital Minister’s office told Reuters.

As a result of controlling the radiation level of smartphones, 42 sales bans have been made in the country so far, the minister said.

HOW HIGH IS THE RISK?

The main problem caused by non-ionizing radiation from the phone is the heating of body tissues. When radiation exceeds the prescribed level and depending on the duration of exposure, it can cause effects such as burns, or heatstroke, according to the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), a body that sets levels on a global scale .

ANFR said labs had found a radiation level of 5.74 watts per kilogram during tests of the iPhone 12 on users’ hands or pockets.

The EU standard is 4.0 watts per kilogram. However, this poses no risk to human health, said ICNIRP chairman Professor Rodney Croft.

The WHO and other international health bodies say there is no conclusive evidence that radiation from mobile phones causes other negative health effects. However, she has called for further research.

In 2011, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified radiation from mobile phones as “probably carcinogenic”, or category 2B. This designation is used when the agency cannot rule out a possible link.

The agency said there was “limited” evidence of an increased risk of brain tumors in some but not all users, particularly heavy phone users, but added that it could not rule out errors in the data, which would means no definitive answer can be given.

HOW DID APPLE REACT?

ANFR has said that a software upgrade should be enough to fix the problem. In simple terms, this is because software—the apps, programs, and other operating information on a device—affects the way the phone works.

So a software update should be enough to reduce the exposure of iPhone 12 users.

However, Apple has rejected the agency’s conclusions. The company said it had provided ANFR with numerous results from its laboratory and independent third parties proving that the radiation level is in compliance with all global regulations and standards. Apple said it will contest ANFR’s findings and will continue to engage with the agency to demonstrate compliance.

WILL THERE BE OTHER BANS?

ANFR said the iPhone 12 does not meet European Union standards, raising the question of whether further bans on sales of this model will be taken. ANFR will forward its findings to regulators in other EU member states.

While it remains unclear whether investigations by other authorities are underway, Germany’s Federal Office for Radiation Protection said on Wednesday that “the issue of the need for change is currently under discussion”.

And a Dutch daily announces that the relevant authority of this country for radiation levels is analyzing the ANFR report and will ask Apple for an explanation.