December 16, 2011
Health

Summary of new evidence: Adverse health effects and industrial wind turbines, August 2011

Krogh, Carmen; and Horner, Brett

In previous communications, evidence has been provided regarding the risk of adverse health effects and industrial wind turbines (IWTs). Up to now, the siting of IWTs in Ontario is based on predictive computer modelling. While there is ample evidence regarding adverse health effects, the conduct of human health studies to determine regulations for setbacks and noise levels that protect health is still lacking.

The purpose of this document is to inform authorities and decision makers of new evidence, including articles published in peer reviewed scientific journals which advance knowledge on the topic of adverse health effects of IWTs.

Based on the evidence compiled in this document, no further IWT projects should be approved in proximity to humans until human health studies are conducted to determine setbacks and noise levels that will ensure the health and welfare of all exposed individuals.

Furthermore where there are reports of adverse health and/or noise complaints IWTs should be decommissioned until the human health studies have been conducted to determine regulations for setbacks and noise levels that protect health.

This summary may be used and submitted by other individuals.

No financial compensation has been requested nor received for this summary.

Carmen M.E. Krogh, BScPharm
Brett S. Horner, BA, CMA

Contents:
Denial of adverse health effects
July 2011 Environmental Review Tribunal (ERT) Decision, Ontario
August 2011 peer-reviewed articles published in a scientific journal
Industrial wind turbine low-frequency noise and infrasound
Wind Turbine Noise, Fourth International Meeting
The need for research
Inappropriate use of literature reviews

Conclusion
Based on the best available evidence the following conclusions can be made.

  1. The Canadian Wind Energy Association–sponsored statements that industrial wind turbines do not pose a risk of adverse health effects in humans are scientifically incorrect.

  2. Experts who have conducted original research and/or published peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals confirm that industrial wind turbines can harm human health if they are not sited properly.

  3. Acknowledged adverse health effects include: annoyance, stress, sleep disturbance, headache, tinnitus, ear pressure, dizziness, vertigo, nausea, visual blurring, tachycardia, irritability, problems with concentration and memory, and panic episodes associated with sensations of internal pulsation or quivering when awake or asleep. Other adverse impacts include reduced well-being, degraded living conditions, and adverse societal and economic impacts. These adverse impacts culminate in expressions of a loss of fairness and social justice.

  4. The above impacts in conclusion 3 represent a serious degradation of health in accordance with commonly accepted definitions of health as defined by the WHO and the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion.

  5. It is expected that at typical setbacks and with the noise study approach currently being used in Ontario to approve the siting of industrial wind turbines, a nontrivial percentage of exposed individuals will experience serious degradation of health.

  6. Harm to human health can be avoided with science-based regulations based on research conducted on human response to industrial wind turbine exposure.

  7. Experts who have conducted original research and/or published peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals confirm that research is required to establish science-based industrial wind turbine regulations to protect human health.

  8. Until science-based research has been conducted, industrial wind turbines should not be sited in proximity to human habitation.

Download original document: “A Summary of new evidence: Adverse health effects and industrial wind turbines, August 2011 [1]”

Also see:
A summary of some of the peer-reviewed articles and conference papers, abstracts and other citations, regarding impairment of health in general and relating to industrial wind turbines (focusing on references from 2010 to April 2014 associated with risks to health) – Compiled by Carmen Krogh, April 2014 [2]

And:
Industrial Wind Turbines and Health: Wind turbines can harm humans if too close to residents – A summary of some of the peer reviewed articles and conference papers, abstracts and othercitations, regarding impairment of health in general and relating to industrial wind turbines. Compiled by Carmen Krogh, April 2015 [3]

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/documents/summary-of-new-evidence-adverse-health-effects-and-industrial-wind-turbines-august-2011/

URLs in this post:

[1] A Summary of new evidence: Adverse health effects and industrial wind turbines, August 2011: https://docs.wind-watch.org/summary-of-new-evidence-august-2011.pdf

[2] A summary of some of the peer-reviewed articles and conference papers, abstracts and other citations, regarding impairment of health in general and relating to industrial wind turbines (focusing on references from 2010 to April 2014 associated with risks to health) – Compiled by Carmen Krogh, April 2014: https://docs.wind-watch.org/Summary_references_April_2014.pdf

[3] Industrial Wind Turbines and Health: Wind turbines can harm humans if too close to residents – A summary of some of the peer reviewed articles and conference papers, abstracts and othercitations, regarding impairment of health in general and relating to industrial wind turbines. Compiled by Carmen Krogh, April 2015: https://docs.wind-watch.org/Summary_references_April_2015.pdf