Further studies needed to examine health questions
The Border Watch, 18 May 2012
Predictably, the Clean Energy Council representative (The Border Watch, May 5) has responded with more victim blaming and accusations of scaremongering by “well-funded” activists, rather than honestly addressing the issues raised, including harm to human and animal health, along with home abandonment.
People do not leave their only home for no reason.
If Ms Taylor was referring to the Waubra Foundation, she needs to be aware that all directors, including myself, work pro bono.
We are increasingly concerned about a rapidly growing problem, denied by the wind industry, and universally ignored by public health authorities, who have a responsibility to investigate.
New diseases do not wait for publication in a peer reviewed journal before they appear in sick patients.
Why is the wind industry resisting requests for truly independent measurement of the full spectrum of noise and vibration pollution wind turbines are emitting, and for that data to be made publicly available?
Why were identical reports of ill health in residents near Toora, Victoria, ignored when publicised by Dr David Iser in 2004?
Meanwhile, Pacific Hydro’s Lane Crockett asserts that it is not “feasible” to conduct full sound spectrum acoustic monitoring inside sick residents’ homes.
Not only is it feasible, it is currently being done in Australia at a number of wind developments by independent acousticians with no relationship with the wind industry.
The adverse health consequences of chronic exposure to infrasound and low frequency noise from any source have been known and documented for many years and the reported health problems are identical to those being reported by residents now.
What is not known is the exact exposures of residents near Cape Bridgewater to these low frequency and infrasound emissions inside their homes and workplaces.
I suggest Pacific Hydro does as we are advocating and ensures that funding is provided by them to these independent acousticians in order for them to collect this data and make it available to everyone – the residents, departments of health, planning, environment protection authorities as well as the company itself?
The residents have offered to vacate their homes for the duration of the testing so that household background noise does not interfere with this testing.
Dr Sarah Laurie,
Chief executive officer
Waubra Foundation
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/05/18/further-studies-needed-to-examine-health-questions/