Wind turbine syndrome

Last updated
Wind turbine syndrome
Pseudomedical diagnosis
Risks Nocebo

Wind turbine syndrome and wind farm syndrome are terms for the alleged medical condition related to the proximity of wind turbines. [1] [2] Proponents claim that these effects include congenital abnormality, cancer, vertigo, nausea, autism, ADHD, death, tinnitus, stress, fatigue, memory loss, attention deficit, migraines and sleep deprivation. [3] [4] for which there is no scientific backing. [1] [5] The distribution of recorded events, however, correlates with media coverage of wind farm syndrome itself, and not with the presence or absence of wind farms. [5] [6] Neither term is recognised by any international disease classification system, nor do they appear in any title or abstract in the United States National Library of Medicine's PubMed database. [7] Wind turbine syndrome has been characterized as pseudoscience. [8]

Contents

One Australian fossil fuel industry funded anti-wind farm astroturfing group, the Waubra Foundation, has been identified amongst those involved in promoting the idea of wind turbine syndrome. [9] [10] An investigation led to the foundation being stripped of its status as a health promotion charity. [11] [12]

Safety reviews

Since 2003, 25 reviews have been published of the scientific literature on wind turbines and health. These studies have consistently found no reason to believe that wind turbines are harmful to health. [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18]

Noise and annoyance

There is a belief that infrasound can cause symptoms, including tinnitus, stress, fatigue, memory loss, attention deficit, vertigo, migraines and sleep deprivation. [4]

A panel of experts commissioned by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection concluded in 2012 that "there is not an association between noise from wind turbines and measures of psychological distress or mental health problems." [15]

A 2009 Canadian study found that "a small minority of those exposed report annoyance and stress associated with noise perception..." [however] "Annoyance is not a disease." The study group pointed out that similar irritations are produced by local and highway vehicles, as well as from industrial operations and aircraft. [14] [19]

A 2011 literature review found that although wind turbines are associated with some health effects, such as sleep disturbance, the health effects reported by those living near wind turbines were probably caused not by the turbines themselves but rather by "physical manifestation from an annoyed state." [16] A 2013 report for the National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia) elaborated: "There is consistent evidence that noise from wind turbines is associated with annoyance, and reasonable consistency that it is associated with sleep disturbance and poorer sleep quality and quality of life. However, it is unclear whether the observed associations are due to wind turbine noise or plausible confounders." [17]

A meta study published in 2014 reported that among the cross-sectional studies of better quality, no clear or consistent association is seen between wind turbine noise and any reported disease or other indicator of harm to human health. Noise from turbines played a minor role in comparison with other factors in leading people to report annoyance in the context of wind turbines. [18]

Policy impact

In Ontario, Canada, the Ministry of the Environment created noise guidelines to limit wind turbine noise levels 30 metres away from a dwelling or campsite to 40 dB(A). [20] These regulations also set a minimum distance of 550 metres (1,800 ft) for a group of up to five relatively quiet [102 dB(A)] turbines within a 3-kilometre (1.9 mi) radius, rising to 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) for a group of 11 to 25 noisier (106–107 dB(A)) turbines. Larger facilities and noisier turbines would require a noise study. [19] [21]

In a 2009 report about rural wind farms, a Standing Committee of the Parliament of New South Wales, Australia, recommended a minimum setback of two kilometres between wind turbines and neighbouring houses (which can be waived by the affected neighbour) as a precautionary approach. [22]

Despite the lack of scientific literature demonstrating any health effects from wind turbines, Australia's Turnbull government appointed a wind farm commissioner in October 2015 to address complaints. [23] The 2016 annual report of the Independent Scientific Committee on Wind Turbines was tabled in the Australian Parliament on 8 August 2017. [24] A website is maintained for the National Wind Farm Commissioner, with information about the role's purpose and links to a variety of publications that address wind turbines and their management, from a range of national and international sources.

Noise mitigation

Modern wind turbines produce significantly less noise than older designs. Turbine designers work to minimise noise, as noise reflects lost energy and output. Noise levels at nearby residences may be managed through the siting of turbines, the approvals process for wind farms, and operational management of the wind farm. [25] There is still an unproven belief that infrasound can not be mitigated and can travel for miles around. [4]

France recognised WTS as real in 2021 when a Belgian couple claimed various health problems including headaches, insomnia, heart irregularities, depression, dizziness, tinnitus and nausea by noises "comparable to a washing machine continually turning" and the "white flashing lights" that occurred after six wind turbines set up 700 metres from their home at Fontrieu. They successfully sued Sasu, Margnes Energie and Sasu Singladou Energie for €110,000. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Infrasound</span> Vibrations with frequencies lower than 20 hertz

Infrasound, sometimes referred to as low frequency sound, describes sound waves with a frequency below the lower limit of human audibility. Hearing becomes gradually less sensitive as frequency decreases, so for humans to perceive infrasound, the sound pressure must be sufficiently high. Although the ear is the primary organ for sensing low sound, at higher intensities it is possible to feel infrasound vibrations in various parts of the body.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environmental noise</span>

Environmental noise is an accumulation of noise pollution that occurs outside. This noise can be caused by transport, industrial, and recreational activities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wind power</span> Electrical power generation from wind

Wind power is the use of wind energy to generate useful work. Historically, wind power was used by sails, windmills and windpumps, but today it is mostly used to generate electricity. This article deals only with wind power for electricity generation. Today, wind power is generated almost completely with wind turbines, generally grouped into wind farms and connected to the electrical grid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environmental impact of electricity generation</span>

Electric power systems consist of generation plants of different energy sources, transmission networks, and distribution lines. Each of these components can have environmental impacts at multiple stages of their development and use including in their construction, during the generation of electricity, and in their decommissioning and disposal. These impacts can be split into operational impacts and construction impacts. All forms of electricity generation have some form of environmental impact, but coal-fired power is the dirtiest. This page is organized by energy source and includes impacts such as water usage, emissions, local pollution, and wildlife displacement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wind farm</span> Group of wind turbines

A wind farm or wind park, also called a wind power station or wind power plant, is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electricity. Wind farms vary in size from a small number of turbines to several hundred wind turbines covering an extensive area. Wind farms can be either onshore or offshore.

Hyperacusis is an increased sensitivity to sound and a low tolerance for environmental noise. Definitions of hyperacusis can vary significantly, but it is often categorized into four subtypes: loudness, pain, annoyance, and fear. It can be a highly debilitating hearing disorder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Health effects from noise</span> Health consequences of exposure to elevated sound levels

Noise health effects are the physical and psychological health consequences of regular exposure to consistent elevated sound levels. Noise from traffic, in particular, is considered by the World Health Organization to be one of the worst environmental stressors for humans, second only to air pollution. Elevated workplace or environmental noise can cause hearing impairment, tinnitus, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, annoyance, and sleep disturbance. Changes in the immune system and birth defects have been also attributed to noise exposure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Te Rere Hau Wind Farm</span> New Zealand wind farm company

Te Rere Hau is a wind farm owned and operated by New Zealand Windfarms Ltd. It is situated on the Tararua Ranges, approximately 11 km east of Palmerston North in New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wind power in Scotland</span>

Wind power is the fastest-growing renewable energy technology in Scotland, with 11,482 megawatts (MW) of installed wind power capacity by Q1 2023. This included 9,316 MW from onshore wind in Scotland and 2,166 MW of offshore wind generators.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bald Hills Wind Farm</span> Wind farm in Victoria, Australia

The Bald Hills Wind Farm is an operating wind farm located approximately 10 km south east of Tarwin Lower in South Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. The Bald Hills Wind Farm site covers approximately 1,750ha of largely cleared cattle and sheep grazing farmland. The turbines are located in three distinct areas, one to the west and one to the east of Tarwin Lower Waratah Road, and one near the end of Bald Hills Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Community wind energy</span> Local ratepayer-owned air current power

Community wind projects are locally owned by farmers, investors, businesses, schools, utilities, or other public or private entities who utilize wind energy to support and reduce energy costs to the local community. The key feature is that local community members have a significant, direct financial stake in the project beyond land lease payments and tax revenue. Projects may be used for on-site power or to generate wholesale power for sale, usually on a commercial-scale greater than 100 kW.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environmental impact of wind power</span>

The environmental impact of electricity generation from wind power is minor when compared to that of fossil fuel power. Wind turbines have some of the lowest global warming potential per unit of electricity generated: far less greenhouse gas is emitted than for the average unit of electricity, so wind power helps limit climate change. Wind power consumes no fuel, and emits no air pollution, unlike fossil fuel power sources. The energy consumed to manufacture and transport the materials used to build a wind power plant is equal to the new energy produced by the plant within a few months.

Lamberts is a tiny village in the parish of Saint Lucy, Barbados close to the border with Saint Peter. The location is best known for the experimental wind tower that was supposed to become part of a larger windfarm built in the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waterloo Wind Farm</span> Wind farm in South Australia

Waterloo wind farm is east of Manoora, South Australia. It is the largest wind farm operated by EnergyAustralia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Den Brook Wind Farm</span> Wind farm in Devon, England

Den Brook Wind Farm is a windfarm in Devon, England. The windfarm is located 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south-east of North Tawton and 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) south-west of Bow, and comprises nine 2 MW wind turbines, each 120 metres (390 ft) high. Developer Renewable Energy Systems (RES) received planning consent for the project in December 2009, following a long planning process which included two public inquiries and a judicial review.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Askam and Ireleth Wind Farm</span>

Askam and Ireleth Wind Farm is a group of 7 turbines located two kilometers east of the village Askam and Ireleth, on the southern slopes of Hare Slack Hill. Work on the turbines started in late 1998, and the wind farm took eight months to complete. It first generated energy in July, 1999.

The Waubra Foundation is an Australian lobby that opposes wind farms and promotes the controversial wind turbine syndrome. The foundation was created by Peter Mitchell, a director of several oil and gas companies. The foundation describes itself as an advocacy group for properly conducted, multidisciplinary research into alleged health problems reported by people living in the vicinity of wind turbines and other industrial uses. The foundation is named after the town of Waubra, Victoria Australia, but is not linked to it in any other way. The town is home to the 128 turbines at Waubra Wind Farm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shirley Wind</span> Wind farm in Wisconsin

Shirley Wind is a wind farm in the Shirley section of Glenmore, Brown County, Wisconsin. The site, which opened in 2011, includes eight Nordex 2.5 (MW) wind turbines, each about 500 feet (150 m) tall. Originally developed by Emerging Energies LLC, it is owned by Duke Energy.

Vibroacoustic disease is a medical condition manifested in those who have had long-term exposure to large pressure amplitude and low frequency noise. The disease is said to lead to heart arrhythmia or even death.

References

  1. 1 2 "The "science" of wind turbine syndrome". Popular Science. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  2. ↑ Crighton, F; Chapman, S; Cundy, T; Petrie, KJ (November 2014). "The Link between Health Complaints and Wind Turbines: Support for the Nocebo Expectations Hypothesis". Frontiers in Public Health. 2 (220): 220. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2014.00220 . PMC   4227478 . PMID   25426482.
  3. 1 2 "French couple who said windfarm affected health win legal fight". the Guardian. November 8, 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 Martin, Calvin Luther (15 August 2011). "Infrasound: Noise you can't hear, but feel—over huge distances". Wind Turbine Syndrome.
  5. 1 2 "Interview with Simon Chapman". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 20 October 2012.
  6. ↑ Rourke, Alison (15 March 2013). "Windfarm sickness spreads by word of mouth, Australian study finds". The Guardian .
  7. ↑ Simon Chapman (21 December 2011). "Much angst over wind turbines is just hot air". The Sydney Morning Herald .
  8. ↑ Joshi, Ketan (8 November 2012). "The junk science of wind turbine syndrome". Business Spectator. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  9. ↑ Rourke, Alison (15 March 2013). "Windfarm sickness spreads by word of mouth, Australian study finds". The Guardian .
  10. ↑ "Greens challenge Waubra Foundation tax status". The Australian. 2013-11-08. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  11. ↑ "Waubra Foundation, prominent anti-wind farm lobby, stripped of health promotion charity status". ABC News. December 19, 2014. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  12. ↑ Conroy, John (2014-12-19). "Waubra loses 'health promotion' charity status" . Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  13. ↑ Professor Simon Chapman (10 April 2015). "Summary of main conclusions reached in 25 reviews of the research literature on wind farms and health". Sydney University School of Public Health. Retrieved 4 July 2018.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  14. 1 2 W. David Colby, Robert Dobie, Geoff Leventhall, David M. Lipscomb, Robert J. McCunney, Michael T. Seilo, Bo Søndergaard. (2009). "Wind Turbine Sound and Health Effects: An Expert Panel Review" (PDF). Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA).{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  15. 1 2 "Wind Turbine Health Impact Study: Report of Independent Expert Panel". Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  16. 1 2 Knopper, Loren D; Ollson, Christopher A (2011). "Health effects and wind turbines: A review of the literature". Environmental Health. 10 (1): 78. doi: 10.1186/1476-069X-10-78 . PMC   3179699 . PMID   21914211.
  17. 1 2 Merlin, T; Newton, S; Ellery, B; Milverton, J; Farah, C (2013). Systematic review of human health effects of wind farms (PDF) (Report). Canberra: National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia). ISBN   978-0-9923968-0-0 . Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  18. 1 2 McCunney, Robert J.; Mundt, Kenneth A.; Colby, W. David; Dobie, Robert; Kaliski, Kenneth; Blais, Mark (November 2014). "Wind Turbines and Health: A Critical Review of the Scientific Literature". Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 56 (11): e108-30. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000000313 . PMID   25376420. S2CID   37462287.
  19. 1 2 Hamilton, Tyler (15 December 2009). "Wind Gets Clean Bill of Health". Toronto Star . Toronto. pp. B1–B2. Retrieved 16 December 2009.
  20. ↑ Ministry of the Environment, Ontario (October 2008) "Noise Guidelines for Wind Farms"
  21. ↑ "Wind Turbines – Proposed Requirements and Setbacks". Ministry of the Environment, Ontario. 9 June 2009.
  22. ↑ "Final Report, Rural Wind Farms" (PDF). General Purpose Standing Committee No. 5, Parliament of New South Wales. 16 December 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 March 2011. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  23. ↑ "Turnbull government appoints Australia's first wind farm commissioner". The Sydney Morning Herald . 9 October 2015.
  24. ↑ "2016 Annual Report Independent Scientific Committee on Wind Turbines". Department of the Environment and Energy. 2017.
  25. ↑ "The wind energy fact sheet" (PDF). New South Wales Government. 1 November 2010.

Further reading

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