Nausea, Sleep Disorders, Depression..Testimonials Rise Against Wind Turbines

Guillaume Chazouillères, June 26, 2015

CAPITAL MAGAZINE, FRANCE

Nausea, sleep disorders, depression … testimonials of residents rise against the wind turbines!

Nearly fifteen years after the first development of wind farms in France, are we on the eve of a new health scandal? The multiplication of residents complaints, due to the nuisance caused by these gigantic wind turbines mills planted along their common border of theirs counties, are in any case disturbing.

To believe the Fédération Environnement Durable (fiercely anti-wind) not less than one thousand letters were recently sent to that effect to the Ministry of Ecology. The actual content of the evidence, often violent, is worrying: headache, tinnitus, dizziness … the villagers, neighbors of wind turbines, we interviewed, argue all the same symptoms, medical certificates in support.

Surrounded for six years by eleven machines (including closest are at 380 and 440 meters of his home), in his small village of Saint Felix Midi-Pyrénées, Jacques Pernoud recounts it creates a lot of pains “the morning when the sun rises the shadow of the moving blades causes strobe effects that give me nausea. Besides the almost unbearable noise, windy days giving the impression of being at the edge of a highway. “In 2010, his doctor diagnosed him with “continuous anxiety and depression (…) reactivated daily by the sounds and different sets of light and shadow-projected on his house by the blades of the wind farm.” In the village of Saint-Fraigne – 451 inhabitants in Charente – the “Villéger family” also really fight for years against the nuisance caused by the 6 wind turbines closest of which are within 1,000 meters of the house: “If the machines were machines were flanged in 2013 following our complaint, there remains a nagging noise always with us at night. My ENT specialist recently diagnosed tinnitus, probably linked to these machines, “recounts Odile Villéger.

This is also because the wind beats at 400-500 meters from her home became unbearable to her that Noelle Marchais, Ally in Haute-Loire, decided to make a complaint against the company that installed the machines. Same story for a villager, who preferred to remain anonymous: the medical certificates we consulted attest. “Permanent tinnitus (…) in connection with the perception of infrasound * wind turbine”

In response to questions from Capital.fr, wind power downplays the phenomenon: “Of course there may be some problems here and there, but these discomforts are also largely fueled by anti-wind factions I recall that we have one more stringent regulations in Europe “defends Frederic Lanoë, President of France wind power.

Since 2011, the “Grenelle de l’Environment “has standardized machines by limiting their sound levels in decibels. But the regulation still seems insufficient to opponents that emphasize the inflation of scientific studies pointing to the risk of health turbines. “There is now consensus of the international scientific community on the harmful effects that are likely to cause these machines, particularly at low frequencies they produce,” suggests Alain Beline, risk prevention expert. “The literature on the subject is indeed considerable, although it has yet to provide evidence of actual pollution on humans,” adds Jean-Pierre Riou, former teacher, expert in renewable energy.

In the face of these uncertainties, the proximity of residential wind turbines also feeds into the discussions. If anti-wind groups estimate the current legislation inadequately protective (the legislation on the energy transition currently under negotiation in the Parliament provides for a minimum 500 meters protective distance, with possibility of extension on impact studies), pro- wind turbines consider “move to a distance of at least 1,000 meters as some propose, would limit the possibility of installation of wind turbines by almost 90%, which is incompatible with the objectives of doubling renewable energy production wanted by the government, “retorted the deputy of Isere François Brottes, author of the amendment to the 500 meters. Contacted on the subject, the Ministry of Ecology has not responded.

For its part, justice has already begun to settle. In 2010 and 2013, two decisions of the Tribunal de Grande Instance of Montpellier successively ordered the destruction of wind farms, particularly taking into account the auditory nuisance. From there it could be relied on by other courts….

Guillaume Chazouillères

Read the original French article here : http://www.capital.fr/a-la-une/politique-economique/nausees-troubles-du-sommeil-depression-des-temoignages-de-riverains-s-elevent-contre-les-eoliennes-1050952

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