Video: Wind Turbines & Public Health
In December 2011, the Waubra Foundation released this video to provide an overview of the issue to date.
Wind turbines & public health – Video citations
Prepared 9 December, 2011
Listed below are the citations for references that were made in the Wind Turbines & Public Health video.
Quoted material
Rapid Review
“there are no direct pathological effects from wind farms”
Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), July 2011.
View the Rapid Review and the Public Statement
Professor Warwick Andersonʼs Oral Testimony
Given to the Australian Federal Senate Inquiry into Rural Wind Farms, 31 March, 2011, Perth, Australia. Professor Warwick Anderson is the CEO of the National Health and Medical Research Council.
“we do not say that there are no ill effects” p. 88
“we believe authorities must take a precautionary approach to this” pp. 86–87
“this is very important here because of the very early stages of the scientific literature” p. 87
Ontario Court Judgment, Canada
“This case has successfully shown that the debate should not be simplified to one about whether wind turbines can cause harm to humans. The evidence presented to the Tribunal demonstrates that they can, if facilities are placed too close to residents. The debate has now evolved to one of degree.” (p. 207)
[i] Environmental Review Tribunal, Case Nos.: 10-121/10-122 Erickson v. Director, Ministry of the Environment, dated this 18th day of July, 2011 by Jerry V. DeMarco, Panel Chair and Paul Muldoon, Vice-Chair.
View the Court Judgment – you will need to scroll down to the release date (18 July, 2011)
Australian Federal Senate
Community Affairs, References Committee
The Social and Economic Impact of Rural Wind Farms, June 2011
The Senate made seven recommendations. The three listed in the video are:
Recommendation 1
2.44 The Committee considers that the noise standards adopted by the states and territories for the planning and operation of rural wind farms should include appropriate measures to calculate the impact of low frequency noise and vibrations indoors at impacted
dwellings.
Recommendation 3
2.69 The Committee recommends that further consideration be given to the development of policy on separation criteria between residences and wind farm facilities.
Recommendation 4
2.101 The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth Government initiate as a matter of priority thorough, adequately resourced epidemiological and laboratory studies of the possible effects of wind farms on human health. This research must engage across industry and community, and include an advisory process representing the range of interests and concerns.
View the Full Report and Recommendations from the Inquiry.
Explicit Cautionary Notice to Those Responsible for Wind Turbine Siting Decisions
Prepared by the Waubra Foundation, 29 June, 2011.
View the Explicit Cautionary Notice online.
Interviewees
Footage was obtained on location from affected residents and concerned clinicians in August and November 2011.
Dr David Iser
Rural General Practitioner in Toora Victoria for over 30 years. He first saw patients affected by wind turbines in 2003, then performed a small survey based on Dr Amanda Harryʼs work in 2004.
Mrs Rose Anable
Born At Elmgrove, Crookwell and lived there all her life. Property settled by her grandfather. Has lived with symptoms for 13 years, ever since Crookwell 1 commenced operating. This wind development has had four different owners, the current one being Eraring Energy.
Mr Carl Stepnell
Farmer at Waubra, together with his parents, wife and children. Having endured a year of worsening symptoms after Accionaʼs Waubra Wind Development started operating, the family doctor advised Carl and his wife to leave their home due to the seriousness of the health problems the two of them were experiencing. These included symptoms such as constant nausea, vertigo, severe chronic sleep deprivation, severe headaches, painful ear pressure, worsening tinnitus, chest pain, frequent and prolonged nose bleeds and severe depression. Moving away helped resolve their sleep problems, but many of the other symptoms return when they go to work at the property and the turbines are turning. These are worsening with ongoing exposure. Of concern is the fact that their daughter, a farm apprentice who has started working full-time on the family farm, is now experiencing rapidly worsening symptoms, having not experienced them before. The Stepnells were originally offered wind turbines but turned down the offer. They have been active members of the local Landcare group and have planted many trees around their property.
Mr Donald Thomas
Farmer in the Waubra / Evansford region all his life. Parents Noel and Enid have owned the property for 54 years. All were initially supportive of the development, as they thought it would be good for the community.
Dr Wayne Spring
Specialist Sleep Physician in Ballarat. Dr Spring has seen patients from both Waubra and Evansford (Accionaʼs Waubra Wind Development) and the Leonardʼs Hill and Daylesford region (Hepburn Community Wind Farm).
List of concerned professionals
Since 2003, Health Professionals, Scientists and Noise Experts from around the world have recorded a common set of symptoms and health problems among people living near industrial-scale wind turbines.
Concerned professionals include:
- Dr Amanda Harry, 2003
- Dr David Iser, 2004
- Dr Nina Pierpont, 2009
- Professor Robert McMurtry, 2010
- Associate Professor Jeffrey Aramini
- Professor Arline Bronzaft
- Dr Chris Hanning
- Professor John Harrison
- Mr Rick James
- Dr Sarah Laurie
- Dr Michael Nissenbaum
- Professor Carl Phillips
- Mr Rob Rand
- Professor Alec Salt
- Dr Daniel Shepherd
- Dr Malcolm Swinbanks
- Dr Bob Thorne
For more information, please visit:
The Society for Wind Vigilance
Proceedings and papers presented at the First International symposium held in Ontario, Canada in October 2011 are available here together with other useful information.
Wind Turbine Syndrome website
Papers and details of journal articles are available from this website using the search function.
National Wind Watch website
The Documents section on this website contains many relevant documents and papers from various journals and conferences.
Submissions to the Federal Senate Inquiry
You can also view the submissions sent to the Australian Federal Senate Rural Wind Farm inquiry for further information from affected residents, concerned professionals and independent acousticians.
Some submissions of interest that include information about adverse health effects include:
Submissions from Medical Practitioners, other health practitioners and Scientists
- 13 Dr Nina Pierpont (US Paediatrician)
- 41 Professor Arline Bronzaft (US Psychologist and expert on the effect of noise on Children & Learning)
- 54 Dr Helen Parker (US Psychologist)
- 390 Dr Sarah Laurie, Medical Director, Waubra Foundation
- 888 Dr Alan Watts (GP from Carcoar)
- 955 Dr Chris Hanning (UK retired Sleep Physician)
- Additional Materials No 4 Dr Herb Coussos, Wisconsin (submitted by Lynda Barry)
- Additional Materials No 4 Dr Michael Nissenbaum (submitted by Lynda Barry)
- Additional Materials No 7 Professor Alec Salt (submitted by Dr Nina Pierpont)
- Additional Materials No 15 Dr Hazel Lynn (Grey Bruce Health Unit, Ontario)
- Additional Materials No 16 Professor Robert McMurtry (former Dean Medical School Western Ontario)
- Additional Materials No 33 Dr Sarah Laurie – from European Heart Journal paper by Professor Carpuccio, Warwick University
- Additional Materials submitted by Carmen Krogh, retired Pharmacist, on behalf of Society for Wind Vigilance (Nos 8,9,10,11,12,13)
Submissions from Acousticians
- 112 Dr Bob Thorne
- 540 Dr Daniel Shepherd
- 785 Mr Les Huson
Submissions from some of the Affected Residents
- 72 Pam Di Lorenzo
- 97 Elizabeth Banks, Wonthaggi
- 99 Yvonne McCrae
- 129 Carl Stepnall, Waubra
- 130 Samantha Stepnall, Waubra
- 170 Gail Dawes, Waubra
- 171 Rosa Dawes, Waubra
- 321 Stephen Coleman, Waubra
- 355 Glen Brew, Waubra
- 367 Robyn Brew, Waubra
- 370 Steven Gallina, Waubra
- 442 Dooley family, Crookwell
- 463 Helga Hung, Germany
- 478 Marion Parsonage, Waubra
- 479 Martin Wynne, Waubra
- 480 Andrew Reid, Waubra
- 491 David Edmonston, Waubra
- 492 Gordon Mitchell
- 520 Sarah Benson, traveller in Greece
- 588 Peter Dawes, Waubra
- 622 Rod & Ruth Corrigan, Capital
- 664 Noel Thomas, Waubra
- 665 Enid Thomas, Waubra
- 666 Maggie Reid, Waubra
- 667 Donald Thomas, Waubra
- 673 Peter Nash, Waubra
- 677 Berni Janssen, Waubra
- 714 Sonia Trist, Cape Bridgewater
- 951 Wanda Allott, Waterloo