Selection of scientific research regarding health impacts of

wind farm noise

2013 - infrasound and low frequency noise have physiological effects on the ear
... there is an increasing body of evidence suggesting that infrasound and low
frequency noise have physiological effects on the ear. Until these effects are fully understood, it
is impossible to state conclusively that exposure to wind turbine noise does not cause any of
the symptoms described.1
2012 - wind turbines disturb sleep and impair health
A large body of evidence now exists to suggest that wind turbines disturb sleep and
impair health at distances and external noise levels that are permitted in most jurisdictions,
including the United Kingdom. Sleep disturbance may be a particular problem in children, and
it may have important implications for public health.2
2012 - adverse effects are observed at distances even beyond 1 km
that the noise emissions of IWTs disturbed the sleep and caused daytime sleepiness
and impaired mental health in residents living within 1.4 km of the two IWT installations
studied. Industrial wind turbine noise is a further source of environmental noise, with the
potential to harm human health. Current regulations seem to be insufficient to adequately
protect the human population living close to IWTs. Our research suggests that adverse effects
are observed at distances even beyond 1 km.3
2012 - complaints constitute epidemiological evidence of a strong link between wind
turbine noise, ill health, and disruption of sleep
Shortly after wind turbines began to be erected close to housing, complaints emerged
of adverse effects on health. Sleep disturbance was the main complaint. Such reports have
been dismissed as being subjective and anecdotal, but experts contend that the quantity,
consistency, and ubiquity of the complaints constitute epidemiological evidence of a strong link
between wind turbine noise, ill health, and disruption of sleep.4
2011 - wind turbines can cause harm to humans [...] if facilities are placed too close
to Residents
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.5
2011 - wind turbines cause serious health problems in nearby residents
There is overwhelming evidence that wind turbines cause serious health problems in
nearby residents, usually stressdisorder type diseases, at a nontrivial rate. The bulk of the
evidence takes the form of thousands of adverse event reports. There is also a small amount
of systematicallygathered data. The adverse event reports provide compelling evidence of the
seriousness of the problems and of causation in this case because of their volume, the ease of
observing exposure and outcome incidence, and casecrossover data. Proponents of turbines
1

Farboud, A., Crunkhorn, R., and Trinidade, A., Wind turbine syndrome: fact or fiction?, The Journal of
Laryngology & Otology (2013)
2
C. D. Hanning, Alun Evans, Wind turbine noise, vol. 344, (e1527), British Medical Journal (8 March
2012), http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.e1527
3
Nissenbaum, Michael A., Aramini, Jeffery J., Hanning, Christopher D., Effects of industrial wind turbine
noise on sleep and health, Noise & Health (September-October 2012) Vol. 14, p. 243,
www.noiseandhealth.org DOI: 10.4103/1463-1741.102961
4
C. D. Hanning, Alun Evans, Wind turbine noise, vol. 344, (e1527), British Medical Journal (8 March
2012), http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.e1527
5
Case Nos.: 10-121/10-122 Erickson v. Director, 18 July 2011, Ministry of the Environment, Ontario
Environmental Review Tribunal, Decision, p. 207

have sought to deny these problems by making a collection of contradictory claims including
that the evidence does not count, the outcomes are not real diseases, the outcomes are the
victims own fault, and that acoustical models cannot explain why there are health problems so
the problems must not exist. These claims appeared to have swayed many nonexpert
observers, though they are easily debunked. Moreover, though the failure of models to explain
the observed problems does not deny the problems, it does mean that we do not know what,
other than kilometers of distance, could sufficiently mitigate the effects. There has been no
policy analysis that justifies imposing these effects on local residents. The attempts to deny
the evidence cannot be seen as honest scientific disagreement, and represent either gross
incompetence or intentional bias.6
2011 - serious harm to human health includes [...] a person being exposed to noise
The Tribunal has found above that serious harm to human health includes both direct
impacts (e.g., a passer-by being injured by a falling turbine blade or a person losing hearing)
or indirect impacts (e.g., a person being exposed to noise and then exhibiting stress and
developing other related symptoms). This approach is consistent with both the WHO definition
of health and Canadian jurisprudence on the topic.7
2011 - reported adverse impacts were unexpected
My research demonstrates that IWTs were initially welcomed into communities. The
reported adverse impacts were unexpected8
2010 - stress symptoms associated with [...] low frequency annoyance, include sleep
interference, headaches, poor concentration, mood swings
Stress symptoms associated with noise annoyance, and in particular low frequency
annoyance, include sleep interference, headaches, poor concentration, mood swings9
2010 - industrial wind turbines [...] disturb the sleep and impair the health of those
living nearby
There can be no reasonable doubt that industrial wind turbines whether singly or in
groups (wind farms) generate sufficient noise to disturb the sleep and impair the health of
those living nearby and this is now widely accepted.10
2009 - sleep disturbance, headache, tinnitus, ear pressure, dizziness, vertigo,
nausea, visual blurring, tachycardia, irritability, problems with
concentration and memory...
As an expert in vestibular disorder research, it is my opinion that the symptoms
reported and described by Dr. Pierpont in her Wind Turbine Syndrome study are consistent with
symptoms I see as part of my work with disorders of the inner ear, including sleep disturbance,
headache, tinnitus, ear pressure, dizziness, vertigo, nausea, visual blurring, tachycardia,
irritability, problems with concentration and memory, and panic episodes associated with
exposure to low-frequency, high-amplitude, ambient pressure fluctuations.11
2009 - noise of a moderate level [...] has health outcomes similar to those caused by
6

Phillips, Carl V., Properly Interpreting the Epidemiologic Evidence about the Health Effects of Industrial
Wind Turbines on Nearby Residents, Bulletin of Science, Technology, and Society, vol. 31, no. 4 (August
2011), pp 303315
7
Case Nos.: 10-121/10-122 Erickson v. Director, 18 July 2011, Ministry of the Environment, Ontario
Environmental Review Tribunal, Decision, p.190
8
Krogh, CME, (2011), Industrial Wind Turbine Development and Loss of Social Justice?, Bulletin of
Science Technology & Society (2011) 31: 321, doi: 10.1177/0270467611412550
9
HGC (2010) Low frequency Noise and Infrasound Associated with Wind Turbine Generation Systems, A
Literature Review, Ontario Ministry of Environment, RFP, December 2010
https://archive.org/details/stdprod092086.ome
10
Christopher Hanning, Wind Turbine Noise, Sleep and Health,(November 2010),
http://www.acousticecology.org/wind/winddocs/health/Hanning%202010_Wind%20turbine%20noise
%20sleep%20and%20health%20November%202010.pdf
11
Deposition of Dr. F. Owen Black, M.D. before the County of Dekalb Planning and Zoning Committee, 8
May 2009, http://docs.wind-watch.org/Owen-Black-affidavit-to-State-of-Illinois-re-WTS.pdf

high noise exposures

Physiological experiments on humans have shown that noise of a moderate level acts
via an indirect pathway and has health outcomes similar to those caused by high noise
exposures on the direct pathway.12
2009 - wind turbine sound is easily perceived and [...] relatively annoying
The study confirms that wind turbine sound is easily perceived and, compared with
sound from other community sources, relatively annoying. Annoyance with wind turbine noise
is related to a negative attitude toward the source and to noise sensitivity; in that respect it is
similar to reactions to noise from other sources. This may be enhanced by the high visibility of
the noise source, the swishing quality of the sound, its unpredictable occurrence, and the
continuation of the sound at night.13
2008 - low frequency sound [...] is often more likely to be [...] an indoor problem
Why do wind turbine noise emissions of only 35 dBA disturb sleep at night? [...]When
low frequency sound is present outside homes and other occupied structures, it is often more
likely to be an indoor problem than an outdoor one. This is very true for wind turbine sounds.14
2005 - a single 2.5 to 3.0MW turbine will produce a significant seismic vibration
Regarding the UK seismic monitoring site situated at Eskdalemuir near Langholm in the
Scottish Borders. It can detect nuclear testing at great distances. This research was done as
they had to establish the vibration level from wind farms and whether this would effect the
monitoring at Eskdalemuir. It concludes that there is a clear seismic vibration issue out to
distances of greater than 18km coming from relatively small turbines that have a generating
capacity of 660kW. Further the research found that vibration is proportional to power
generating capacity. Therefore a single 2.5 to 3.0MW turbine will produce a significant seismic
vibration. A number of turbines combined will have a very significant impact out to a great
distance, and the long term effects of chronic exposure to this vibration are unknown. Some
sites where residents are reporting this vibration overnight have become ill very quickly
(Waterloo, Glenthompson, Cape Bridgewater and Capital). Note that this urgently required
scientific research with large turbines is yet to be instigated.15

12

World Health Organization, Night Noise Guidelines for Europe (2009), p. 138.
http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/environment-and-health/noise/publications/2009/night-noiseguidelines-for-europe
13
Pedersen et al.: Response to noise from modern wind farms in The Netherlands, J. Acoust. Soc. Am.
126 , 2 (August 2009), pp 634-643
14
G. W. Kampermann and R. R. James, The How to Guide to Siting Wind Turbines to Prevent Health
Risks from Sound (2008), p. 8 http://www.savethebluffs.ca/archives/files/kamperman-james-8-26-08report.pdf
15
Styles, P., Stimpson, I. et al, Microseismic and Infrasound monitoring of Low Frequency Noise and
Vibrations from Windfarms Recommendations on the siting of windfarms in the vicinity of Eskdalemuir,
Scotland, Keele University. (2005)
http://www.keele.ac.uk/geophysics/appliedseismology/wind/Final_Report.pdf