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Advice to Roy Pointer

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Enquiry

From
Roy Pointer
Date advice given
17 July 2013
Enquiry type
Email

Dangers to health from Wind Turbine Noise ? need for new Regulations

The attention of the Poole and Christchurch Bays? Association (PCBA) has been drawn to potentially serious health dangers due to the proximity of wind generators, and their turbulence, to dwellings. This proximity, or inadequate setback, arises from deficiencies in the current regulations in providing protection to the public. Noise limits are currently regulated under ETSU-R-97, regulations we believe were largely formulated by the wind generation industry without proper medical input.

Our concerns centre on the potential for Wind Turbine Syndrome (WTS). WTS has been medically established as a range of health impacts driven by the proximity of turbines to dwellings. Reports include conditions such as tinnitus, raised blood pressure, sleep deprivation, panic attacks, increased stress levels, depression, headache, vertigo, rapid heart rate, irritability, nausea and memory and concentration loss. It appears that people suffering from motion sickness, migraine and probably people over 50 years old are particularly susceptible. We can provide plenty of references for these fully verified and genuine reports but I assume your team will have access to them.

We also understand that, contrary to some suggestions, walls of dwellings do not provide effective insulation from this phenomenon. Moreover, different noise levels are relevant during the night from those in the day. The method of noise measurement is also important, as is wind shear, particularly at night.

The current industry approach suffers from at least five key weaknesses: (1) The absence of proper medical input on the effects of low frequency noise and infrasound, and (2) The use of dBA limits which filter out nearly all the low frequency noise and infrasound created by turbulence around the blades, i.e. it ignores the type of sound which damages health. Un-weighted sound measurements, reflecting the health damaging noise, should be used in assessing the effects on humans. (3) The use of average noise levels, not worst case, thereby making the limits far too lax. (4) The false assumption that background noise masks turbine noise. (5) Inadequate assessment of night time noise and amplitude modulation.

The Government has, through agents, embarked on a major push into both onshore and offshore wind energy generation with ambitious targets to 2020. In order to avoid the incidence of, and potential claims relating to, WTS we recommend and request that the Department take urgent steps during 2013 to: (1) Commission health professional led analysis of the existing globally reported literature and evidence of WTS and the protection provided by the existing UK regulations. In particular, existing wind farms, with significant WTS complaints, should have both dBA and un-weighted noise measured both inside and outside the dwellings of sufferers. This first step should result in setting acceptable noise limits. (2) Abolish ETSU-R-97 and issue new regulations (independently compiled, i.e. not by the wind industry advisors) to protect against the health effects cited in this letter and avoiding the weaknesses above. (3) Require proposals for generation not yet committed to be covered by the new regulations and to pass post-construction compliance testing. Any wind farm which did not comply would have to be shut down in whole or part. (4) Test existing wind farms against the new regulations and require modifications for compliance as necessary. If such mitigation is not possible, there should be compensation based on damage suffered.

A copy of this letter is being sent to the Secretary of State for Health in view of that Department?s potential interest in, and support for action on the issue. A copy is also being sent to Planning Inspectorate in its role in recommending individual projects. Local Authorities will also be apprised of our interest in the issue.

Advice given

Thank you for your email received on 15 July 2013 regarding the Navitus Bay offshore wind farm proposal setting out your concerns regarding the health and noise implications that may be associated with wind farms.

I can advise that in this instance the Planning Inspectorate notes your concerns and will keep them on record due to the non case specific nature of the issues. However, it should be noted that in instances where concerns are specific to the proposal and prior to the application being submitted, then your first point of contact should be the developer, making comments to the developer at this stage does not prejudice your ability to make comments to the Planning Inspectorate later in the process.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further queries on the information set out above or the process by which the Navitus Bay Offshore Wind Farm proposal, if formally submitted, will be determined.