“Sleep is an essential part of healthy life and is recognized as a fundamental right under the European Convention on Human Rights (European Court of Human Rights, 2003).”[1]
In a Canadian Wind Energy Association and American Wind Energy Association sponsored report it is acknowledged that wind turbine noise may cause annoyance, stress and sleep disturbance.[2]
One of the authors of the report W. David Colby, M.D. reinforced this position regarding wind turbines by stating
“We’re not denying that there are people annoyed and that maybe some of them are getting stressed out enough about being annoyed that they’re getting sick.”[3]
The Chief Medical Officer of Health of Ontario and Agency for Health Protection and Promotion concur in that they acknowledge wind turbines may cause annoyance, stress and sleep disturbance. [4],[5]
The notion that wind turbines may cause sleep disturbance is no surprise to the clinicians and other researchers who have documented the reported adverse health effects of victims exposed to wind turbines. Sleep disturbance is consistently the number one health complaint.[6],[7],[8],[9]
Peer reviewed studies of European wind turbine facilities documented high annoyance and sleep disturbance in populations exposed to wind turbines.[10],[11],[12]
A 2009 court decision mandated that a wind turbine facility in France shut down operations at night in order to prevent the sleep disturbance that the local population had been enduring.[13]
World Health Organization lists sleep disturbance an adverse health effect and considers it to be a significant risk to human health..
“Recent research clearly links exposure to night noise with harm to health. Noise can aggravate serious health problems, beyond damage to hearing, particularly through its effects on sleep and the relations between sleep and health. When people are asleep, their ears, brains and bodies continue to react to sounds. Sleep disturbance and annoyance are the first effects of night noise and can lead to mental disorders. The effects of noise can even trigger premature illness and death.”[14]
In 2009 World Health Organization released a 184 page peer reviewed summary of research regarding the risks to human health from noise induced sleep disturbance. Some of the adverse health effect documented in the report include poor performance at work, fatigue, memory difficulties, concentration problems, motor vehicle accidents, mood disorders (depression, anxiety), alcohol and other substance abuse, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal disorders, obesity, impaired immune system function and a reported increased risk of mortality.[15]
Victims of wind turbines are reporting many of these adverse health effects.
After conducting a literature review sleep specialist Dr Christopher Hanning stated in his report
"In my expert opinion, from my knowledge of sleep physiology and a review of the available research, I have no doubt that wind turbine noise emissions cause sleep disturbance and ill health.”[16]
[1] World Health Organization, Night Noise Guidelines for Europe, 2009, http://www.euro.who.int/InformationSources/Publications/Catalogue/20090904_12
[2] W. David Colby, M.D. et al., Wind Turbine Sound and Health Effects,An Expert Panel Review 2009, Prepared for American Wind Energy Association and Canadian Wind Energy Association
[3]W. David Colby, M.D., Sounding Board, 97.9 FM The Beach December 17, 2009
[4] Copes, R. and K. Rideout. Wind Turbines and Health: A Review of Evidence. Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion 2009
[5] Arlene King M.D., Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care Memorandum, October 21, 2009[6] Amanda Harry M.D., Wind Turbines Noise and Health, 2007
[7] Michael A. Nissenbaum M.D., http://windvigilance.com/mars_hill.aspx
[8] WindVOiCe© http://windvigilance.com/windvoice_home.aspx
[9] Dr Nina Pierpont, Wind Turbine Syndrome, 2009
[10] Pedersen, E. and K. Persson Waye. 2004. Perception and annoyance due to wind turbine noise: A dose–response relationship, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 116: 3460–3470.
[11] Pedersen, E. and K. Persson Waye. 2007. Wind turbine noise, annoyance and self-reported health and well being in different living environments
[12] Pedersen et al., 2008,Project WINDFARMperception Visual and acoustic impact of wind turbine farms on residents
[13] France news report , December 7 2009, http://www.ouest-france.fr/actu/actuLocale_-La-justice-demande-l-arret-nocturne-des-huit-eoliennes-de-Cast_-1183050------29103-abd_actu.Htm
[14] World Health Organization, http://www.euro.who.int/mediacentre/PR/2009/20091008_1
[15] World Health Organization, Night Noise Guidelines for Europe, 2009, http://www.euro.who.int/InformationSources/Publications/Catalogue/20090904_12
[16] Christopher Hanning M.D., Sleep disturbance and wind turbine noise , 2009 http://windvigilance.com/noise_sleep_health.aspx
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