Dear decision-makers, politicians, Members of the EU Parliament, EU-Commission and other responsible public officials,
29th April, 2015 is the 20th anniversary of
International Noise Awareness Day, so we would like to warn you about the dangers of wind turbine infrasound and low frequency noise (ILFN) which have been largely and intentionally ignored by the global wind industry, politicians and even health authorities. The wind industry worldwide has been trying to force their wind turbines (WT) as close to people's homes as possible for the sake of profit at the expense of the health of the local residents by deliberately ignoring the known sleep disturbance and serious health problems caused directly by impulsive wind turbine ILFN. Government authorities have been complicit in ignoring the existing scientific evidence, and the harm.
We therefore request you do your own due diligence on this issue, and investigate for yourself. There is an abundance of acoustic, scientific and clinical information independent of wind industry influence at websites such as
epaw.org;
na-paw.org;
waubrafoundation.org.au and scientific evidence found there, and books such as
Wind Turbine Syndrome by a medical doctor (Dr. Nina Pierpont, MD PhD), 2009 (see also:
windturbinesyndrome.com) and
The Wind Farm Scam by a Reader in Ecology at the University of Wales Dr. John Etherington, 2009).
The facts are that wind turbine noise: audible (low frequency noise LFN -- under 200 Hz) and inaudible, but sensed very much (infrasound-- under 20 Hz) results in serious adverse health effects, and is extremely dangerous to human health. Direct causation of symptoms and sensations from wind turbine generated impulsive infrasound and low frequency noise was established by US scientist Dr Neil Kelley in the 1980's. More recently Steven Cooper's work in Australia at Cape Bridgewater for wind developer Pacific Hydro has confirmed many aspects of Kelley's research thirty years earlier.
The lifetime span of wind-turbines is from 20 up to 25 years and there are another 25 years to be expected with new turbines at the same place, therefore there is no escape from them for people in their lifetime. People are mostly exposed to pulsating infrasound. These pulses arise as the wind turbine blades pass the pillar.
Therefore we firmly demand that you, as one of the decision-makers:
- Start considering the scientific evidence on the dangers of wind turbine noise, which go back as far as 30 years (NASA study, others and a historical overview on the wind turbine noise). These studies have shown that especially infrasound penetrates through closed windows and walls, and even resonates and amplifies within rooms to cause even stronger effects (cdn.knightlab.com),
- Stop ignoring so many people all over the world crying for help and even leaving their homes due to the wind turbine noise (for example: epaw.org; na-paw.org),
- Recognize that wind farms are one of the worst night time noise pollutants of today and that prolonged sleep deprivation is also considered to be a method of torture by the ''The UN Committee against Torture (CAT),
- Recognize what the wind industry does not want the general public and responsible public officials to learn, that there is much evidence oninfra- and LFN wind turbine noise including the facts that;
- More megawatts produced by more powerful wind turbines means a greater proportion of infrasound and low frequency noise is generated,
- Infrasound is known to travel very, very long distances,
- Noise-pollution by wind power developments with many wind turbines is much, much stronger than one with only wind turbine, although serious health damage can occur from just one wind turbine if it is too close to homes and workplaces,
- Infrasound from wind turbines on hills will travel greater distances,
- Stronger winds, higher air moisture, lower background noise in rural areas, temperature inversion, etc., can mean greater adverse impacts from relatively higher levels of infra- and LFN noise pollution,
- No current models exist which accurately predict real wind farm infrasound and low frequency noise pollution,
- Children, older people, pregnant women are especially sensitive and threatened,
- Safe setback distances for different sized wind turbines in different terrain have NOT yet been established and demonstrated to protect the surrounding population.
- Change the current noise measurements to full spectrum measurement inside homes and recognize that A-Weighted Sound Level (dBA) is inappropriate and unsafe because it does not include low-frequency noise and infrasound,
- Stop the use of dBA for wind turbine noise assessments immediately,
- Stop the wind power subsidies immediately.
We look forward to hearing from you soon. Thank you in advance.
