--- Health and Safety ---

Wind energy is the most rapidly growing form of domestic energy. With any new technology, there will be concerns of public health and safety that must be reviewed. It has been proposed that the noise created by wind turbines can cause adverse health effects on those that are exposed to it. Residents living near wind turbines have complained of headaches, sleep disturbance, and stress, along with other symptoms. It has also been proposed by several writers that there are conditions called “vibro-acoustic disease” and “wind turbine syndrome” caused by wind turbines. Some research suggests that annoyance and side-affects from wind turbine noise is related to the individual’s perception of the actual wind turbines. The potential health effects of wind turbines will be discussed in the following articles:

I. The Potential Health Impacts of Wind Turbines

II. Infrasound and low frequency noise from wind turbines: exposure and health effects

III. Public Health Impacts of Wind Turbines

IV. Wind Turbine Sound and Health Effects: An Expert Panel Review

V. The Health Impact of Wind Turbines: A Review of the Current White, Grey, and Published Literature

Some key definitions:

-Decibel (dB): Unit of measurement of the loudness or intensity of a sound.

-Hertz (Hz): A unit of measurement of frequency or pitch.

-Infrasound: Commonly inaudible sounds at frequencies below 20 Hz.

-Low frequency sound: Sound at frequencies between 20 and 200 Hz.