Post by Donna Quixote on Mar 21, 2013 15:05:53 GMT -4
Louise Gray — The Telegraph — March 21, 2013
In the first study of its kind, the University of Nottingham asked more than 1,000 households living within 0.6 miles (1km) of small wind turbines up to 30m tall (Editor’s Note: THIRTY METRE) if they suffered health problems caused by the renewable technology.
It found that around one in ten respondents reported problems like insomnia and headaches because of wind farm noise.
However further study found this was not connected to the noise made by the wind turbines – but the personality of the people.
“We measured the actual noise from the turbines and used environmental noise modelling software that helped us to predict how much sound is actually heard by those living in the vicinity. We found there was no relationship between the ‘real’ level of noise and reports of ill health,” said Dr Claire Lawrence, who led the study.
Instead she said people with so-called, “neuroticism”, a personality type prone to worrying will suffer health problems connected to wind turbines.“There is certainly no evidence that if you are living near a noise or can hear a noise that it is causing you ill health,” she said.“But there is evidence that if you have a certain personality trait you will report problems.”Dr Lawrence pointed out that a large number of people in the general population can suffer from neuroticism.
Therefore more effort should be made to reassure people living near wind turbines about noise.In 2011 Jane and Julian Davis accepted an out of court settlement against the owners and operators of a wind farm they say drove them from their farmhouse home with its ”unbearable” noise.
quixoteslaststand.com/2013/03/21/here-we-go-again-another-study-thats-going-to-get-all-blown-out-of-proportion/
In the first study of its kind, the University of Nottingham asked more than 1,000 households living within 0.6 miles (1km) of small wind turbines up to 30m tall (Editor’s Note: THIRTY METRE) if they suffered health problems caused by the renewable technology.
It found that around one in ten respondents reported problems like insomnia and headaches because of wind farm noise.
However further study found this was not connected to the noise made by the wind turbines – but the personality of the people.
“We measured the actual noise from the turbines and used environmental noise modelling software that helped us to predict how much sound is actually heard by those living in the vicinity. We found there was no relationship between the ‘real’ level of noise and reports of ill health,” said Dr Claire Lawrence, who led the study.
Instead she said people with so-called, “neuroticism”, a personality type prone to worrying will suffer health problems connected to wind turbines.“There is certainly no evidence that if you are living near a noise or can hear a noise that it is causing you ill health,” she said.“But there is evidence that if you have a certain personality trait you will report problems.”Dr Lawrence pointed out that a large number of people in the general population can suffer from neuroticism.
Therefore more effort should be made to reassure people living near wind turbines about noise.In 2011 Jane and Julian Davis accepted an out of court settlement against the owners and operators of a wind farm they say drove them from their farmhouse home with its ”unbearable” noise.
quixoteslaststand.com/2013/03/21/here-we-go-again-another-study-thats-going-to-get-all-blown-out-of-proportion/