There have been a lot of claims and speculation surrounding wind energy and whether or not it causes health issues, notably cancer, and here’s the truth—it doesn’t. The claim that the sound from turbines leads to cancer has no basis. “There is no reputable evidence to support a connection between wind turbine noise and cancer,” a representative from the American Cancer Society told The New York Times.
Additionally, inquiries into allegations that wind turbine noise can lead to health issues such as nausea, headaches, or insomnia have been conducted. However, to date, there’s little substantial proof connecting these conditions with turbine noise, yet this contention is expected to continue. This contrasts significantly with the data on coal power, an energy form that former President Trump has consistently supported, highlighting a clear disparity in research findings.
Numerous studies have connected the particulate pollution emitted by coal power plants with increased risks of heart disease, respiratory issues, and lung cancer. When restrictions on pollution from coal plants were loosened last year under Mr. Trump, his administration’s Environmental Protection Agency projected that this deregulation could result in up to 1,400 more premature deaths annually by the year 2030.
A 2011 analysis revealed that the health-related expenses of air pollution in the US reached approximately $131 billion. Meanwhile, research in the UK associates air pollution with 40,000 annual deaths. Therefore, considering the significant public health implications, there is a strong justification for transitioning away from fossil fuels, particularly coal, due to their extensive pollution.
According to a 2015 review of wind turbines, “In conclusion, there is some evidence that exposure to wind turbine noise is associated with increased odds of annoyance and sleep problems. Individual attitudes could influence the type of response to noise from wind turbines. Experimental and observational studies investigating the relationship between wind turbine noise and health are warranted.”
Now that may give some credit to the health allegations, but data is very subjective. Some of the data is based on surveys which can lead to bias around wind turbines and wind turbines tend to be 300 meters distant from residential homes with newer models being much quieter.
In conclusion, current data suggest that the idea of a health syndrome caused by wind turbines is somewhat credible at best. Moreover, there’s no concrete proof of adverse health outcomes (such as changes in blood pressure) linked to wind turbines, although there appears to be an impact on self-reported symptoms. Nonetheless, these findings are debatable due to two key issues – they may be influenced by bias and often align with negative political or personal views on wind turbines.
