Wind Turbine Syndrome (WTS): Open Letter to World Health Organization

OPEN LETTER

17 October 2016

From: World Council for Nature

To: Dr Margaret Chan,
Director-General, World Health Organization

Cc: Mrs Marie-Eve Héroux
Technical Officer, Air Quality & Noise
WHO European Centre for Environment and Health

Re: WHO’s Environmental Noise Guidelines for Europe

Madam,

The World Council for Nature (WCFN) strongly disapproves the WHO’s refusal to take into account the testimonies of victims of an emerging disease, the Wind Turbine Syndrome (WTS). We also object to the refusal of a number of national health authorities to measure infrasound emitted by wind turbines, or to conduct epidemiological studies among victims.  windIt would appear that these organizations are incapable of resisting the pressure applied by political and/or special interests to deny the sufferings caused by wind farms, in spite of overwhelming evidence compiled and analysed during 15 years by eminent specialists (1), starting with conclusive US Department of Energy-financed studies conducted by Dr. Neil Kelley (1985, 1987).

WCFN is concerned by the evidence of wind turbines’ ill effects on animals and people. We are surprised that health authorities have endorsed the wind industry’s self-serving contention that “nocebo” is at the root of residents’ complaints. What about the animals? Can their alarming behaviors, physiological anomalies, miscarriages, still-born or deformed offsprings, and even deaths en masse (2) be explained by articles they “read” (?) on the Internet? The logical conclusion is that these health officials are either incompetent, or following a political or private interest agenda.

Mr JP Riou, president of an association blowing the whistle on the harmful effects of wind turbines, received a negative answer from the WHO when he sent the testimony of a physician about two long-suffering wind farm victims. He wrote back to Mrs Héroux, heading the WHO’s panel reviewing the Environmental Noise Guidelines for Europe: “I do think it is my duty to publicly express my dismay at your response, in which you state the inability of the Panel to take testimonies into account. … I can only regret that the WHO will be discarding factual evidence in its apprehension of an emerging disease, the study of which is clouded by a vast amount of biased reports commisioned by political and private financial interests.” (3)

Mrs Héroux’s letter also revealed to Mr Riou that the WHO would be limiting its work to a review of the scientific literature. We suspect, from experience, that the scope of the selected studies will be centered on “noise”, ignoring infrasound, low-frequency noise and frequency & amplitude modulation – and that none will have captured the sufferings of those residents that are submitted to chronic sleep deprivation, can’t concentrate, suffer from pressure in the ears, frequent headaches, nauseas, tinnitus, memory loss, high blood pressure, panic attacks, irritability, tachycardia and other cardiovascular problems, cancers, suicidal thoughts (perhaps even acts?), car accidents from lack of sleep (I personally happen to know of one), etc.

Reviews of scientific literature by national health authorities have denied the existence of health effects from wind turbines, which is outrageous in view of all the evidence. The Australian Senate did not, but when the Canberra government also expressed concern, a political plot ousted the Prime Minister. And the Waubra Foundation, which is researching the health impacts of wind turbines without spending a single taxpayers’ dollar, has become the object of an odious ploy to cut-off its crowd funding. It is now fighting in court not to lose its charity status The media, also influenced by politics and special interests, ignore the scandal. This is how corrupt our democraties have become.

In a nutshell, honest scientists should not base their judgment on reviews of cherry-picked, politically correct scientific literature, peer-reviewed as it may be. We invite you instead to review testimonies, independent studies, videos and articles as referenced in the footnotes below, and health-related content of websites such as the Waubra Foundation, National Wind Watch, and Friends Against Wind Turbines (1 to 7). This is how the emerging disease WTS can best be apprehended. Full studies could then be commissioned by the WHO, and a moratorium on new wind farms recommended until such time as the results are analysed and fully understood.

30 years have passed since the conclusive “NASA – Kelley” studies. How much longer can an emerging disease be denied by national health authorities and ultimately by the WHO? How many MORE people (including especially vulnerable groups such as children, people with chronic diseases, the elderly, and those with existing mental health problems including particularly anxiety, depression and PTSD) are going to be damaged by further delay? Who will be ultimately held liable for the dereliction of professional ethical behavior on the part of those responsible?

A recognized disease, the Vibro-Acoustic Disease (VAD), can also be caused by wind turbines. It has been documented (7). Yet, health officials turn a blind eye to this as well.

The WHO stands high above national health organizations. It has to be a model to them, not the reverse. Yet, rejecting testimonies on an emerging disease does cast a doubt on the objectivity and integrity of your organization. We sincerely hope that the WHO will take a second look at the situation, and study the testimonies it has received plus those published on the Internet in English, French and German (6), even if they are only the tip of the iceberg. And please do analyse the massive amont of evidence available outside the box of biased peer-reviewed studies financed by the wind industry or complicit government agencies. It is essential for the health of the world population that the WHO remain independent from political pressure and special interests.

Respectfully yours

Mark Duchamp
Chairman

Footnotes:

(1) – 15 years of work by Jerry Punch, PhD, audiologist , professor emeritus at Michigan State University, and Richard James, INCE, BME, acoustician, adjunct professor in Central Michigan University.

http://hearinghealthmatters.org/hearingnewswatch/2016/wind-turbines-noise-and-health/

Here is their landmark paper: Wind Turbine Noise and Human Health: A Four-Decade History of Evidence that Wind Turbines Pose Risks

http://hearinghealthmatters.org/journalresearchposters/files/2016/09/Final-Final-16-09-30-Wind-Turbine-Noise-Final-Manuscript-HHTM-Punch-James.pdf

(2) – https://wcfn.org/2016/10/02/wind-turbines-effects-on-animals/

(3) – http://lemontchampot.blogspot.fr/2016/10/open-letter-to-mrs-meheroux-who.html

Original in French: http://lemontchampot.blogspot.fr/2016/09/environmental-noise-guidelines.html

(4) – This is one of countless videos about wind farm victims (if the sub titles do not appear, click the first of the icons at the bottom right of the screen): http://en.friends-against-wind.org/films/krank-durch-infraschall

Here is another:  http://en.friends-against-wind.org/health/infraschall-der-unhoerbare-laerm

(5) – Links to:

The Waubra Foundation    http://waubrafoundation.org.au

National Wind Watch https://www.wind-watch.org/

Friends Against Wind Turbines http://friends-against-wind.org/

(6) – Testimonies:

– testimonies in English (from EU and US) http://en.friends-against-wind.org/testimonies

– more testimonies, in French http://fr.friends-against-wind.org/testimonies

– more testimonies, in German http://de.friends-against-wind.org/testimonies

– more: victims from Ontario, Canada http://windvictimsontario.com/victim-voices.html

– an important affidavit, in German http://www.windwahn.de/index.php/windwahn/eidesstattliche-erklaerung.html

Falmouth, USA: 61 testimonies accepted by board of health at a public hearing : https://fiwn.wordpress.com/2012/06/05/turbine-noise-victims-in-falmouth-shout-at-health-board/

– Poland: a victim writes to other victims http://en.friends-against-wind.org/testimonies/polish-wind-farm-victims-believe-the-future-is-now 

– Germany: a webpage dedicated to victims of sound http://www.opfer.windwahn.de

– France, Belgium, Switzerland: letters to the authorities from the platform Victims of Wind Turbines http://friends-against-wind.org/victims

– France: testimony from a physician about a two long-term victims, which prompted the letter from Mrs Héroux:http://lemontchampot.blogspot.fr/2016/09/famille-riveraine-deoliennes.html

(7) – A recognized disease can be caused by wind turbines: the Vibro-Acoustic Disease (VAD).

http://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=4346

see also here:

https://wcfn.org/2014/03/31/windfarms-vertebrates-and-reproduction/ (see section 5)

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