NHMRC information paper: Evidence on wind farms and human health
NHMRC|February 8, 2015
This paper represents the final document released by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). An original draft document and request for comment can be found at this link. In addition to the final document, readers are encouraged to review the expert comments submitted to the NHMRC. The expert comments highlight concerns regarding potential bias in the final NHMRC report and the possible under-reporting of wind turbine noise and shadow flicker impacts on neighbors. Both the final report and expert comments can be accessed at the document links on this page.
This paper represents the final document released by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). An original draft document and request for comment can be found at this link. In addition to the final document, readers are encouraged to review the expert comments submitted to the NHMRC. The expert comments highlight concerns regarding potential bias in the final NHMRC report and the possible under-reporting of wind turbine noise and shadow flicker impacts on neighbors. Both the final report and expert comments can be accessed at the document links on this page.
Purpose of this document
This Information Paper provides Australians with a summary of the evidence on possible health effects of wind farms in humans and explains how NHMRC developed its summary based on the findings of independent reviews of the evidence.1,2 It is intended for use by any person or group interested in wind farms.
Why NHMRC is conducting this work
NHMRC is responsible for ensuring that Australians receive the best available, evidence-based advice on matters relating to improving health and to preventing, diagnosing and treating disease. Concern about the effects on health from living near a wind farm has been expressed by some members of the community. Therefore, NHMRC examined the evidence on health effects associated with exposure to specific emissions from wind farms — noise, shadow flicker and electromagnetic radiation.
The current investigation of the potential health effects of wind farms builds upon NHMRC’s previous work in this area. In 2010, NHMRC’s Public statement: Wind turbines and health5 was published, with supporting evidence from Wind turbines and health: A rapid review of the evidence.6 The 2010 NHMRC Public Statement concluded that there “is currently no published scientific evidence to positively link wind turbines with adverse health effects”.5 Due to the limited amount of published scientific literature, NHMRC committed to carrying out a more extensive search for evidence.
This Information Paper provides an update to NHMRC’s previous work in this area. It is based on a comprehensive review of the available scientific evidence following well-established systematic review principles, which provide the most rigorous process for identifying and critically appraising evidence.
In Australia, responsibility for regulating the planning, development and operation of wind farms lies with state, territory and local governments. The outcomes of NHMRC’s review may assist these organisations to make decisions about the regulation of wind farms.
NHMRC’s review of the evidence will enable well-designed and targeted research to be undertaken in areas that have been identified as gaps in the evidence base (see Chapter 7, page 25).
