SUU, Alm.del - 2011-12 - Bilag 418: Henvendelse af 13/8-2012 fra Michael Rotne vedr. støjregler og målemetoder for vindmøllestøj

Industrial Wind Turbines and Health:Wind Turbines Can Harm Humans if too Close to Residents1A summary of peer reviewed articles their abstracts and citationsregarding adverse health effects and industrial wind turbines2_____________________________________________________________________The Noise from Wind Turbines: Potential Adverse Impacts on Children's Well-BeingArline L. BronzaftBulletin of Science Technology & Society 2011 31: 256, DOI: 10.1177/0270467611412548,http://bst.sagepub.com/content/31/4/291

Bio:Dr. Arline L. Bronzaft is a Professor Emerita of Lehman College, City University ofNew York. She serves on the Mayor’s GrowNYC, having been named to this organization bythree previous M ayors as well. Dr. Bronzaft is the author of landmark research on the effectsof elevated train noise on children’s classroom learning; has examined the impacts of airport-related noise on quality of life; and has p ublished articles on noise in environmental books,academic journals and the more popular press. In 2007, she assisted in the updating of theNew York City Noise Code.AbstractResearch linking loud sounds to hearing loss in youngsters is now widesp read, resulting inthe issuance of warnings to protect children’s hearing. However, studies attesting to theadverse effects of intrusive sounds and noise on children’s overall mental and physical healthand well-being have not received similar attention. This, despite the fact that many studieshave demonstrated that intrusive noises such as those from passing road traffic, nearby railsystems, and overhead aircraft can adversely affect children’s cardiovascular sy stem,memory, language development, and learning acquisition. While some schools in the UnitedStates have received funds to abate intrusive aircraft noise, for example, many schools stillexpose children to noises from passing traffic and overhead aircraft. Discussion focuses onthe harmful effects of noise on children, what has to be done to remedy the situation, and theneed for action to lessen the impacts of noise from all sources. Furthermore, based on ourknowledge of the harmful effects of noise on children’s health and the growing body of1

Excerpted from Case Nos.: 10-121/10-122 Erickson v. Director, Ministry of the EnvironmentEnvironmental Review Tribunal, Decision, p 207 “This case has success fully shown that thedebate should not be simplified to one about whether wind turbines can cause harm to humans. T he evidencepresented to the T ribunal demonstrates that they can, if facilities are placed too close to residents. The debatehas now evolved to one of degree.”2Summary focuses on the evidence reg arding risk to health: summaries from published literature 2010 to March2012

evidence to suggest the potential harmful effects of industrial wind turbine noise, it isstrongly urged that further studies be conducted on the impacts of industrial wind turbines ontheir health, as well as the health of their parents, before forging ahead in siting industrialwind turbines.______________________________________________________________Wind Turbine NoiseJohn P. HarrisonBulletin of Science Technology & Society 2011 31: 256, DOI:10.1177/0270467611412549,http://bst.sagepub.com/content/31/4/256

Bio:Dr. John P. Harrison has expertise in the properties of matter at low temperatures withemphasis on high frequency sound waves (p honons). For the past 5 years he has studied windturbine noise and its regulation. He has p resented invited talks on the subject at 3conferences, including the 2008 World Wind Energy Conference.AbstractFollowing an introduction to noise and noise regulation of wind turbines, the problem ofadverse health effects of turbine noise is discussed. This is attributed to the characteristics ofturbine noise and deficiencies in the regulation of this noise. Both onshore and offshore windfarms are discussed.________________________________________________________________________EditorialWind turbine noiseChristopher D Hanning and Alun EvansBritish M edical Journal, BM J2 012;344d oi: 10.1136/ bmj.e1527 (8 March 2012)www.bmj.com

After initial training in anaesthesia, he developed an interest in Sleep M edicine. He foundedand ran the Leicester Sleep Disorders Service, one of the longest standing and largestservices in the UK. He was a founder member and President of the British Sleep SocietyHis expertise in this field has been accepted by the civil, criminal and family courts. Hechairs the Advisory panel of the SOMNIA study, a major project investigating sleep qualityin the elderly, and sits on Advisory panels for several companies with interests in sleepmedicine.Bio:Alun Evans, is an epidemiologist, Centre for Public Health, Queen’s University ofBelfast, Institute of Clinical Science B, Belfast, UKExcept from BMJ web site:Seems to affect health adversely and an independent review of evidence is needed.The evidence for adequate sleep as a prerequisite for human health, p articularly child health,is overwhelming. Governments have recently paid much attention to the effects ofenvironmental noise on sleep duration and quality , and to how to reduce such noise.However, governments have also imposed noise from industrial wind turbines on largeswathes of peaceful countryside.The impact of road, rail, and aircraft noise on sleep and daytime functioning (sleepiness andcognitive function) is well established. Shortly after wind turbines began to be erected closeto housing, complaints emerged of adverse effects on health. Sleep disturbance was the maincomplaint. Such reports have been dismissed as being subjective and anecdotal, butexperts contend that the quantity, consistency, and ubiquity of the complaints constituteepidemiological evidence of a strong link between wind turbine noise, ill health, anddisruption of sleep.The noise emitted by a typical onshore 2.5 M W wind turbine has two main components. Adynamo mounted on an 80 m tower is driven through a gear train by …________________________________________________________________________Literature Reviews on Wind Turbines and Health : Are They Enough?Brett Horner, Roy D. Jeffery and Carmen M. E. KroghBulletin of Science Technology & Society 2011 31: 399. DOI: 10.1177/0270467611421849http://bst.sagepub.com/content/31/5/399

Bio:Brett Horner, BA, is a certified management accountant and has held senior managerpositions in international business consulting groups. He has p rovided informationtechnology consulting and accounting/auditing services to a wide variety of clientele. He hasdedicated over 2 years reviewing and analyzing references on the subject of industrial windturbines and reported health effects.Bio:Roy D. Jeffery, M D, is a rural family physician and a clinical preceptor for theUniversity of Ottawa and the Northern Ontario M edical Schools. He practices rural medicinewith special interests regarding geriatric home care and rural health. He has the distinctionof being awarded the Ontario Family Physician of the Year–Northern Division in 2008.Bio:Carmen M. E. Krogh, BSc Pharm, is a retired pharmacist with more than 40 years ofexperience in health. She has held senior executive positions at a major teaching hosp ital, aprofessional association, and Health Canada. She was a former director of Publications andeditor-in-chief of the Compendium of Pharmaceutical and Specialties, the book used inCanada by physicians, nurses, and other health professions for prescribing information onmedication.AbstractIndustrial wind turbines (IWTs) are a new source of community noise to which relatively fewpeople have yet been exposed. IWTs are being erected at a rapid pace in proximity to humanhabitation. Some people report experiencing adverse health effects as a result of living in theenvirons of IWTs. In order to address public concerns and assess the plausibility of reportedadverse health effects, a number of literature reviews have been commissioned by variousorganizations. This article explores some of the recent literature reviews on IWTs andadverse health effects. It considers the completeness, accuracy, and objectivity of theircontents and conclusions. While some of the literature reviews p rovide a balancedassessment and draw reasonable scientific conclusions, others should not be relied on tomake informed decisions. The article concludes that human health research is required todevelop authoritative guidelines for the siting of IWTs in order to protect the health andwelfare of exposed individuals._____________________________________________________________________Wind Turbines Make Waves:Why S ome Residents Near Wind Turbines Become IllMagda Havas and Da vid CollingBulletin of Science Technology & Society 2011 31: 414. DOI: 0.1177/0270467611417852http://bst.sagepub.com/content/31/5/369

Bio:M agda Havas, PhD, is an associate professor at Trent University where she teaches andconducts research on the biological and health effects of electromagnetic and chemicalpollutants. She received her BSc and PhD at the University of Toronto and did postdoctoralresearch at Cornell University on acid rain and aluminum toxicity .Bio:David Colling has applied his electrical engineering studies at Ryerson PolytechnicalInstitute and his specialized training in electrical pollution to conduct electrical pollutiontesting for Bio-Ag on farms, homes, and office buildings. Some of the homes tested arelocated in the environs of industrial wind turbines.AbstractPeople who live near wind turbines complain of symptoms that include some combination ofthe following: difficulty sleeping, fatigue, depression, irritability, aggressiveness, cognitivedysfunction, chest pain/pressure, headaches, joint pain, skin irritations, nausea, dizziness,tinnitus, and stress. These symptoms have been attributed to the pressure (sound) waves thatwind turbines generate in the form of noise and infrasound. However, wind turbines alsogenerate electromagnetic waves in the form of poor power quality (dirty electricity ) andground current, and these can adversely affect those who are electrically hypersensitive.Indeed, the symptoms mentioned above are consistent with electrohyp ersensitivity.Sensitivity to both sound and electromagnetic waves differs among individuals and mayexplain why not everyone in the same home experiences similar effects. Ways to mitigate theadverse health effects of wind turbines are presented.________________________________________________________________________Industrial Wind Turbine Development and Loss of S ocial Justice?Carmen M.E. KroghBulletin of Science Technology & Society 2011 31: 321, DOI: 10.1177/0270467611412550,http://bst.sagepub.com/content/31/4/321

are severe enough that some families have abandoned their homes. Individuals report theywelcomed IWTs into their community and the negative consequences were unexpected.Expressions of grief are exacerbated by the emotional and physical toll of individuals’sy mptoms, loss of enjoyment of homes and property, disturbed living conditions, financialloss, and the lack of society’s recognition of their situation. The author has investigated thereported loss of social justice through a review of literature, personal interviews with, andcommunications from, those reporting adverse health effects. The author’s intention is tocreate awareness that loss of social justice is being associated with IWT development. Thisloss of justice arises from a number of factors, including the lack of fair process, the loss ofrights, and associated disempowerment. These societal themes require further investigation.Research by health p rofessionals and social scientists is urgently needed to address the healthand social impacts of IWTs operating near family homes._____________________________________________________________WindVOiCe, a Self-Reporting S urvey: Adverse Health Effects, Industrial WindTurbines, and the Need for Vigilance MonitoringCarmen M.E. Krogh, Lorrie Gillis, Nicholas Kouwen, and Jeffery AraminiBulletin of Science Technology & Society 2011 31: 334, DOI: 10.1177/0270467611412551,http://bst.sagepub.com/content/31/4/334

Bio:Carmen M. E. Krogh, BScPharm is a retired pharmacist with more than 40 years ofexperience in health. She has held senior executive positions at a major teaching hosp ital, aprofessional association and Health Canada. She was a former Director of Publications andEditor-in-chief of theCompendium of Pharmaceutical and Specialties (CPS),the book usedin Canada by physicians, nurses and other health professions for prescribing information onmedication.Bio:M s Lorrie Gillis is the process administrator for the WindVOiCe health survey. M sGillis volunteers her time and ensures the processes for administering the protocols aremaintained.Bio:Dr. Nicholas Kouwen is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Civiland Environmental Engineering of the University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.He is a registered Professional Engineer (Ontario) and a Fellow of the American Society ofCivil Engineers. His field of expertise is in hydraulic and hydrological modelling and iscurrently involved in studies dealing with the impact of climate change on water availability .Bio:Dr. Jeff Aramini is a public health epidemiologist with expertise in the investigation ofhealth concerns using epidemiological principles. DVM and M.Sc. from the University of

Saskatchewan; Ph.D. from the University of Guelph. Former senior epidemiologist withHealth Canada/Public Health Agency of Canada. Currently, President and CEO of anorganization that addresses public health, patient care, public safety and informationmanagement for clients in government, industry and academia.AbstractIndustrial wind turbines have been operating in many parts of the globe. Anecdotal reports ofperceived adverse health effects relating to industrial wind turbines have been published inthe media and on the Internet. Based on these reports, indications were that some residentsperceived they were experiencing adverse health effects. The purpose of the WindVOiCehealth survey was to provide vigilance monitoring for those wishing to report their perceivedadverse health effects. This article discusses the results of a self reporting health surveyregarding perceived adverse health effects associated with industrial wind turbines._____________________________________________________________________Low-frequency noise from large wind turbinesHenrik Møller and Christian Sejer PedersenSection of Acoustics, Aalborg University,Fredrik Bajers Vej 7-B5, DK-9220 Aalborg Ø, Denmark, Acoustical Society of America[DOI: 10.1121/1.3543957] J. Acoust. S oc. Am. 129 (6), June 2011 PACS number(s):43.50.Rq, 43.28.Hr, 43.50.Cb, 43.50.Sr [ADP] Pages: 3727–3744

AbstractAs wind turbines get larger, worries have emerged that the turbine noise would move downin frequency and that the low-frequency noise would cause annoyance for the neighbors. Thenoise emission from 48 wind turbines with nominal electric power up to 3.6 M W is analyzedand discussed. The relative amount of low-frequency noise is higher for large turbines (2.3–3.6 M W) than for small turbines ( 2 M W), and the difference is statistically significant. Thedifference can also be expressed as a downward shift of the spectrum of approximately one-third of an octave. A further shift of similar size is suggested for future turbines in the 10-M W range. Due to the air absorp tion, the higher low-frequency content becomes even morepronounced, when sound pressure levels in relevant neighbor distances are considered. Evenwhen A-weighted levels are considered, a substantial part of the noise is at low frequencies,and for several of the investigated large turbines, the one-third-octave band with the highestlevel is at or below 250 Hz. It is thus beyond any doubt that the low-frequency part of thesp ectrum plays an important role in the noise at the neighbors.___________________________________________________________________________

Bio:Dr. Robert Y. M cM urtry is the former Dean of M edicine for the University of WesternOntario. He was a member of the Health Council of Canada for 3½ years and a member andsp ecial advisor to the Royal Commission under Roy Romanow on the future of health care inCanada. Dr. M cM urtry was a visiting Cameron Chair to Health Canada for providing policyadvice to the Minister and Deputy M inister of Health. He was the Founding and AssociateDeputy M inister of Population & Public Health, Canada. Dr. M cM urtry also sat on theNational Steering Committee on Climate Change and Health Assessment. Presently Dr.M cM urtry is Professor (Emeritus) of Surgery, University of Western Ontario.AbstractInternationally, there are reports of adverse health effects (AHE) in the environs of industrialwind turbines (IWT). There was multidisciplinary confirmation of the key characteristics ofthe AHE at the first international symposium on AHE/IWT. The symptoms being reportedare consistent internationally and are characterized by crossover findings or a predictableappearance of signs and sy mptoms present with exposure to IWT sound energy andamelioration when the exposure ceases. There is also a revealed preference of victims to seekrestoration away from their homes. This article identifies the need to create a case definitionto establish a clinical diagnosis. A case definition is proposed that identifies the sine qua nondiagnostic criteria for a diagnosis of adverse health effects in the environs of industrial windturbines. Possible, probable, and confirmed diagnoses are detailed. The goal is to foster theadoption of a common case definition that will facilitate future research efforts._________________________________________________________________________Properly Interpreting the Epidemiologic Evidence About the Health Effects ofIndustrial Wind Turbines on Nearby ResidentsCarl V. PhillipsBulletin of Science Technology & Society 2011 31: 303, DOI: 10.1177/0270467611412554,http://bst.sagepub.com/content/31/4/303

Bio:Dr. Carl V. Phillips is a consultant and author specializing in epidemiology, science-based policy making, and communicating scientific concepts to the public. He spent most ofhis career as a professor of public health and now works in litigation supp ort, scientificadvising, and grant-supported research. He blogs at ep-ology.blogsp ot.com, which provideslinks to his other writings.AbstractThere is overwhelming evidence that wind turbines cause serious health p roblems in nearbyresidents, usually stress-disorder type diseases, at a nontrivial rate. The bulk of the evidencetakes the form of thousands of adverse event reports. There is also a small amount ofsystematically gathered data. The adverse event reports provide compelling evidence of theseriousness of the problems and of causation in this case because of their volume, the ease ofobserving exposure and outcome incidence, and case-crossover data. Prop onents of turbineshave sought to deny these problems by making a collection of contradictory claims includingthat the evidence does not “count,” the outcomes are not “real” diseases, the outcomes are thevictims’ own fault, and that acoustical models cannot explain why there are health problemsso the problems must not exist. These claims appeared to have swayed many nonexpertobservers, though they are easily debunked. M oreover, though the failure of models toexplain the observed problems does not deny the problems, it does mean that we do not knowwhat, other than kilometers of distance, could sufficiently mitigate the effects. There hasbeen no policy analysis that justifies imposing these effects on local residents. The attemptsto deny the evidence cannot be seen as honest scientific disagreement and represent eithergross incompetence or intentional bias._____________________________________________________________________Occupational Health and Industrial Wind Turbines: A Case StudyRobert W. Rand, Stephen E. Ambrose, and Carmen M. E. KroghBulletin of Science Technology & Society 2011 31: 359DOI: 10.1177/0270467611417849http://bst.sagepub.com/content/31/5/359

Bio:Robert W. Rand is a principal author with over 30 years of experience in industrialnoise control, environmental sound, and general acoustics. A member of the Institute ofNoise Control Engineering since 1993, he runs a small business p roviding consulting,investigator, and design services in acoustics.Bio:Stephen E. Ambrose is a principal author with over 35 years of experience in industrialnoise control. A member of the Institute of Noise Control Engineering since 1978, he runs asmall business providing cost-effective environmental noise consulting services for industrialand commercial businesses, municipal and state governments, and private citizens.

Bio:Carmen M. E. Krogh, BScPharm, who p rovided health-related research and referencesupp ort, is a retired pharmacist with more than 40 years of experience in health. She has heldsenior executive positions at a major teaching hosp ital, a professional association, and HealthCanada. She was a former Director of Publications and Editor in Chief of theCompendium ofPharmaceutical and Specialties (CPS),the book used in Canada by physicians, nurses, andother health professions for prescribing information on medication.AbstractIndustrial wind turbines (IWTs) are being installed at a fast pace globally. Researchers,medical practitioners, and media have reported adverse health effects resulting from living inthe environs of IWTs. While there have been some anecdotal reports from technicians andother workers who work in the environs of IWTs, little is known about the occupationalhealth sector. The purpose of this case study is to raise awareness about the potential foradverse health effects occurring among workers. The authors propose that there is a need forresearch regarding occupational worker exposure relating to IWTs._____________________________________________________________________Responses of the ear to low frequency sounds, infrasound andwind turbines.Alec N. S alt and T.E. Hullar.Department of Otolaryngology,Washington University S chool of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, US A.Hearing Research 2010 Sep 1; 268(1-2):12-21. Epub 2010 Jun 16

AbstractInfrasonic sounds are generated internally in the body (by respiration, heartbeat, coughing,etc) and by external sources, such as air conditioning sy stems, inside vehicles, someindustrial processes and, now becoming increasingly prevalent, wind turbines. It is widelyassumed that infrasound p resented at an amplitude below what is audible has no influence onthe ear. In this review, we consider possible ways that low frequency sounds, at levels thatmay or may not be heard, could influence the function of the ear. The inner ear has elaboratemechanisms to attenuate low frequency sound components before they are transmitted to thebrain. The auditory portion of the ear, the cochlea, has two types of sensory cells, inner haircells (IHC) and outer hair cells (OHC), of which the IHC are coupled to the afferent fibersthat transmit "hearing" to the brain. The sensory stereocilia ("hairs") on the IHC are "fluidcoupled" to mechanical stimuli, so their responses depend on stimulus velocity and theirsensitivity decreases as sound frequency is lowered. In contrast, the OHC are directlycoupled to mechanical stimuli, so their input remains greater than for IHC at low frequencies.At very low frequencies the OHC are stimulated by sounds at levels below those that are

heard. Although the hair cells in other sensory structures such as the saccule may be tuned toinfrasonic frequencies, auditory stimulus coupling to these structures is inefficient so thatthey are unlikely to be influenced by airborne infrasound. Structures that are involved inendolymph volume regulation are also known to be influenced by infrasound, but theirsensitivity is also thought to be low. There are, however, abnormal states in which the earbecomes hy persensitive to infrasound. In most cases, the inner ear's responses to infrasoundcan be considered normal, but they could be associated with unfamiliar sensations or subtlechanges in physiology. This raises the possibility that exposure to the infrasound componentof wind turbine noise could influence the physiology of the ear.

Bio:Alec N. Salt received his PhD from the University of Birmingham, UK, in 1977 and hasbeen actively involved in research into the physiology of the ear for over 35 years.Bio:James A. Kaltenbach received his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in 1984. Hesp ecializes in the neurobiology of hearing disorders and is currently the Director of OtologyResearch at the Cleveland Clinic.AbstractWind turbines generate low-frequency sounds that affect the ear. The ear is sup erficiallysimilar to a microphone, converting mechanical sound waves into electrical signals, but doesthis by complex physiologic processes. Serious misconceptions about low-frequency soundand the ear have resulted from a failure to consider in detail how the ear works. Although thecells that p rovide hearing are insensitive to infrasound, other sensory cells in the ear aremuch more sensitive, which can be demonstrated by electrical recordings. Resp onses toinfrasound reach the brain through pathways that do not involve conscious hearing butinstead may produce sensations of fullness, pressure or tinnitus, or have no sensation.Activation of subconscious p athways by infrasound could disturb sleep. Based on our currentknowledge of how the ear works, it is quite possible that low-frequency sounds at the levelsgenerated by wind turbines could affect those living nearby.

Bio:M artin Shain S.J.D. is trained in law and social sciences. He is p rincipal and founder ofthe Neighbour at Work Centre� and assistant professor at the Dalla Lana School of PublicHealth, Occupational and Environmental Health Division, University of Toronto.AbstractWhile industrial wind turbines (IWTs) clearly raise issues concerning threats to the health ofa few in contrast to claimed health benefits to many, the trade-off has not been fullyconsidered in a public health framework. This article reviews public health ethicsjustifications for the licensing and installation of IWTs. It concludes that the current methodsused by government to evaluate licensing applications for IWTs do not meet most publichealth ethical criteria. Furthermore, these methods are contrary to widely held fundamentalprinciples of administrative law and governmental legitimacy. A set of decision-makingprinciples are suggested to address this situation that are derived from existing and emerginglegal principles in Canada and elsewhere. These include the Precautionary Principle, theLeast Impactful M eans (Proportionality) Test, and the Neighbor Principle._________________________________________________________________________Mitigating the Acoustic Impacts of Modern Technologies: Acoustic, Health, andPsychosocial Factors Informing WindFarm PlacementDaniel S hepherd and Rex BillingtonBulletin of Science Technology & Society 2011 31: 389, DOI: 10.1177/0270467611417841http://bst.sagepub.com/content/31/5/389

Bio:Dr. Rex Billington is a research health p sychologist at AUT University after 18 yearswith the World Health Organization including directorships in M ental Health and the GlobalProgram on AIDS.AbstractWind turbine noise is annoying and has been linked to increased levels of psychologicaldistress, stress, difficulty falling asleep and sleep interruption. For these reasons, there is aneed for competently designed noise standards to safeguard community health and well-being. The authors identify key considerations for the development of wind turbine noisestandards, which emphasize a more social and humanistic approach to the assessment of newenergy technologies in society .___________________________________________________________________________Evaluating the impact of wind turbine noise on health related quality of lifeby Daniel Shepherd, David McBride, David Welch, Kim N. Dirks, Erin M. HillNoise & Health, September-October 2011, 13:54,333-9, DOI:10.4103/1463-1741.85502www.noiseandhealth.org

AbstractWe report a cross-sectional study comparing the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) ofindividuals residing in the proximity of a wind farm to those residing in a demographicallymatched area sufficiently displaced from wind turbines. The study employed a nonequivalentcomparison group posttest-only design. Self-administered questionnaires, which included thebrief version of the World Health Organization quality of life scale, were delivered toresidents in two adjacent areas in semirural New Zealand. Participants were also asked toidentify annoying noises, indicate their degree of noise sensitivity , and rate amenity .Statistically significant differences were noted in some HRQOL domain scores, withresidents living within 2 km of a turbine installation reporting lower overall quality of life,physical quality of life, and environmental quality of life. Those exposed to turbine noise alsoreported significantly lower sleep quality , and rated their environment as less restful. Ourdata suggest that wind farm noise can negatively impact facets of HRQOL.Acknowledgements:We are grateful to our colleagues and others whose reviewssubstantially improved the manuscript. We are especially grateful for the thorough reviewundertaken by Professor Rex Billington, who as the WHO Director of M ental Health in the1990s oversaw the development of the WHO’s program into quality of life, health and theenvironment.

Bio:Bob Thorne, M Sc, PhD, is the principal consultant of Noise M easurement Services PtyLtd, Brisbane, Australia. He holds a PhD from M assey University, New Zealand, in healthscience and is an environmental health research associate in the Institute of Food, Nutritionand Human Health at M assey University. His research work involves using advancedsp ecialized technology for intrusive noise assessment, and a specific application ispersonalized sound reinforcement for hearing assistive devices.AbstractHuman perception responds primarily to sound character rather than sound level. Wind farmsare unique sound sources and exhibit sp ecial audible and inaudible characteristics that can bedescribed as modulating sound or as a tonal complex. Wind farm compliance measures basedon a specified noise number alone will fail to address p roblems with noise nuisance. Thecharacter of wind farm sound, noise emissions from wind farms, noise prediction atresidences, and sy stemic failures in assessment p rocesses are examined. Human perceptionof wind farm sound is compared with noise assessment measures and complaint histories.The adverse effects on health of persons susceptible to noise from wind farms are examinedand a hypothesis, the concept of heightened noise zones (p ressure variations), as a marker forcause and effect is advanced. A sound level of LAeq 32 dB outside a residence and above anindividual’s threshold of hearing inside the home are identified as markers for seriousadverse health effects affecting susceptible individuals. The article is referenced to theauthor’s research, measurements, and observations at different wind farms in New Zealandand Victoria, Australia.