Response to Dr Armstong regarding reports of nausea and dizziness in last week’s Largs and Millport News. https://scotlandagainstspin.org/2016/10/are-hunterston-turbines-making-people-sick-largs-and-millport-news/
Dr Armstrong
Your e-mail to the North Ayrshire Council Environmental Health Department has been copied to me, as I have responsibility for population health protection. I have investigated these health concerns further, and I understand Environmental Health are also dealing with an enquiry relating to the matter.
Please find attached a copy of the letter I will be sending to the Chair of the Fairlie Community Council. We have also issued a similar response to the local press in response to the media story, to help allay any public anxiety.
The reported health concerns have never been reported to our department, so I have responded as a result of the story in the press and the concern raised with my council colleagues.
Regards
Hazel
Hazel J Henderson
Consultant in Public Health (Health Protection)
NHS Ayrshire and Arran
Afton House
Ailsa Hospital
Dalmellington Road
Ayr KA6 6AB
Dear Mrs Holmes,
Concerns about wind turbines causing ill health
I am writing in response to concerns raised by the Fairlie Community Council regarding whether complaints of dizziness and nausea could be linked to the wind turbines at Hunterston. Although the Public Health Department has not been contacted directly about these concerns, I have written to you because we have a lead role in protecting our population from environmental hazards. As such I have investigated these concerns further, and write to present my findings. It is important to point out that I have no conflict of interest, and that my role is to provide an objective and scientific assessment of these concerns.
In order to assess whether complaints of dizziness and nausea could be linked to the wind turbines at Hunterston, I have conducted the following investigations:
1. Reviewed the highest available quality international scientific research to establish whether wind turbines cause health effects.
2. Analysed (anonymised) local GP data going back 8 years to establish whether these symptoms had increased in the surrounding population since the first wind turbine became operational at Hunterston.
Conclusions from current scientific research
Use of wind turbines and wind farms is now common in many parts of the world, so there is a wealth of research available to allow assessment of whether wind turbines are known to cause health problems. I have used the highest quality research available, as poor quality research can often lead to the wrong conclusions. I have also used evidence reviews conducted by independent scientific bodies with no conflicts of interest, to avoid obvious problems related to bias and conflict of interest. Using these methods has enabled me to present an independent view based on the best research that was available at the time of writing.
Do wind turbines cause ill health?
The available scientific literature concludes the following:
• There is no peer reviewed scientific data to support a claim that wind turbines are causing disease or adverse health effects in humans.
• There is no evidence for a set of health effects from exposure to wind turbines that could be characterised as a ‘wind turbine syndrome’. The research on which this claim has been made is of very poor quality and does not prove causation.
• Assuming that reported symptoms are solely related to an exogenous source (eg. wind turbines), without evaluating for other known causes of these symptoms, is not consistent with best practice in medicine.
The scientific evidence does not support a causal link between wind turbines and ill health. However, in order to investigate your question as thoroughly as possible, I have analysed general practice data from 2009 to 2016 to ascertain whether there was an increase in reporting of dizziness since the wind turbines began operating. The data, both for Fairlie and for other areas close to the turbines, do not show any increase in the number of people reporting symptoms of dizziness to their GP following the installation of the wind turbines at Hunterston. In fact, the numbers are consistent year-on-year.
To conclude, there is no convincing evidence that the reported symptoms of dizziness and/or nausea in the Fairlie Community are caused by the Hunterston wind farm. Although the international literature suggests that wind farms can lead to concerns from the public, these concerns about health impact are not supported by research. I am sure you agree with me that this important message should be shared by the Fairlie Community with concerned residents, especially given the recent media interest in this story.
I hope that the Fairlie Community Council is reassured by my investigations into their concerns. I would ask that you share this letter with members of your Community Council to help allay any anxieties the public may have about the wind turbines.
In the meantime, I would recommend that any residents who have significant concerns about their health seek medical attention. There are many different causes of dizziness and nausea and if symptoms are severe or ongoing, I would advise people to seek help from their GP.
Yours sincerely,
Hazel Henderson MA (Hons) MSc FFPH MSc
Consultant in Public Health
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