Despite criticism and doubts from residents — one of the authors of a study that says wind turbines pose no health risks stands by the findings.
Doctor David Colby says they went through mountains of literature and found no link to wind turbines and adverse health effects.
The study was funded by the Canadian and American Wind Energy Associations — but Doctor Colby says the panel who did the study was not for sale.
Doctor Colby — the Medical Officer of Health in Chatham Kent — says the experts and doctors on the panel had ‘sterling qualifications’.
He notes they were asked to conduct the study because government agencies in Canada and the U-S said there wasn’t enough information to suggest wind turbines were causing problems in the first place.
Doctor Colby says they researched many months of literature and found no unique sounds from turbines and no evidence that they make people sick.
The study did find that some people can get stressed out from living near wind turbines — and Doctor Colby doesn’t doubt that happens.
But he says people get stressed out about many things and there is no evidence to suggest that it can lead to cancer or diabetes.
Doctor Colby says people may get annoyed by the “swishing” sounds from turbines — just as they do with loud music from another room or water dripping from a tap.
Doctor Colby says the “swishing” noise is no different than normal City noise or wind blowing through trees.
Doctor Colby also suggests the provincial regulations for setbacks and noise levels are more than adequate.