The idea that wind turbines can cause health problems isn’t new, but now a fresh crop of complaints is appearing in Japan. Asahi Shimbun reports that over 70 people living near turbines in the country have supposedly fallen sick due to a mysterious “wind turbine disease”.
Japanese residents are complaining of headaches, dizziness, and insomnia, and while no one is sure of the cause, the Environment Ministry suspects it has to do with low-frequency sounds produced by wind turbines.
Similar complaints have come from people living close to air-conditioning equipment and factory boilers— both of which also produce low-frequency sounds of 100 hertz or less.
The Environment Ministry is examining research showing a potential link between wind turbines and health in order to determine a plan of action. Japan currently has over 1,400 turbines.
Photo Credit: NREL
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