全部 标题 作者
关键词 摘要

OALib Journal期刊
ISSN: 2333-9721
费用:99美元

查看量下载量

Wind Turbine Incident/Complaint Reports in Ontario, Canada: A Review—Why Are They Important?

DOI: 10.4236/oalib.1105200, PP. 1-12

Subject Areas: Law, Civil Engineering

Keywords: Industrial Wind Turbines, Windmills, Incident Reports and Complaints, Public Health Surveillance

Full-Text   Cite this paper   Add to My Lib

Abstract

Background: The introduction of industrial wind turbines into quiet rural en-vironments in Ontario, Canada has resulted in complaints about environmental noise and adverse health effects. Ontario has a process whereby residents can report noise to government. Official government records of Incident Reports/Complaints submitted by residents living near operating wind turbine installations were obtained through a Freedom of Information request. This article presents an evaluation of this process while commenting on the significance of Incident Reports/Complaints. Methods: Government records of Incident Reports/Complaints were analysed. Peer reviewed publications, conference presentations, judicial proceedings, government resources, and other sources were evaluated and considered in context with the topic under discussion. Objectives: The purpose of this article is to present the role and significance of Incident Reports/Complaints and discuss the value of these when assessing outcomes related to the introduction of wind turbines into a quiet rural environment. Results: Government records document 4574 Incident Reports/Complaints received by Ontario’s hotline (2006- 2016). There was no ministry response to over 50% of more than 3000 submitted formal complaints (2006-2014). Another 30% were noted as “deferred” response. Only 1% of the reports received a priority response. Provincial Officers noted in summary reports that people were reporting health effects such as: headache, sleep deprivation, annoyance, and ringing or pressure sensation in the head and ears. Health effects were reported many times including those occurring among children. Discussion: In the case of wind power installations, Incident Reports/Complaints are an important source of information for evaluating outcomes of introducing a new noise source into a quiet rural environment and are a form of public health surveillance. These reports can highlight risks to a healthy community living environment, act as an early warning system, and aid in evaluation of government policy initiatives. They may also be used before legal tribunals in public or private actions.

Cite this paper

Krogh, C. M. , Wilson, E. J. and Harrington, M. E. (2019). Wind Turbine Incident/Complaint Reports in Ontario, Canada: A Review—Why Are They Important?. Open Access Library Journal, 6, e5200. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1105200.

References

[1]  Overview of Ontario’s Green Energy Act (2009) Prepared by Richard D. Lindgren. Canadian Environmental Law Association.
https://www.cela.ca/newsevents/fiche-d%E2%80%99information/overview-ontarios-green-energy-act
[2]  Green Energy Act (2009) Chapter 12. Schedule A. An Act to Enact the Green Energy Act, and to Build a Green Economy, to Repeal the Energy Con-servation Leadership Act, 2006 and the Energy Efficiency Act and to Amend Other Statutes.
http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/source/statutes/english/2009/elaws_src_s09012_e.htm
[3]  Krogh, C.M.E. (2011) Industrial Wind Turbine Development and Loss of Social Justice? Bulletin of Science Technology & Society, 31, 321.
http://bst.sagepub.com/content/31/4/321
https://doi.org/10.1177/0270467611412550
[4]  Krogh, C.M.E., Gillis, L., Kouwen, N. and Aramini, J. (2011) WindVOiCe, a Self- Reporting Survey: Adverse Health Effects, Industrial Wind Turbines, and the Need for Vigilance Monitoring p. 335. Bulletin of Science Technology & Society, 31, 334.
http://bst.sagepub.com/content/31/4/334
https://doi.org/10.1177/0270467611412551
[5]  Legislative Assembly of Ontario First Session, 39th Parliament. Report Journal of Debates (Hansard) (2009) Standing Committee on Green Energy and Green Economy Act, 2009. David Orazietti, Chair, Testimony by Dr. Robert McMurtry p. G-664.
https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/committees/general-government/parliament-39/transcripts/committee-transcript-2009-apr-22#P68_2635
[6]  Legislative Assembly of Ontario First Session, 39th Parliament. Report Journal of Debates (Hansard) (2009) Standing Committee on Green Energy and Green Economy Act, 2009. David Orazietti, Chair. Testimony by Ashbee B., p. G-516 and the Ripley Group, p. G-547.
https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/committees/general-government/parliament-39/transcripts/committee-transcript-2009-apr-15#P1296_397237
[7]  Concerned Citizens of North Stormont v. Director, Ontario, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. Ontario Environmental Review Tribunal. Renewable Energy Approval Appeal Case No. 18-028. Witness Statement by Wilson J. (2018) PDF Copy Available on Request.
[8]  Ontario Ministry of Environment. Spills Action Line.
https://www.ontario.ca/page/report-pollution-and-spills
[9]  Wind Concerns Ontario (2017) Response to Wind Turbine Noise Complaints: A Report on Incident Records Released under Ontario Freedom of Information and Privacy Act. 4-5.
http://www.windconcernsontario.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/NoiseResponseReport-FINAL-May9.pdf
[10]  Wind Concerns Ontario (2018) Response to Wind Turbine Noise Complaints, Second Report Noise Complaints 2015-2016. 12.
http://www.windconcernsontario.ca/ontario-government-failed-to-respond-to-wind-turbine-noise-reports-documents-show/
[11]  What Is an Incident Report-Nursing Crib. Perioperative Nursing (2010) By Daisy Jane Antipuesto RN, MN.
https://nursingcrib.com/perioperative-nursing/incident-report/
[12]  Why Incident Reports Are a Must. NSO Insurance-Risk Education-NSO.
https://www.nso.com/Learning/Artifacts/Articles/Why-incident-reports-are-a-must
[13]  Preventive Law in the Medical Environment-Incident Reports. Chapter 1.
https://biotech.law.lsu.edu/Books/aspen/Aspen-INCIDENT.html
[14]  Kroening, H.L., Kerr, B., Bruche, J. and Yardley, I. (2015) Patient Complaints as Predictors of Patient Safety Incidents. Patient Experience Journal, 2, 94-101.
https://pxjournal.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1052&context=journal
[15]  CDC (Centers for Disease Control, 2001). Updated guidelines for evaluating public health surveillance systems: recommendations from the guidelines working group. MMWR 2001; 50(No. RR-13). https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/13376
[16]  Health Canada (2014) Health Canada’s Wind Turbine Noise and Health Study. Summary of Re-sults.
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/environmental-workplace-health/noise/wind-turbine-noise/wind-turbine-noise-health-study-summary-results.html
[17]  Colby, W., Dobie, R., Leventhall, G., Lipscomb, D., McCunney, R., Seilo, M. and S?ndergaard, B. (2009) Wind Turbine Sound and Health Effects: An Expert Panel Review. American Wind Energy Association and Canadian Wind Energy Association.
http://www.canwea.ca/pdf/talkwind/Wind_Turbine_Sound_and_Health_Effects.pdf
[18]  Health Canada (2005) Community Noise Annoyance, Its Your Health.
https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/hc-sc/migration/hc-sc/hl-vs/alt_formats/pacrb-dgapcr/pdf/iyh-vsv/life-vie/community-urbain-eng.pdf
[19]  Jeffery, R.D., Krogh, C.M.E. and Horner, B. (2014) Industrial Wind Turbines and Adverse Health Effects. Canadian Journal of Rural Medicine, 19, 21-26.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24398354
[20]  Administrative Appeals Tribunal (2017) Waubra Foundation vs. ACNC. Decision & Reasons, Summary of the Effect of the Medical and Scientific Evidence. 143.
https://waubrafoundation.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Decision-4-Dec-17.pdf
[21]  Niemann, H., Bonnefoy, X., Braubach, M., Hecht, K., Maschke, C., Rodrigues, C. and Robbel, N. (2006) Noise-Induced Annoyance and Morbidity Results from the Pan—European LARES Study. Noise Health, 8, 63-79.
http://www.noiseandhealth.org/article.asp?issn=1463-1741;year=2006;volume=8;issue=31;spage=63;epage=79;aulast=Niemann
https://doi.org/10.4103/1463-1741.33537
[22]  Niemann, H. and Maschke, C. (2004) LARES Final Report Noise Effects and Morbidity. World Health Organization.
http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/105144/WHO_Lares.pdf
[23]  Hahad, O., Beutel, M., Gori, T., Schulz, A., Blettner, M., Pfeiffer, N., et al. (2018) Annoyance to Different Noise Sources Is Associated with Atrial Fibrillation in the Gutenberg Health Study. International Journal of Cardiology, 264, 79-84.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167527317371747
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2018.03.126
[24]  Maziul, M., Job, R. and Vogt, J. (2005) Complaint Data as an Index of An-noyance- Theoretical and Methodological Issues. Noise Health, 7, 17-27.
http://www.noiseandhealth.org/article.asp?issn=1463-1741;year=2005;volume=7;issue=28;spage=17;epage=27;aulast=Maziul
[25]  Government of Canada. Health Canada. Adverse Reaction Reporting for Specific Products. Medical Devices.
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/news/media-room/advisories-warnings/adverse-reaction-reporting.html
[26]  Gov-ernment of Canada. Health Canada. Canada Vigilance Program.
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/medeffect-canada/canada-vigilance-program.html
[27]  Government of Canada. Health Canada. MedEffect Canada. Adverse Reaction Reporting Information.
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/medeffect-canada/adverse-reaction-reporting/adverse-reaction-reporting-adverse-reaction-reporting-information.html
[28]  McMurtry, R.Y. and Krogh, C.M. (2009) Meeting with the Office of the Minister of Health. Meeting Notes.
[29]  VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System).
https://vaers.hhs.gov/about.html
[30]  VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System). Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). https://vaers.hhs.gov/faq.html
[31]  VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System). Strengths and Limitations of VAERS Data.
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/ensuringsafety/monitoring/vaers/index.html
[32]  Concerned Citizens of North Stormont v. Director, Ontario Ministry Environment, Conservation and Parks. Case 18-028. Decision.
http://elto.gov.on.ca/tribunals/ert/decisions-orders/
[33]  Aronson, J.K. and Hauben, M. (2006) Anecdotes That Provide Defini-tive Evidence. BMJ, 333, 1267-1269. https://www.bmj.com/content/333/7581/1267
[34]  Hansard, Ontario Legislature, Oral Ques-tions, Session: 41:2.
https://www.ola.org/sites/default/files/node-files/hansard/document/pdf/2017/2017-04/house-document-hansard-transcript-2-EN-12-APR-2017_L068.pdf
[35]  Environmental Protection Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. E.19.
https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90e19?search=Environment Protection Act R.S.O. 1990%2C c. E.19

Full-Text


comments powered by Disqus

Contact Us

service@oalib.com

QQ:3279437679

WhatsApp +8615387084133

WeChat 1538708413