Health related guidelines for wind farms in Belgiu m

In 2011 the Belgian authorities have asked the Supe
rior Health Council (SHC) to advise on the health e
ffects
of wind farms. A working group of experts with diff
erent backgrounds was put together to assess all th
e
available literature. This group considered the req
uest in the context of sustainable development and
drafted
an advice that was reviewed by two international ex
perts. It is expected that the advice will be publi
shed in
the spring of 2013.
The advice mentions direct effects of operational w
ind turbines that may have negative consequences fo
r the
health and well-being of neighbouring people. It st
resses the importance of factors such as the change
in
landscape, the possible intrusion on people’s attac
hment to their environment and the effect of local
economic benefits and costs associated with a wind
energy project. Also, the perception of the future
quality
of life will determine the social acceptance of a w
ind project by a local community. The advice gives
a
number of recommendations to better deal with all t
hese aspects. The paper will give an overview and
explanation of these recommendations.