Do wind turbine blades cause pollution

Are wind turbine blades toxic?

Even before they hit the dump, wind turbine blades are shedding their toxic plastic residues far and wide. That the plastics in the blades are toxic is without doubt. With a few images added by STT, Dr Eric Blondeel provides a timely (and frightening) analysis of what the wind industry has in store for you and yours.

Are wind turbines a health hazard?

Sound and visual impact are the two main public health and community concerns associated with operating wind turbines. Most of the sound generated by wind turbines is aerodynamic, caused by the movement of turbine blades through the air. There is also mechanical sound generated by the turbine itself.

Do wind turbines reduce air pollution?

Wind turbines do not release emissions that can pollute the air or water (with rare exceptions), and they do not require water for cooling. Wind turbines may also reduce electricity generation from fossil fuels, which results in lower total air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions.

Are wind turbine blades dumping plastic?

These 10-20 tonne, 40-60m long chunks of plastic, fibreglass, balsa wood and resins can’t be recycled, so the wind industry has been dumping them quietly for years now; often illegally (see above). Even before they hit the dump, wind turbine blades are shedding their toxic plastic residues far and wide.

How do wind turbines affect the environment?

Wind turbines may also reduce electricity generation from fossil fuels, which results in lower total air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions. An individual wind turbine has a relatively small physical footprint. Groups of wind turbines, sometimes called wind farms, are located on open land, on mountain ridges, or offshore in lakes or the ocean.

Why do wind turbines erode so much?

The estimates show that there are almost certainly large and strongly under communicated emissions from the wind turbine industry. Increased blade diameter gives increased tip speed. With speeds more than 300 km/h = 83 m/s, the encounter with raindrops, hail and ice particles will increase the erosion of the blades.