Sylvia Jones
Minister of Health
sylvia.jones@ontario.ca
Lisa Thompson
Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
minister.omafra@ontario.ca
David Piccini
Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks
david.piccinico@pc.ola.org
Doug Ford
Premier
premier@ontario.ca
April 31, 2023
Premier and Ministers of the Ontario Government,
I am writing today to ask a question brought forward by recent events. “What is the Government of Ontario doing to protect the people of Ontario’s health, food supply and animal welfare from the shrapnel and chemicals in the breakdown of industrial wind turbine blades?
Currently all but two Ontario industrial wind turbines are situated on prime agricultural land. Concerns and issues have been reported regularly since the dawn of industrial wind turbines in Ontario, but remain unaddressed and continue to be a growing health and environmental risk.
The health and agricultural issues reported are consistent around the world. Negative impacts of the degradation and destruction of turbine blades is now publicly available. The Nation Rise wind project is only one of many projects that have experienced blade issues. A video of the August, 2021 blade breakup can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/ruby.mekker/videos/1405528446483676?idorvanity=475631356677930
The history of concern for blade disposal in the Nation Rise wind project, built on prime agricultural land where Ontario food is grown, is chronicled:
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May 20, 2021 |
Letter sent to Lisa Chalmers, Senior Environmental Officer, Cornwall Area Office, Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks |
Wind turbine blades are made of glass or carbon fibers solidified with epoxy resins obtained by polymerizing Bisphenol A. The new blades can weigh up to 20 tonnes each (13 tonnes for a 2.3 MW wind turbine). According to the Norwegian report, they contain residues which can be released as pure Bisphenol A. The amount of epoxy emitted by a wind turbine along the coast of Norway is estimated at 60 kg per year. https://www.nmf.no/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Green-Warriors-of-Norway-ECHA_REACH-Bisphenol-comments-and-evidence.pdf |
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May 21, 2021 |
MECP response |
“Waste is managed under Regulation 347. Waste is categorized as “solid non-hazardous”, liquid industrial, or hazardous. The MECP legislation outlines how a waste is to be categorized and, therefore, how the waste can be disposed of… The Generator (owner) of the waste is responsible for determining the waste category, in accordance with the regulation…
Based on my discussion with Nation Rise, the company is are aware of the obligation for disposal. The blade will be onsite until they determine the disposal method for the blade. In the meantime, the MECP has no concerns about the temporary staging of the (waste) blade, on site. |
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Aug 31, 2021 |
MECP response 9:27 AM
10:35AM |
“As noted to you in my earlier emails, waste management falls under Regulation 347. I have determined that the blade was disposed of at a facility that operates under an MECP Waste Disposal Approval, and in accordance with the regulation.” “As per Regulation 347, the waste was determined by the generator and receiver to be solid non-hazardous waste and was disposed of a facility approved to receive the waste. There are no environmental concerns with the disposal method.” |
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Jan 7 2022 |
To: David Piccini, Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks |
Conversation notes:”Thank you for speaking with me today. I sincerely appreciate you answering the phone and listening to my concerns about industrial wind turbines in Ontario.” |
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Feb 6 2022 |
To David Piccini Minister MECP |
Please confirm that you heard my phone message of Feb 25, 2022 Is Mr. Piccini, as Minister of MECP aware of the blade replacement issue in the Nation Rise Wind project, the German project where 4 more of the same prototype turbines have had blade issues |
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Feb 28 2022 |
Office of Sylvia Jones, Solicitor General
No response |
“as Solicitor General, should be updated on what is happening with the E138 prototype turbines around the world. These are the same prototype turbines in the Nation Rise Wind project which the people have been telling MECP, our MPP, our local Council, and the IESO were having ongoing operational issues. Knowing how close and how clustered these turbines are to the homes of the North Stormont people I believe it is time the Government of Ontario stopped the project until it can be proven the blades are not broken and that they will be able to last for the duration of the project.” |
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Feb 28 2022 |
To David Picinni MECP
No response |
“Enercon machines in southern Germany halts all nine turbines as root cause investigated, while blade of same model also damaged in France” |
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Mar 1 2022 |
To Peter Taylor Director, Eastern Region MECP
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The question is, has EDPR notified MECP that there is an apparent flaw in the wind turbine blade of the E138 turbines used in the Nation Rise wind project? If so please provide me with MECP’s reply. |
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Mar 2 2022 |
Michael Seguin Area Supervisor Cornwall Area Office MECP |
Thank you for your email inquiring about the status of operations at the Nation Rise Wind Farm project and sharing information about turbine failures in Germany.
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Mar 8 2022 |
To Doug Downey Attorney General |
The Ontario Government, MECP and the IESO have been made aware of the blade issue in the prototype Enercon E-138 used in the Nation Rise Wind project. One blade has already been replaced, another turbine is now stopped with no explanation given other than “routine maintenance.” |
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Sept 2, 2022 |
Letter sent to MECP with video of the August, 2021 blade breakup in Nation Rise wind project with request for review of video and articles and comments |
Published August7, 2022: https://rmx.news/article/wind-turbines-emit-highly-dangerous-climate-destroying-gas-with-germany-the-worst-polluter-in-europe/
“In fact, measurements of the air over Germany have already identified the country as the worst offender in Europe when it comes to the highly dangerous substance sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). The chemical is used in the manufacturing of wind turbines and escapes into the environment. With Germany the leader in wind turbine use in Europe, scientists say this is the major factor behind the exceptionally high levels of SF6 readings in Germany.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, SF6 is a climate killer. In fact, it is 26,087 times more harmful to the climate than carbon dioxide.
Once this substance enters the atmosphere, it takes more than 3,000 years for SF6 to decompose again and become inert, according to a report from German media outlet Taggeschau.
SF6 is not only hazardous for the climate, but also extremely dangerous for humans, as it impedes the exhalation of carbon dioxide. For those who inhale SF6, they may suffer from carbon dioxide narcosis and respiratory arrest.”
It is known and now highly publicized that “wind turbine blades are made of fibreglass impregnated with epoxy to make them stronger. Epoxy contains 30-40% of Bisphenol A. Result: the particulate matter that comes from eroding windmill blades therefore contains a high content of Bisphenol A…1 gram of which makes 10 million liters of water toxic and that is harmful to humans, animals and the environment“
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Sept 6, 2022 |
MECP response
NOTE: to date no response has been received from the Standards Development Branch |
“I am forwarding it to those branches within the ministry that are responsible for policy development and review of science data (for example our Standards Development Branch). I …will forward to the departments that may deal with waste management, wind turbine approvals, or policy development.
I will continue to ensure that the regulatory requirements that are applicable and that are in place are met.” |
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Apr 26, 2023 |
Annette Bredthauer, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, 1982, and Masters Degree Entomology, 2008, Emphasis on Public Health and Animal Entomology Surgery currently of Nebraska. |
“We have heard a lot lately how some wind turbine blades are disintegrating for various reasons. This is actual shrapnel from the Irish Creek Industrial Wind project Marshall County, KS. The turbine blade ‘deconstructed’ and flung pieces of fiberglass through the fields. These pieces were picked up on a county road 800 ft from the turbine base. Pieces were thrown at least 200-300 ft more into a grass field of a non-participant neighbor. These fiberglass shards are sharp enough to prick a finger and draw blood. They will never disintegrate- will be present in the grass and hay from this field. Livestock who graze these fields or eat baled hay from these fields have serious health risks or will die! Hay from this field is not suitable for grinding as it just makes more sharp shards. A herd of cattle in the path of the shrapnel as it was flung would be impaled. And there are plasticizers and other toxic chemicals spread across the fields and blowing downwind.” https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=6178339035579640&set=a.1235240779889515
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The contamination of prime agricultural lands and its resultant impact on the health of the people of Ontario, their food source and animal health is growing with every passing day.
I am writing to ask the Premier, the Ministers of Health, Agriculture and Environment, now that the impact is clear through real life experience, what is the Government of Ontario doing to protect the people of Ontario’s health, food supply and animal welfare from the shrapnel and chemicals in the breakdown of industrial wind turbine blades?
This question is urgent and requires an urgent response.
Ruby Mekker
Finch, Ontario
Retired dairy farmer
Ontario resident that did not consent to prototype turbines built in a cluster around family home.