Noise Pollution
Table of Contents
Understanding Noise Levels
What is Noise Pollution
"Noise pollution is defined as unwanted sounds that disrupt normal sound in the environment. Noise pollution often emanates from railroads, road traffic, aircraft, loud music, construction sites, and industrial activities. Nevertheless, the definition of noise is subjective as it varies from one individual to another. In the majority of cases, individual response to noise is influenced by loudness, time pattern, and frequency.
Other factors include the nature of the activity that produces the noise and the level of background sound before the introduction of another louder sound frequency. Noise is the only form of pollution that is ever-present but rarely noticed despite its adverse effects. It can lead to loss of memory, deafness or in some cases psychiatric disorders. Sensitivity to different sound frequencies is measured using the A-weighted decibel scale (dBA)." - https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/sources-prevention-noise-pollution.php
Sound Level Decibel (dB) Key
0-65 dB - Healthy
66-85 dB - Somewhat Loud
86-139 dB - Damaging to Hearing
Avoid long exposure without protection.
140+ dB Harmful to Hearing
Wear protection or avoid all together.
Consequences of Noise Pollution
"Described as “an underestimated threat” by the World Health Organization (WHO), noise pollution is “a leading environmental nuisance”. And with good reason: because we subconsciously interpret abrupt noises as signs of danger, they “trigger involuntary fight-or-flight responses” and “strain [the] autonomic nervous and endocrine systems”.
As a result, noise pollution can impair sleep, work and school performance, and hearing itself. Longer-term impacts include:
Mental health symptoms like anxiety, stress, fatigue, and headache
“Heart attacks, strokes, and other serious heart-related problems”.
European research shows that noise pollution can even lead to premature deaths. Such high stakes show why opportunities to find peace—away from the likes of traffic noise, errant burglar alarms, and pneumatic drills—are so important.
Nature sounds (also known as ‘green noise’) can improve well-being by “physically alter[ing] our brains’ connections” and boosting the “parasympathetic response […] that helps the body relax”. But if escaping the city in search of birdsong, the hum of bees, and rustling leaves isn’t an option, why not explore some of the most calming spaces that are within reach?" - The Quietest Places in the World’s Loudest Cities
Top Sources of Noise Pollution
The major sources of noise pollution vary from region to region, from culture to culture, and based on other geographical or industrial features.
International
Some major sources globally include:
Wars
Airports - especially planes and helicopters.
Industrial Zones
Roads - especially freeways and tollways.
Festivals & Concerts
Train Intersections
Shipping Ports - including cruise ship docks.
Lawn Care Equipment - especially leaf blowers, mowers, and weed whackers. Tree and bush trimmers can also cause hearing loss.
Emergency Vehicle Sirens
Race Tracks & Stadiums
Sports Stadiums
Deforestation
Fireworks
Click the Marine Noise Pollution button to learn about the common causes of underwater noise pollution.
Africa
Nigeria
How Noise Pollution is Bearing Down on Millions in Nigeria "In Africa's most populous country and largest economy, noise is the price millions of people pay for living in a rapidly expanding urban jungle. From industries to notoriously heavy traffic, cities like Lagos, Nigeria's most densely populated, are a cacophonous assault on the eardrums.
"We endure unbearable noise daily," rues Adebomeyin Oluwatosin, a resident of Lagos.
Many homes, business premises and offices across Nigeria operate mostly without electricity from the national grid, leaving them with no option but to use high-decibel power generators. The trade-off is a forced co-existence with noise.
Experts say excessive noise seriously harms human health, and in the least, interferes with productivity and societal well-being.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says any noise above 65 decibels (dB) constitutes noise pollution and ‘"becomes harmful when it exceeds 75 decibels (dB)". When the level reaches 120db, it becomes "painful" to the ear.
Dr Murtala Uba Mohammed, who has researched exposure, perception and the impact of noise pollution in Kano – one of Nigeria's more populous cities – warns that residents of the city are exposed to more than the "dosage threshold" of noise."
"Mohammed, a geography lecturer at Bayero University in Kano, tells TRT Afrika that many residences in the city fall under ‘"black acoustic zones", or areas with noise levels above limits based on WHO guidelines.
According to him, noise pollution could be partly responsible for the prevalence of multiple health conditions, including depression and heart illnesses.
His research revealed that the source of outdoor noise pollution is largely from transport, industrial machineries and construction sites. Commercial activities and population density are the other triggers, both of which he blames on lack of proper town planning and inadequate law enforcement.
Mohammed used sound level meters to record weeklong noise levels from December 2017 to February 2018 at 40 locations in the city. He also recorded traffic noise from 15 road corridors during three specific traffic peak periods – 8-10am, 12-2pm and 4-6pm.
Car honking is among the most disturbing forms of noise in Nigerian cities, Mohammed says of his findings.
Although schools were among the least polluted by external noise in Kano, the study discovered they were seriously impacted, too, and that consistent noise could disturb the learning and cognitive abilities of students.
The geography lecturer suggests that the Nigerian authorities "regulate school sites or create special districts for public and private schools" to address the impact of noise on learning institutions.
Ridwan Imam Salis, a Kano resident, tells TRT Afrika that he experiences "changes in my hearing ability" and sometimes gets a headache from the noisy surroundings in the Fagge neighbourhood, where he works."
Asia
India
According to 5 Major Sources of Noise Pollution the top five sources of noise pollution around India starting with the worst are:
War Between Countries
Neighborhood Noise
Traffic Noise
Occupational Noise
Noise at Religious & Cultural Events
Europe
"Noise pollution remains a major environmental health problem in Europe, with the transport sector being a major cause. Road traffic noise is the dominant source affecting human exposure above the EU’s threshold of 55 decibels (dB) for daily exposure and 50 dB for night exposure. Around 100 million people are exposed to road traffic noise above 55 dB in the 33 member countries of the EEA (Figure 1). Of these, 32 million are exposed to very high noise levels (above 65 dB). Railways is the second largest source, with 19 million people exposed above 55 dB. Aircraft noise, close to major airports, is the third main source, with more than 4.1 million people exposed, followed by industrial noise within urban areas, with 1.0 million people exposed.
Noise from road traffic alone is the second most harmful environmental stressor in Europe, behind air pollution, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The harmful effects of noise arise mainly from the stress reaction it causes in the human body, which can also occur during sleep. These can potentially lead to premature death, cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment, sleep disturbance, hypertension and, at the least, annoyance." - https://www.eea.europa.eu/highlights/road-traffic-remains-biggest-source
Solutions to Reduce Noise Pollution
The following topics are sorted alphabetically.
Bubble Curtains
Construction
Building new buildings, roads, and other structures can create an incredible amount of noise pollution. This is generally because of the machines needed for working with cement, metal, cutting or drilling wood, cutting tiles, etc. Using more eco-friendly materials such as cob, wattle and daub, roofs made from leaves or dried grass can all help to eliminate sound pollution from building.
Fireworks
Click the Fireworks button to learn more about fireworks and quieter, more eco-friendly alternatives.
Landscaping
Click the Landscaping Pollution button to learn some easy and cost effective ways to reduce noise pollution associated with landscaping and garden maintenance.
Monitoring & Mapping
Transportation
Transportation produces a growing amount of noise pollution. Shipping lanes, air ports, train junctions, private vehicles, and highways all contribute to the growing din. This section explores some ways to solve the problem.
Traffic
Noise pollution from traffic is bad for the mental and physical health of humans, birds, insects, and probably other species too. Kids in schools with high levels of traffic pollution scored lower on tests than kids in schools without noise pollution.
Click the Transit button to learn more about eco-friendly transportation options. Generally the active modes of transport are a lot quieter than passive transport. Though passenger trains, electric buses, and electric or hybrid cars in electric mode are generally much quieter than their counter parts.
Air Travel
Planes and helicopters produce a huge amount of air and noise pollution, but modern air ships may soon provide a quieter and more eco-friendly alternative to air travel.
Ships & Boats
Propellers produce extreme underwater noise pollution which can effect organisms like plankton and rare glass sponges at the bottom of the food chain, all the way up to dolphins and whale. In addition propellers are extremely dangerous in wildlife collisions, leaving deep gashes on the bodies of whales and manatees.
Speed changes, changes to propellers, and switching to sail power can all help reduce noise while reducing other risks to wildlife.
Marine Noise Pollution
Noise travels especially well under water, though our own ears aren't adapted to hear it. Now that we've invented technology that can investigate underwater noises, scientists have found that reefs are lively with the sounds of fish and other animals. In fact experiments on mussels has uncovered that baby mussels (or spat) prefer the snapping sound of shrimp, and will specifically settle in areas where recordings of their noises are being played, while there is less success in experiments without this relatively quiet sound.
Noise pollution under water can negatively impact feeding, mating, and other behaviors. The louder noises can disorient or even physically harm tiny organisms from plankton and glass coral, right up to much larger creatures including manatees, dolphins, and whales.
Organisms Affected by Noise Pollution
Aquatic Organisms
13:45 minute video dives into how loud our oceans are getting, and why. Then we learn about different solutions already being used to help turn the noise back down.
Click the Marine Noise Pollution button to learn about the many marine species impacted by noise pollution.
Insects
Birds
Maps
International
Africa
Kenya
Noise Pollution Mapping Using GIS in Nairobi, Kenya "This paper describes a study that aimed at measuring the noise levels at selected points in Nairobi’s CBD with a view to generate a noise map over the study area in addition to identifying areas of high noise intensity or noise hot spots. The study found that noise levels, on average, varied from 61 db to 78 db, increasing from the west to the east of the CBD, and emanated mainly from vehicular traffic; several noise hotspots were also identified, and they are located mainly to the east of the CBD. The paper concludes that although the study was not city-wide, the noise levels observed are high enough to warrant further research and action by the environmental authorities."