NOISE POLLUTION

NOISE POLLUTION

Noise pollution is an unwanted or excessive sound that can have deleterious effects on human health and environmental quality. Noise pollution is commonly generated inside many industrial facilities and some other workplaces, but it also comes from highway, railway, and airplane traffic and from outdoor construction activities.

Sources of Noise Pollution

Noise pollution is commonly generated inside many industrial facilities and some other workplaces, but it also comes from highway, railway, and airplane traffic and from outdoor construction activities. Noise pollution effects many things and is everywhere nowadays. Loud music in churches, vehicles on the road, airplanes flying above homes, construction machines in the neighborhood, and industries in urban areas. That’s without mentioning the many sources of noise within your home including the TV, blending machine, washing machine, lawn mower, etc.

Unit of Noise Pollution 

Sound is typically described in terms of 

• Loudness (also called sound pressure level, or SPL) is measured in logarithmic units     called decibels (dB).
• Pitch (frequency) 

The normal human ear can detect sounds that range between 0 dB (hearing threshold) and about 140 dB, with sounds between 120dB and 140 dB causing pain (pain threshold). The ambient SPL in a library is about 35 dB, while that inside a moving bus or subway train is roughly 85 dB; building construction activities can generate SPLs as high as 105 dB at the source. SPLs decrease with distance from the source.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, noises that exceed 80 decibels are detrimental to your health. Children are affected by noises above 60 decibels. The Decibel is the unit of measure for the intensity of sound waves and, in simple terms, any noise that dwarfs normal conversation between two people is most probably above 60 decibels.

Impacts of Noise Pollution on Environment

1. Damaged brain and hearing power

High-intensity sound waves cause unnecessary ripples in the ear canal, disturbing the fluid that aid communications between the ear and the brain. This disturbance destroys the tiny, very delicate, hair follicles that send signals to the brain whenever sounds enter the ear. Hearing loss is very probable after 50% of these hairs are gone, necessitating hearing devices, particularly for children. Research has also shown that uncontrolled exposure to high-intensity noises can seriously jeopardies a kid’s memory and reading power.

2. Increased risk of cardiovascular diseases

Being exposed to noise pollution for ten consecutive years or more raises your chances of suffering from at least one cardiovascular disease later in life by 300%. About a decade back, scientists from the University of Gothenburg found out that high noise levels increase an individual’s pulse rates and cause constriction of blood vessels, thus making him/her vulnerable to heart attacks or high blood pressure. Being exposed to such noises for more than 8 hours a day could even be worse.

3. Psychological disorders

The noises you ‘got used to’ can lead to serious psychological disorders; you may not even realize it because it becomes a part of you. Research shows that too much noise makes people easily irritable, nervousness, irrational in decision making, and constant unease throughout the day. In extreme cases, noises can make your life so stressful that you become socially aloof, unproductive at work due to poor concentration, and emotional instability due to reduced self-confidence. Without the help of those around you, you might end up developing an unlike able, socially suppressive personality without knowing it.

4. Poor sleep

If you have ever lived in a noisy neighborhood, you know how irregular sleep can get on a noisy night. The danger of not sleeping well at night is that your day gets boring, you get tired early, and you are forced to forego most energy-draining activities. You cannot, for example, be effective at the gym which increases cholesterol levels in your body. Poor sleeping patterns can also cause serious cardiovascular problems in the long run.

5. Interfering with speech

This is a no-brainier: Conversing in a noisy environment is almost impossible. Working with noisy machines, for example, affects your inter-social life and makes your days seem longer than they actually are.

6. Loss of hearing ability

If you have lost your hearing ability due to noise, it is imperative that you acquire hearing devices soonest possible. By so doing, you will be protecting your ear canals from further damage as well as getting your social vibe back. It is equally necessary for you to go slow on loud music, get noise-cancelling headphones when operating noisy machines such as the lawn mower, and to avoid staying near irritating noises for more than an hour.

Solutions for Noise pollution

Because you cannot entirely run away from the noise in the home, it is wise that you employ some protective measures to shield your ears from irritating noises.

 Some of these protective measures include: 

• Do not use loud headphones to listen to music.
• Do not use too many noisy devices at a go.
• Installing a carpet to your floor.
• Buying noise-absorbing curtains for home.
• Avoid extra use of horns.
• Spend time at peaceful place.
• Try to analyze level of noise around you.

Noise pollution: a global problem

The problem with noise pollution is that it is a contributor to hearing loss. According to WHO, 360 million people worldwide have disabling hearing loss, and 32 million of these are children. WHO says that exposure to excessive noise is one of the causes.

The Mimi study found that the average city dweller has a hearing loss equivalent to 10-20 years older than their actual age. Residents of Vienna, Austria have the least amount of hearing loss proportionate to their age, with an average hearing loss of 10.59 years. Environmental noise is not the only factor affecting aural health, however. WHO says that 1.1 billion teenagers and young adults are at risk of developing hearing loss due to the unsafe use of personal audio devices and exposure to damaging levels of sound in noisy entertainment venues. And hearing loss doesn't just affect day-to-day life. For example, it has been linked to depression and dementia. WHO says there is also a link between hearing loss and cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment, sleep disturbance and tinnitus.