What Is Noise Pollution?
Noise pollution is defined as exposure to elevated sound levels for an extended period of time that may adversely affect humans or other living organisms. Researching the effects of noise pollution on human health, wildlife, and environmental quality is essential for preserving the environment and improving human life.
Formerly, hearing loss was considered a hazard in certain job positions, such as aviators and boilermakers, and occurs due to aging (medical condition presbycusis) and after prolonged exposure to noise at the community level. Still, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) now recognize the harmful health effects of noise pollution. Namely, noise pollution is defined as “an increasing public health problem” by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Noise exposure can lead to various health issues, including hearing loss, headaches, extreme stress, sleep deprivation, high blood pressure, speech difficulties, decreased productivity, mental health effects, and general diminishment of overall well-being. Additionally, noise pollution impairs child development, and children living in areas with high levels of noise pollution often suffer from stress, memory impairment, and attention span (Berglund et al., 1999).
The air around us is constantly filled with different sounds. And yet, most people would not say that we are surrounded by noise, which is especially true for people living in urban areas. However, constant and persistent noise sources can be considered an annoyance, contributing to major consequences regarding human health and the environment.
How Is Noise Measured?
The sound waves are air molecules vibrations carried from a noise source to the ear. Typically, the sound is defined in terms of loudness (amplitude) and wave frequency. Amplitude is the sound pressure level (SPL) measured in decibels dB. On average, the human ear can detect sounds in the range of 0 – 140 dB. The sound of 0 dB is a hearing threshold; ambient SPL in a library is approximately 30-35 dB (faint dB reading, whisper); 40-50 dB is the sound of moderate rainfall; and in a quiet room, the sound produced by dishwasher, alarm clock, busy street, vacuum cleaner, normal conversation is very loud, and in range of 60-80 dB; inside a moving bus, subway, lawnmower, shop tools, truck traffic the sound is around 85-90 dB and is described as extremely loud sound; building construction activities generate about 105 dB; amplitudes between 120 – 140 dB can cause pain, such as sounds produced by a jackhammer, jet plane takeoff, or amplified rock music at 4-6 ft.
According to WHO, exposure to sound levels lower than 70 dB is not dangerous to live organisms and does not have damaging consequences, regardless of whether the exposure to this noise level is long and consistent. Still, exposure for more than 8 hours a day to noise levels higher than 85 dB may be hazardous (Environmental Pollution Centers. n.d.).
Effects on Humans and Wildlife
Conclusions from the second report on environmental noise published by the EEA
According to a report from European Economic Area (EEA) indicates that in Europe, exposure to environmental noise, and in particular road traffic noise, is a widespread problem, with at least one in five people exposed to noise pollution levels considered harmful to health (European Environment Agency, 2021). Namely, 20% of Europe’s population is exposed to long-term noise levels that are harmful to the overall health, or in other words, over 100 million people (European Environment Agency, 2021). Unfortunately, projections show that due to urban growth and increased mobility demand, it is improbable that the number of people exposed to noise pollution with substantially decrease in the future.
The report estimates that noise pollution contributes to 48,000 new cases of ischemic heart disease per year and 12,000 premature deaths (Peris, 2020). Additionally, approximately 22 million people suffer chronic high annoyance, and 6.5 million people suffer chronic high sleep disturbance. Aircraft noise accounts for over 12,500 school children who suffer from reading impairment (Peris, 2020).
Environmental Impact of Noise Pollution on Biodiversity
Noise is more than simple annoyance or inconvenience. Besides causing numerous health issues to people, noise pollution also impacts wildlife. A wide range of animals rely on sounds, including frogs, birds, bats, and insects. Noise pollution impairs an animals’ ability to use sound for communication, navigation, finding food, attracting a mate, or avoiding predators. Noise pollution is a highly severe issue for marine animals as well. Notably, species that rely on echolocation, such as whales and dolphins. Nowadays, the world’s oceans are polluted with powerful sounds from shipping vessels, seismic survey devices, coastal recreational watercraft, and oil drills. Naval sonar devices are the largest threat to these organisms because the sounds are deafening and can travel for hundreds of miles through the water. Moreover, since water particles are more densely packed than air, the sound travels faster in the ocean.
Sonar, similarly to echolocation, sends sound pulses down into the ocean depths to bounce off an object and return an echo to the ship. The sounds released from sonar are approximately 235 dB, interfering with the ability of whales and other species to use echolocation. Research has shown that mid-frequency active sonar use has caused mass stranding of Cuvier’s beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris), Blainville’s beaked whales (Mesoplodon densirostris), and northern minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), in the Bahamas, in 2000 (Balcomb & Claridge, 2001).
Seismic surveying creates the most deafening sounds in the ocean. This process allows surveyors to discover suitable spots for drilling for fossil fuels. Large boats float over potential drilling areas and use “airguns” to detect oil on the ocean floor. The pulses occur every 10 seconds and produce a sound as loud as a jet takeoff. Surveying can last for weeks, and the sound can be heard at over 2,500 miles. As a result of these activities, marine species are unable to navigate through water. In 2002, 14 whales were found stranded in the Canary Islands due to sonar signals.
Institutions at the global level are working on solving this problem. In 2015, the United States Navy agreed to limit sonar changes in the U.S. The following year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) introduced Ocean Noise Strategy Roadmap which aims to address noise impacts to aquatic species and their habitat.
Noise Regulation and Mitigation: The Role of EPA
Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA established the Office of Noise Abatement and Control (ONAC) to conduct investigations and studies on noise and its effect on public health and welfare. EPA coordinated Federal noise control activities through ONAC, but in 1981, the Administration concluded that noise issues were best handled at the State and local levels. As a result, the ONAC was closed, and all of the primary responsibilities of addressing noise issues were transferred to State and local governments. EPA retains the authority to thoroughly investigate noise pollution and its effects on the environment and human health. According to the Noise Control Act of 1972 and the Quiet Communities Act of 1978, the EPA is also tasked with disseminating information regarding noise pollution, responding to inquiries on noise-related issues, and evaluating the success of existing regulations for protecting public health and welfare.
Sources:
Berglund, B., Lindvall, T., Schwela, D. H. & World Health Organization. (1999). Guidelines for community noise. World Health Organization, Occupational and Environmental Health Team. Retrieved from: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/66217
Balcomb, K. & Claridge, D.E. (2001). A mass stranding of cetaceans caused by naval sonar in the Bahamas. Bahamas Journal of Science, 5(01). Retrieved from: http://www.bahamaswhales.org/Stranding_Article.pdf
Environmental Pollution Centers. (n.d.). What is noise pollution?. Environmental Pollution Centers, Noise Pollution. Retrieved May 16, 2022, from https://www.environmentalpollutioncenters.org/noise-pollution/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20World%20Health,85%20dB%20may%20be%20hazardous.
European Environment Agency. (2021). Noise pollution is a major problem, both for human health and the environment. European Environment Agency. Retrieved from https://www.eea.europa.eu/articles/noise-pollution-is-a-major
Peris, E. (2020). (rep.). Environmental noise in Europe — 2020. European Environment Agency. Retrieved from https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/environmental-noise-in-europe/at_download/file.