Noise Pollution

Almost everyone has had one experience of being temporarily "deafened" by a loud noise. This "deafness" in not permanent, although it is often accompanied by aringing in the ears, and one can hear another person if he raises his voice. Likewise, normal hearing comes back within a few hours at most.

Noise is unwanted sound. It is a pollutant and a hazard to human health and hearing.

Sound intensity is usually measured on the logarithmic decibel (dB) scale, often weighted todiscriminate against the lower frequencies, as our own ears do (dB(A)).Decibel (dB), unit used to measure the loudness of sound. It is one tenth of a bel, but the largerunit is rarely used.

Noise Levels

Both the amount of noise and the length of time you are exposed to the noise determine its ability to damage your hearing. The higher the decibel level, the louder the noise.

Painful

150 dB = Sharp rock music, shotgun120 dB = jet plane take-off, car stereo, rock concert.

Extremely Loud

110 dB = rock music, airplane106 dB = drum rolls90 dB = truck traffic, subway train

Very Loud80 dB = alarm clock, busy street70 dB = busy traffic, vacuum cleaner60 dB = normal conversation, dishwasherModerate50 dB = moderate rainfall 40 dB = quiet roomFaint30 dB = whisper, quiet library 20dB = rustling leaves

Causes of Noise Pollution

While there are many different sources of noise pollution, there are some main culprits that have beenresearched and found to have a negative impact on health. They include the following:

1. AirplanesIt’s been well-documented that noise pollution from airplanes has a significant negative impact on the health and wellbeing of those who live close to airports. This can include heart disease, high blood pressure and chronic stress.

2. CarsOne of the complaints of those who live in big cities or on busy streets is the disruption from the sounds of traffic. Interestingly, though, even low levels of traffic noise can be damaging to people, and traffic noise is one of the most commonly experienced contributors to noise pollution.

3. Workplace NoiseMost of us may think of loud assembly lines or construction sites when we think of noise pollution in the workplace. With more people packed into busy office spaces, office noise is a common complaint. Co-workers who talk, drum their fingers on the desk, or offer other distracting noises can decrease the productivity of those around them without realizing it.Many people are exposed to hazardous noise levels at work, including construction workers; musicians; and factory workers.

4. Home SoundMany people don’t think of their homes as ‘noisy’, but if there’s a lot of activity in the home, including a constantly running t.v., this overall noise level can actually be a threat to concentration and a cause of stress. In fact, children from more noisy homes do suffer ill effects from this type of sound pollution.

Noise Health Effects

The most notable physical effect of noise exposure is loss of hearing. Noise not only affects hearing. It affects other parts of the body and body systems. It is now known that noise:

• Increase in hypertension (high blood pressure).• Changing the way the heart beats, Respiratory disorders• Lower birth weight babies, Slower height and weight gains in children• Can cause an upset stomach, Disturbs digestion• Makes it difficult to sleep, even after the noise stops, sleep disturbances.• Increases dizziness, fatigue, headaches, Complications with pregnancy.• Reduces efficiency in performing daily tasks by reducing attention to tasks• Increase in physician visits, Increase consumption of medication• Hearing loss, Cancer