Noise pollution

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Noise pollution is displeasing or excessive noise that may disrupt the activity or balance of
human or animal life. The word noise is cognate with the Latin word nauseas, which means
disgust or discomfort.
[1]
The source of most outdoor noise worldwide is mainly caused by
machines and transportation systems, motor vehicles, aircrafts, and trains.
[2][3]
Outdoor noise is
summarized by the word environmental noise. Poor urban planning may give rise to noise
pollution, since side-by-side industrial and residential buildings can result in noise pollution in
the residential areas.
Indoor noise is caused by machines, building activities, music performances, and especially in
some workplaces. There is no great difference whether noise-induced hearing loss is brought
about by outside (e.g. trains) or inside (e.g. music) noise.
High noise levels can contribute to cardiovascular effects in humans, a rise in blood pressure,
and an increase in stress and vasoconstriction, and an increased incidence of coronary artery
disease. In animals, noise can increase the risk of death by altering predator or prey detection and
avoidance, interfere with reproduction and navigation, and contribute to permanent hearing loss.
Health
Human


Loud music such as in a discothque can be a risk for human health
Main article: Health effects from noise
Noise pollution affects both health and behavior. Unwanted sound (noise) can damage
psychological health. Noise pollution can cause annoyance and aggression, hypertension, high
stress levels, tinnitus, hearing loss, sleep disturbances, and other harmful effects.
[4][5][6][7]

Furthermore, stress and hypertension are the leading causes to health problems.
[5][8]

Chronic exposure to noise may cause noise-induced hearing loss. Older males exposed to
significant occupational noise demonstrate significantly reduced hearing sensitivity than their
non-exposed peers, though differences in hearing sensitivity decrease with time and the two
groups are indistinguishable by age 79.
[9]
A comparison of Maaban tribesmen, who were
insignificantly exposed to transportation or industrial noise, to a typical U.S. population showed
that chronic exposure to moderately high levels of environmental noise contributes to hearing
loss.
[4]

High noise levels can contribute to cardiovascular effects and exposure to moderately high levels
during a single eight-hour period causes a statistical rise in blood pressure of five to ten points
and an increase in stress,
[4]
and vasoconstriction leading to the increased blood pressure noted
above, as well as to increased incidence of coronary artery disease.
Noise pollution also is a cause of annoyance. A 2005 study by Spanish researchers found that in
urban areas households are willing to pay approximately four Euros per decibel per year for
noise reduction.
[10]

Wildlife
Noise can have a detrimental effect on wild animals, increasing the risk of death by changing the
delicate balance in predator or prey detection and avoidance, and interfering the use of the
sounds in communication, especially in relation to reproduction and in navigation. Acoustic
overexposure can lead to temporary or permanent loss of hearing.
[11]

An impact of noise on wild animal life is the reduction of usable habitat that noisy areas may
cause, which in the case of endangered species may be part of the path to extinction. Noise
pollution has caused the death of certain species of whales that beached themselves after being
exposed to the loud sound of military sonar,
[12]
(see also Marine mammals and sonar).
Noise also makes species communicate more loudly, which is called Lombard vocal response.
[13]

Scientists and researchers have conducted experiments that show whales' song length is longer
when submarine-detectors are on.
[14]
If creatures do not "speak" loudly enough, their voice will
be masked by anthropogenic sounds. These unheard voices might be warnings, finding of prey,
or preparations of net-bubbling. When one species begins speaking more loudly, it will mask
other species' voice, causing the whole ecosystem eventually to speak more loudly.
Marine invertebrates, such as crabs (Carcinus maenas), have also been shown to be impacted by
ship noise.
[15][16]
Larger crabs were noted to be impacted more by the sounds than smaller crabs.
Repeated exposure to the sounds did lead to acclimatization.
[16]

European Robins living in urban environments are more likely to sing at night in places with
high levels of noise pollution during the day, suggesting that they sing at night because it is
quieter, and their message can propagate through the environment more clearly.
[17]
The same
study showed that daytime noise was a stronger predictor of nocturnal singing than night-time
light pollution, to which the phenomenon often is attributed.
Zebra finches become less faithful to their partners when exposed to traffic noise. This could
alter a population's evolutionary trajectory by selecting traits, sapping resources normally
devoted to other activities and thus leading to profound genetic and evolutionary
consequences.
[18]

Sample essay on Noise Pollution
Noise pollution may be defined as the state of discomfort and restlessness to human beings
caused by unwanted high intensity sound (noise). It is of both natural and artificial type. Former
is caused by natural sources like cloud thunder, hailstorms, waterfalls, avalanches and landslides
etc.
Latter is the outcome of human activities like running of machines, automobiles, aircrafts, radios
televisions, exhaust-fans, lawn-movers, blowing of sirens, loudspeakers, and organising cultural
programmes, dance, and music etc. It is the artificial noise pollution, which is increasing due to
growing urban and industrial activities and is a matter of serious concern.
Noise level is measured in terms of decibel (dB) which is the unit of measurement of intensity of
sound. A noise of zero dB on the decibel scale represents the faintest sound audible to human ear
while that of 180 dB shows the sound of large rocket engine. In general, noise above 70 dB is
harmful to human beings.
In India noise pollution is growing in recent years due to increase in industrial, urban, transport
and construction activities. A number of studies have revealed that noise pollution is a greater
menace in most of the million cities of India characterized with high traffic density and
.industrial activities. However, the level of pollution varies in accordance with the location, time,
population density and functions of the city.
The study of Kanpur (Kumra, 1982), Mumbai and Chennai have revealed common features, i.e.
high noise level in the areas located close to aerodromes, railway stations, bus terminals,
industrial establishments, busy markets, high density traffic routes and high population density
clusters. Loudspeakers and traffic noise is the great nuisance in the Indian cities. The level of
pollution increases during festivals, cultural programmes, elections, national festivities and victo-
ries and traffic jams.
Most of our cities have higher level of noise pollution than the permissible limit of 60-70 dB.
Delhi (89 dB), Kolkata (87 dB), Mumbai (85 dB), Chennai (82 dB), Kochi (80 dB), Madurai (75
dB), Nagpur (75 dB) and Thiruvananthapuram (70 dB) may be cited as examples. A study by the
Environmental Monitoring Laboratory of the Industrial Toxocology Research Centre (Lucknow)
has shown that noise level is higher than 90 dB near Hazaratganj crossing, King George Medical
College, NurManzil, Royal Hotel crossing, Gol Darwaza, Naka Hindola, Charbagh railway
station, Lalkuan, Aminabad and Sadar crossing.
Continuous and prolonged exposure to noise polution causes several disorders and ailments in
human beings which ranges from mild annoyance, mental tension, headache, fatigue, irritation,
high blood pressure, stomach trouble, psychological problems, low working efficiency, and
traffic accidents to permanent deafness.
According to a study conducted in five southern cities including Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai,
Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram to find out the Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) among the
workers in the textile, automobile, oil, fertilizers and chemical industries, one out of every four
workers suffered from incurable NIHL.
Further in these cities about 10 per cent of the people' such as traffic constables and pavement
vendors, who were exposed to traffic noise, also had NIHL (Singh and Sinha, 1983, p.356).
About 60 per cent of the students in the age-group of 5-10 years living in industrial areas,
railway stations and other areas of high intensity noise cannot concentrate on their studies.
Essay on Noise Pollution - Sources, Effects
and Control of Noise Pollution
Noise pollution is a disturbance to the human environment that is escalating at such a high rate
that it will become a major threat to the quality of human lives. Noises in all areas, especially in
urban areas, have been increasing rapidly. Poor urban planning gives rise to noise pollution
Sources of noise pollution
The main source of noise pollution is transportation systems especially motor vehicle. The other
sources are aircraft noise and rail noise. Besides transportation noise, other sources are office
equipment, factory machinery, appliances, power tools, lighting and audio entertainment
systems. Construction equipment also produces noise pollution.
Effects of noise pollution
Due to heavy industrialization, exposure of high level of noise gives rise to stress factor in
modern life. It may leads to many hazards.
The effect of noise on health depends on both, loudness and frequency. Any source producing
sound levels of more than 80 to 90 db (decibel) for more than eight hours is harmful to human
ear.
Frequency of sound is denoted by Hertz (Hz). Human ear can hear frequencies between 20 to
20,000 Hz. Effect of noise on human health depends on i) quality ii) duration iii) sensitivity of
the individual the noise pollution produces the following three main effects:
i) Psychological effect
Noise leads to emotional disturbances, however, are difficult to measure. Irritating noise at work
place reduces concentration efficiency and working capacity.
ii) Masking effect
Masking noise prevents the ear from registering other important sounds and signals. These
effects change the balance in predator /prey detection, by disturbing and interfering the sounds of
communications especially during reproduction time period and loss of hearing.
iii) Physiological effect
a) Auditory
Auditory fatigue (when level of noise ranges from 85-90 db)
Deafness (repeated exposure to noise level > 90 db)
b) Non auditory
Annoyance (listens dislike the noise content)
Efficiency (noise pollution decreases efficiency of working)
General changes in body (high blood pressure, fatigue, hypertension, tetanus)
Control of noise pollution
Noise pollution can be controlled by reducing noise at source. Making a change in design and
operation of machines, vibration control, by using sound absorbing materials, can reduce noise
pollution.
It can also be reduced by prescribing noise limits for vehicular traffic and planning industrial
establishments, amusement areas, residential colonies and hospitals to make them noise proof.
The other control methods of noise pollution are:
1. Locate the building as far as possible from noise source.
2. Trees like ashok, neem, coconut etc. can be planted to provide some absorption of sound.
3. Government has already passed the "Noise Pollution Control Act" to meet the special Indian
condition. Laws should be made for controlling noise hazards at city level.
4. People can be educated through radio, TV, street play etc. about noise pollution.