Noise Pollution Facts

Generically, the term 'noise' is used to refer to any unwanted sound. This may range from the sound created when you hammer a nail into a wall, to the sound created by an aircraft overflying your house. Noise pollution, also referred to as the environmental noise, is defined as displeasing sound created by humans, animals or machines, which tends to disrupt the environmental balance. Noise is annoying for everybody, you and me are no exceptions. In fact, a look at some of the most prominent noise pollution facts reveals that it is not just annoying, but also hazardous for our health.

Noise Pollution Facts
Sound pressure, as we hear it, is measured in decibels (dB). Generally, a normal conversation between two people measures 60 dB, a whisper measures 30 dB and shouting measures 80 dB. That being said, one has to understand that the decibels are measured on a logarithmic scale, which means each 10 dB increase is actually a tenfold increase in the intensity of the noise. Even though, our ears start paining when subjected to noise of around 120 dB, noise of around 85 dB in itself is harmful to our ears, especially when it is continuous. In fact, continuous exposure can result in a range of health problems, most obvious among which is damage to the eardrums.

Facts About Noise Pollution Causes
The sources of noise pollution can be broadly categorized into indoor sources and outdoor sources. While the indoor sources include loud music and the noise created by various electrical appliances and tools, the outdoor sources predominantly include the noise created by vehicles and industrial machinery. Noise pollution facts suggest that the outdoor sources of noise have a larger share compared to their indoor counterparts, when it comes to polluting the environment. Similarly, urban areas record more noise pollution as compared to the rural areas, and the reasons for this are more than obvious. No wonder environmentalists cite noise pollution as one of the hazards of urbanization.

Noise Pollution Health Hazards
As we mentioned earlier, continuous exposure to high decibel noise can result in some adverse effects on your health. One of these hazards of noise pollution is acoustic trauma to the ears caused when they are subjected to the sound of an intensity of 85 dB or more without respite. The health hazards of noise pollution can be categorized into physiological and psychological hazards. While the former includes hearing loss, hypertension, disturbance in sleep patterns etc., the later includes problems such as annoyance, aggression and stress. Noise induced hearing loss is one of the most harmful effects of noise pollution. More importantly, these harmful effects of noise pollution are not just restricted to human beings, even animals has to bear the brunt of the same. Studies reveal that the increase in the noise levels beyond a certain extent tends to interfere with the communication of the animals, thus resulting in disturbance in their various life processes which is also true for us.

Noise Pollution Laws
The laws to curb noise pollution either stress on general prohibition on making noise or set specific guidelines to curb the same. In some places, making noise is completely prohibited, while in others it is prohibited for a specific time of the day (from 10 P.M. to 6 P.M.) or only to a particular level as far as its intensity is concerned. In the United States, noise emission measures and noise emission standards are monitored under the Noise Control Act (1972). Several ordinances in the United States are based on the Portland Noise Code written by Dr. Paul Herman in 1975.

These were some of the lesser known noise pollution facts, which need to be highlighted to spread awareness about this form of environmental pollution and its ill effects. More importantly, the onus is on the citizens to take all the hazards of noise pollution into consideration, and make sure that at least they don't contribute to the same. As far as the noise pollution solutions are concerned options like noise barriers and limitations on the speed of vehicles are ideal, but only when they are implemented strictly.