What is Noise Pollution & How to Prevent It?

Noise pollution is a major problem that have adverse effects on human health and environmental quality. So, what is noise? Noise can be defined as loud sounds that are harmful to life and health. All disturbing sounds that have an adverse, unsettling impact on people and that make no sense to those hearing are referred to as "noise". A sound does not have to be at a higher level or in higher decibels to be considered as noise. The receiving environment for sounds that may harm people are mostly identified with air. Particularly in crowded and big cities and metropolitans, the noise intensity is at higher levels which are above the limits set by the World Health Organization. Noise is a direct outcome of disruption of an environmental value and becomes a health-deteriorating factor in time. Thus, today, we consider “noise” as an environmental and health-related issue.

Noise does not only adversely affect people's hearing health and sensation, it also disrupts people’s physiological and psychological balance, as well as decreasing motivation and performance.

In brief, noise is a kind of pollution that disrupts the comfort and calmness of the environment and has negative impacts on human health.

What is Noise Pollution?

Noise pollution, i.e., “sound pollution”, is any kind of excessive sound that harms human health and environmental quality. Noise pollution is more intense at industrial facilities, highways, railway and aircraft traffic, and open-air construction areas. Disturbing sounds other than the routine ones are more common in metropolitans, in particular.

The factors causing noise pollution are as follows:

1. Unplanned urbanization,
2. Economic problems,
3. Rapid population growth, immigration,
4. Unplanned Industrialization,
5. Machine use,
6. Construction works,
7. Traffic jam,

Harmful Effects of Noise Pollution

Sounds from workplaces in crowded areas, unscheduled maintenance and repair works adversely affect the hearing health of people; traffic jams and horns, noises from industrial areas disrupt the physiological and psychological balance of people and reduce work efficiency. Prolonged exposure to noise causes several health-related problems, such as sleep disturbance, adverse impacts on cardiovascular and metabolic systems, etc. Another consequence of noise pollution is cognitive impairment in children.

​A research reveals that noise pollution causes 48,000 cases of heart disease a year as well as 12,000 premature deaths. The research estimates that 22 million people suffer chronic high annoyance and 6.5 million people suffer chronic high sleep disturbance. Moreover, according to the research, 12,500 school children suffer reading impairment in school due to aircraft noise.
Of course, there are many more premature deaths associated with air pollution than for noise. However, noise seems to have a larger impact on indicators related to quality of life and mental health.

In fact, according to some World Health Organization (WHO) findings, noise is the second largest environmental cause of health problems, just after the impact of air pollution.

Impacts of Noise Pollution on Human Beings

1- Physical Impacts: Permanent or temporary hearing impairment.
2- Physiological Impacts: Slowing of heartbeat, sudden reflexes, increased blood pressure, circulatory disorders, accelerated respiration.
3- Psychological Impacts: Stress, panic attack, behavioral disorder, extreme irritability.
4- Performance Impacts: Loss of concentration, slowed movements, decreased work efficiency.

In short, the harmful effects of noise pollution on human health can be listed as follows;

• Temporary and permanent hearing impairment
• Behavioral problems, irritability, stress, sleep disorders
• Decreased work efficiency, slowed movements, loss of concentration
• Increased blood pressure, effects on respiratory system, circulatory system problems, changes in heart rhythm, sudden reflexes

Decibel Levels and Psychological Impacts of Noise Types

• Space Rockets: 170 db, earache, deformation of nerve cells,
• Sirens: 150 db, earache, deformation of nerve cells,
• Drilling Machine: 120 db, nerve damage and psychological disorders,
• Motorcycle: 110 db, nerve damage and psychological disorders
• Cabaret Music: 100 db, psychological disorders,
• Subway noise: 90 db, psychological symptoms,
• Sounds at dangerous zones: 85 db, psychological symptoms,
• Alarm Clock: 80 db, psychological symptoms,
• Phone ring: 70 db, psychological symptoms,
• Human voice: 60 db, psychological symptoms,
• Noises heard during sleep: 30 db, psychological symptoms.

Acceptable Noise Levels

• Factories (small): 70 db Factories (large): 80 db,
• Hospitals: 35 db,
• Gym, Dining Hall: 60 db,
• Service Areas (kitchen, bathroom): 70 db,
• Conference Halls: 30 db,
• Hotel Bedrooms: 30 db,
• Hotel Restaurants: 35 db,
• Bedrooms: 35 db,
• Living Rooms: 60 db,
• Classrooms, Laboratories: 45 db,
• Theatre Halls: 25 db.

Ways to Cope with the Impacts of Noise in Crowded Cities

Noise control regulations and related legislation enacted may have an effect on mitigating the adverse impacts of noise pollution. Countries have already begun to take measures to prevent noise pollution;

1- Laying low-noise thin asphalt layers on roads,
2- Preferring quieter tires in public transportation vehicles,
3- Incentives for electric vehicles,
4- Encouraging for hiking and cycling,
5- Increasing the number of green areas such as parks, recreational areas and nature reserves,
6- Pedestrianization of streets.

What to Use in Workplaces and Homes to Prevent Noise Pollution?

Noise pollution can be avoided by using sound absorbing materials such as heavy drapery, sound absorbing tiles, soundproof construction materials in closed environments. A small white noise source such as static or flowing air placed within the rooms can mask speeches and disturbing sounds from other rooms. This type of devices are often used in offices of doctors and other professionals.

Another way to reduce personal noise levels is by using hearing protectors such as earmuffs. Outdoor noise pollution can be prevented by using “earmuff-type hearing protectors” available.

Why Is It Important To Prevent Noise Pollution?    

In today’s world, we are facing noise pollution, which harms human psychology, besides air pollution, climate crisis, economic inequalities, fossil fuels, food waste, and famine that have deep impacts on societies. We have mentioned above the adverse impacts of noise pollution on human psychology. It is very important to underline this type of pollution, which we often neglect in our daily lives, and shall raise awareness on the adverse impacts that may affect our health. Preventing noise pollution is a critical step for us to have more habitable cities, positive impacts on social psychology and people’s health. New regulations and sanctions shall be put into effect, and people shall do their part in order to act with this awareness and to make crowded cities "less noisy”.