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Noise Pollution

CONTEXT

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Noise is one of the commonest environmental factors and it poses a major risk to health. This is confirmed by an exhaustive study of environmental noise guides by the WHO for Europe (WHO, 2018). The commonest environmental noise is from cars and it is also the most studied. Other common sources of noise are trains, aeroplanes and nightlife.

The WHO’s new guidelines recommend different average noise levels for each source of noise. For traffic noise, it recommends levels below 53 dB Lden (day-evening-night) and 40 dB Lnight, given that higher levels are related to health problems (WHO, 2009). It is estimated that 125 million Europeans are affected by noise levels in excess of 55 dB Lden (EEA, 2014).

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High noise levels can lead to tinnitus and deafness. However, even at normal environmental levels noise is a disturbance that can affect behaviour, quality of life, sleep and cognitive problems and lead to physiological reactions such as increased blood pressure and hormonal effects, without the victim even noticing the noise or being woken up by it. In the long term, the persistence of these effects due to continuous exposure to noise is related to metabolic deregulations and cardiovascular diseases (WHO, 2018).

 

 

OBJECTIVE

  • Reduce noise pollution and its health effects.

PROPOSALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

In Europe, all urban areas with more than 100,000 inhabitants are obliged to have a strategic noise map in accordance with European Commission Directive 2002/49/EC. Strategic maps are used to draft local action plans to reduce noise pollution. Moreover, in Catalonia, all municipalities must use a noise map (acoustic zoning) to determine their exterior environment threshold values. This zoning must be based on the predominant use of the land. Specific plans containing measures to minimise the impact of noise must be prepared in noise zones that exceed the quality objectives. Furthermore, all municipalities with a population of over 5,000 inhabitants must have a noise by-law in place.

Noise intervention studies indicate that the most efficient actions are those carried out on the source of the noise, that is, the emitter. Therefore, actions should focus first on the emitter, then on the environment and finally on the receiver of the noise.

With regard to the emitter, in general, noise can be attenuated in different ways:

  • Reduce vehicular traffic in the city and foster active and public transport.
  • Improve public transport (e.g. increase frequency, renew the fleet of vehicles, create exchanges to facilitate travel, make it affordable, park and ride facilities, etc.).
  • Suitable management and planning of noise producers (e.g. restrict traffic [aeroplanes]) and sources of noise (industry, leisure, infrastructure, etc.), especially at night.
  • Suitable maintenance and repair of sources of noise and road surfaces.
  • Lowering of speed limits (speed bumps, roundabouts…).
  • Suitable urban planning of new sources of noise (traffic, nightlife, etc.).
  • Distribution of goods at night.
  • Collection of refuse during the day (glass), suitable handling of bins by refuse collectors and changes to refuse collection routes. • Regulation of nightlife on public thoroughfares.


Noise can be attenuated in the environment in different ways:

  • By means of absorption (eliminating the noise): natural barriers like knolls, slopes, trees, etc.
  • Diversion (changing the direction of noise): screens, noise treatments for central reservations, noise protection fences, etc.
  • Reflection (returning noise to its source): tunnels, noise galleries, etc.
  • Masking (when disturbing noise is replaced with pleasant noise): fountains, water courses, birds, etc.


With regard to the receiver, there are also various options:

  • Planning of land use, the suitable design of buildings and their functional distribution, taking into account exterior noise (protection of quiet areas, sensitive areas far from future noise emissions, prevention of additional traffic, etc.).
  • Insulation of buildings (acoustic renovation of facades, improvement of the insulation of old buildings located in noisy areas, etc.).
  • Interior and exterior orientation and design of buildings (design the layout of rooms so that those sensitive to noise are on the opposite side to its source, etc.).


To reduce noise pollution it is important to raise awareness in all scopes of society by means of:

  • Environmental education campaigns.
  • Training for specific sectors (e.g. for drivers of public transport vehicles, on how the driving could be quieter and more efficient).
  • Awareness campaigns for users and owners of nightlife venues.

REFERENCE EXPERIENCES

Information only available in Catalan

 

 

 

LEGISLATION

STUDIES AND TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION


Scientific papers:

  • Brown, A.L., van Kempen, I., 2017. WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region: A Systematic Review of Transport Noise Interventions and Their Impacts on Health. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 3(14).

More information about addressing the Public Health Service: entornurbasalut@diba.cat

Date of last update:
dg., 09 de maig 2021 17:02:37 +0000