NOISE POLLUTION &

STANDARDS FOR NOISE

QUALITY
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 NOISE
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⚫ Noise is unwanted, unpleasant and annoying sound

⚫ Sound is a form of energy which is emitted by a vibrating body

⚫ On reaching ear, sound causes sensation of hearing through nerves

⚫ Physically noise and sound has no distinction

⚫ Sound is a sensory perception

⚫ Decibel or dB is the unit of sound

 NOISE
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⚫ Complex pattern of sound waves-noise, music, speech

⚫ Noise is considered as a stress factor in human environment

⚫ Frequency limits of audibility-20 HZ to 20 kHZ

⚫ Sounds of frequencies <20 HZ –infrasonics

⚫ Sounds of frequencies > 20, kHZ -ultrasonics

 ELEMENTS OF NOISE PROBLEM
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⚫ Elements of a noise problem:

⚪ Source

⚪ Receiver

⚪ Transmission path

⚫ Transmission path is usually

atmosphere, but can include

structural materials of any building
containing the receiver
 NOISE POLLUTION
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⚫ Noise pollution is the disturbing or excessive noise that may harm the

activity or balance of human or animal life

⚫ It is the result of modern industrialized urban life and congestion due to

overpopulation

⚫ It is the displeasing human-, animal- or machine-created sound that

disrupts activity or balance of human or animal life

⚫ Noise pollution is mainly caused by harsh, loud and confused sounds

 NOISE POLLUTION
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⚫ It is a type of energy pollution in which distracting, irritating or

damaging sounds are freely audible

⚫ Noise pollution contaminants are not physical particles

⚫ It involves waves that interfere with naturally occuring waves of similar

type in same environment

⚫ Factors of noise pollution is loudness and duration

 SOURCES OF NOISE POLLUTION
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⚫ Transport Vehicles

⚫ Household

⚫ Social events

⚫ Industrial Sources

⚫ Public Address System

⚫ Agricultural Machines

⚫ Defence Equipment

⚫ Miscellaneous Sources
 SOURCES OF NOISE POLLUTION
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1.TRANSPORT VEHICLES

⚫ Consists of traffic noise from road, rail and aircraft

⚫ Noise levels in most residential areas in metropolitan cities is hovering

around border line due to increased vehicular noise pollution.

⚫ Sources of noise in automobiles -exhaust, intake, engine, fan, tires at

high speed.
 SOURCES OF NOISE POLLUTION
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⚫ Noise output of all components increases with speed

⚫ Factors:

⚪ Volume of vehicles

⚪ Road Conditions

⚪ Traffic Clearance

⚪ Condition of Vehicles

⚪ Speed of the Vehicle

 SOURCES OF NOISE POLLUTION
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2.HOUSEHOLD
⚫ Indoor noises include:

⚪ banging of doors
⚪ noise of playing children
⚪ crying of infants
⚪ moving of furniture
⚪ loud conversation of the inhabitants
⚪ Barking of dogs
⚫ Entertainment equipment - radio, record-players ,television

⚫ Domestic gadgets - mixer-grinders, pressure cookers, desert coolers, air-

conditioners, exhaust fans, vacuum cleaners, sewing ,washing machines
 SOURCES OF NOISE POLLUTION
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3. INDUSTRIAL SOURCES

⚫ Industrialization has resulted in creating noise pollution.

⚫ Workshops located on ground floors of residential areas cause

annoyance, discomfort and irritation to the residents

⚫ In some industrial cities, industrial zones are not separated from

residential zones

⚫ Modern planned cities -industrial area is kept away from residential

areas and are separated by a wide green belt.

⚫ People working in industries should wear earplugs to minimize

exposure to heavy noise.

 SOURCES OF NOISE POLLUTION
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⚫ People who work with lawn mowers, tractors and noisy equipment

required to wear noise-proof gadgets.

⚫ Industrial activities-Welding, hammering , drilling, blowing, running

machinery, motors, sheet metal work, lathe machine work, operation of

cranes, grinding

⚫ Major industries-steel industries, petrochemical, printing presses,

manufacturing industries, construction sites, textile mills, metal works,

thermal power stations, cement industries, mines
 SOURCES OF NOISE POLLUTION
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4. PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS

⚫ Reasons for using loud speaker-religious function, birth, death,

marriage, elections, demonstration, commercial advertising.

⚫ Public system-contributes in its own way towards noise pollution.

5. AGRICULTURAL MACHINES

⚫ Modern agriculture-highly mechanical, highly noisy.

⚫ Tractors, thrashers, harvesters, tube wells, powered tillers etc.

 SOURCES OF NOISE POLLUTION
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6. DEFENCE EQUIPMENT

⚫ Sources-artillery, tanks, launching of rockets, explosions, exercising of

military airplanes and shooting practices

⚫ Screams of jet engines and sonic booms -deafening impact on ears

7. MISCELLANEOUS SOURCES

⚫ Automobile repair shops, construction works, blasting, bulldozing,

stone crushing etc.

 TYPES OF NOISE
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AMBIENT NOISE

⚫ Noise from all sources combined — factory noise, traffic noise, birdsong,

running water, etc

⚫ Selection of equipment and duration of noise monitoring is based on the type

of ambient noise.

⚫ Types of Ambient Noise

⚪ Continuous Noise
⚪ Intermittent Noise
⚪ Impulsive Noise
 TYPES OF NOISE
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1. Continuous Noise

⚫ Produced by machinery that operates without interruption in same mode

⚫ Example- blowers, pump, processing equipment.

⚫ Measuring for just a few minutes with hand-held equipment is sufficient

to determine noise level

⚫ Does not create disturbance if level below 5dB.

 TYPES OF NOISE
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2.Impulsive Noise

⚫ Noise is dangerous

⚫ Noise from impacts or explosion- punch press or gunshot

⚫ Explosive sound for less than one second is impulsive noise

⚪ Bomb explosion – 90dB

⚪ Gun firing -140-170 dB

⚪ Fire works (crackers)- 125-160dB

 TYPES OF NOISE
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INDUSTRIAL NOISE

⚫ High intensity sound caused by industry machines.

⚫ Sources - machines in various factories, industries, mills.

⚫ Noise from mechanical saws and pneumatic drills is unbearable.

⚫ Increasing industrial pollution damages hearing ability by at least 20%

⚫ Workers in steel industry, who work close to heavy industrial blowers

are exposed to 112dB for eight hours suffer from occupational

pollution.
 TYPES OF NOISE
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NEIGHBOURHOOD NOISE

⚫ Includes disturbance from household gadgets and community.

⚫ Common sources are musical instruments, TV, radios, telephones,

loudspeakers , loud conversations etc.

⚫ Loud sound cause many physical and mental problems

 TYPES OF NOISE
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TRANSPORT NOISE

⚫ Consists of traffic noise from road, rail and aircraft

⚫ Noise levels in most residential areas in metropolitan cities is hovering

around the border line due to increased vehicular noise pollution.

⚫ Cause sleep disturbance, cardiovascular disease, elevated hormone levels,

psychological problems and even premature death

⚫ Effect on children is cognitive impairment, worsened behaviour and

diminished quality of life.

 EFFECTS OF NOISE
EFFECTS ON HUMAN HEALTH21

1. Annoyance

⚫ Creates annoyance to the receptors due to sound level fluctuations.

⚫ Aperiodic sound causes displeasure to hearing

2.Physiological effects

⚫ Breathing amplitude, blood pressure, heart-beat rate, pulse rate, blood

cholesterol affected

3. Loss of hearing

⚫ Due to long exposure to high sound levels

 EFFECTS OF NOISE
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4 .Human performance

⚫ Working performance of workers affected due to decrease in concentration.

5.Nervous system

⚫ Causes pain, ringing in ears, feeling of tiredness

6. Sleeplessness

⚫ Affects sleeping there by inducing people to become restless

7.Damage to material

⚫ Damaged by exposure to infrasonic / ultrasonic waves and even get collapsed

EFFECTS OF NOISE
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 EFFECTS OF NOISE
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EFFECTS ON ANIMALS

⚫ Hearing loss

⚫ Damages nervous system

⚫ Alters Prey/predator detection

⚫ Creates problems in navigation

⚫ Animals become dangerous and attacking

⚫ Masking (inability to hear environmental clues & animal signals)

⚫ Reduction of useable Habitat

 EFFECTS OF NOISE
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⚫ Death of Certain Species ( Extinction )

⚫ Genetic and Evolutionary Problems

⚫ Hormone imbalance

⚫ Chronic Stress

⚫ Panic and Escape Behavior

⚫ Abandonment of Offspring

⚫ Injury

⚫ Loudness of Interspecies Communication

 EFFECTS OF NOISE
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EFFECT ON NON-LIVING THINGS

⚫ High intensity noise cause:

⚪ shattering of window glasses

⚪ losing plaster of house walls
⚪ cracks in walls
⚪ cracks in household crockery
⚫ Sudden and explosive sounds cause:

⚪ cracks in buildings

⚪ breaking of window doors & glasses

⚫ Buildings & materials get damaged by exposure to infrasonic or ultrasonic

waves & even get collapsed

NOISE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY
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 CONTROL TECHNIQUES
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• Control at source
1.

• Control in the transmission path

2.

• Control at receptor
3.
 CONTROL TECHNIQUES
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Noise Control at Source

1. Reducing noise levels from domestic sectors
2. Maintenance of automobiles
3. Control over vibrations
4. Low voice speaking
5. Prohibition on usage of loud speakers
6. Selection of machinery
7. Maintenance of machines
 CONTROL TECHNIQUES
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Control in the transmission path

1. Installation of barriers

2. Design of building:

(a) Installation of panels or enclosures

(b) Green belt development

Control at receptor

1.Usage of protective equipment

2.Job rotation

3.Exposure reduction
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NOISE POLLUTION
(REGULATION AND
CONTROL ) RULES 2000
 RULES
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Ambient air quality standards in respect of noise for different areas/zones

⚫ State Government shall categorize areas into industrial, commercial,

residential or silence areas/zones for purpose of implementation of

noise standards for different areas

⚫ State Government shall take measures for abatement of noise including

noise emanating from vehicular movements and ensure that the existing
noise levels do not exceed the ambient air quality standards
 RULES
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⚫ All development authorities, local bodies and other concerned

authorities while planning developmental activity or carrying out
functions relating to town and country planning shall take into
consideration all aspects of noise pollution as a parameter of quality of
life to avoid noise menace and to achieve objective of maintaining the
ambient air quality standards in respect of noise
⚫ An area comprising not less than 100 meters around hospitals,
educational institutions and courts may be declared as silence area/zone
for the purpose of these rules.
 RULES
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Responsibility as to enforcement of noise pollution control measures

⚫ Noise levels in any area/zone shall not exceed ambient air quality

standards in respect of noise

⚫ Authority shall be responsible for enforcement of noise pollution

control measures and due compliance of ambient air quality standards

in respect of noise.
 RULES
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Restrictions on the use of loud speakers/public address system.

⚫ A loud speaker or a public address system shall not be used except

after obtaining written permission from the authority.

⚫ A loud speaker or a public address system shall not be used at night

(between 10.00 p.m. to 6.00 a.m.) except in closed premises for

communication within, e.g. auditoria, conference rooms, community
halls and banquet halls.
 RULES
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Consequences of any violation in silence zone/area

⚫ Whoever, in any place covered under silence zone/area commits any of the

following offence, he shall be liable for penalty under provisions of Act:

⚫ (i) whoever, plays any music or uses any sound amplifiers

⚫ (ii) whoever, beats a drum or tom-tom or blows a horn either musical or

pressure, or trumpet or beats or sounds any instrument

⚫ (iii) whoever, exhibits any mimetic, musical or other performances of a

nature to attract crowds.

 RULES
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Complaints to be made to the authority

⚫ A person may, if the noise level exceeds the ambient noise standards by

10 dB(A) or more given in the corresponding columns against any

area/zone, make a complaint to the authority.

⚫ The authority shall act on the complaint and take action against the

violator in accordance with the provisions of these rules and any other
law in force.
 STANDARDS
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AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS

AREA CODE CATEGORY OF LIMITS IN LIMITS IN

AREA/ ZONE dB(A)Leq dB(A)Leq
Day time Night time
A Industrial area 75 70
B Commercial area 65 55
C Residential area 55 45
D Silent Zone 50 40
 STANDARDS
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⚫ National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

recommended -occupational noise exposure should be controlled so

that no worker is exposed in excess of the limits defined by line B

⚫ New Installations –noise exposure below limits defined by line A

⚫ The Walsh- Healy Act, enacted by Congress in 1969 to protect workers

-used a damage risk criterion equivalent to the line A criterion

 STANDARDS
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NIOSH occupational noise exposure limits for continuous or

intermittent noise exposure
 NOISE RATING SYSTEMS
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⚫ Noise – different types of sounds with different pressure levels operating for

different time intervals

⚫ Frequencies also varies

⚫ Combined resultant noise – responsible for determining human response and

degree of annoyance

⚫ Combined impact of different sound pressures lasting for different periods

worked out by statistical measures:

⚪ LN system
⚪ L eq system
 NOISE RATING SYSTEMS
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LN concept
⚫ Indicate how frequently a particular sound level is exceeded
⚫ Represent sound pressure level that will exceed for N % of gauging
time

Cumulative Distribution Curve

 NOISE RATING SYSTEMS
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L eq Concept
⚫ Statistical value of sound pressure level that can be equated to any
fluctuating noise level
⚫ eg: if a sound of 80 dB last for 10 min, followed by 60 dB for next 80
min and followed by 100 dB for next 5 min- compose fluctuating noise
level
⚫ Represented by a dB value indicative of producing the same effect over
entire time period 95 min as the original fluctuating noise-Equivalent
continuous energy level / Equivalent Noise Level L eq
NOISE RATING SYSTEMS
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 NOISE –ENVIRONMENT IMPACT
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Identification of noise impacts of proposed project

Preparation of description of existing noise environment conditions

Procurement of relevant noise standards & guidelines

Impact prediction

Assessment of impact significance

Identification & incorporation of mitigation measures

 NOISE –ENVIRONMENT IMPACT
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1.Identification of noise impacts of proposed project

⚫ To determine potential impacts of proposed project on noise

environment

⚫ Construction activities causing noise:

⚪ Ground clearing- demolition, removal of structures, trees, rocks

⚪ Excavation

⚪ Placing foundation

⚪ Placing of walls, floors, windows

⚪ Finishing- filling, paving, cleaning up

 NOISE –ENVIRONMENT IMPACT
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⚫ Noise from operations- highway vehicles, aircraft, recreation vehicles,

internal combustion engines, industrial machinery

⚫ If noise information is unavailable:

⚪ Conduct computer based literature survey to determine whether any

emission information has been published for source type

⚪ Collect information from sources of similar type

⚪ Gather information from manufacturers of noise producing item

⚪ Use noise emission standards to identify noise emission concerns

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2. Description of existing noise environmental conditions

⚫ Necessary to consider study area associated with noise emissions

⚫ A properly developed noise emission inventory contains information

regarding al emission sources and defines location, magnitude,

frequency, duration and relative contribution of emissions

⚫ If no data is available- use published noise level information for

projects involving similar land use

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⚫ Sources of information on noise monitoring data:

⚪ State environmental agency

⚪ Private industries (which might maintain noise monitoring

programme)

⚫ Existing and predicted noise levels expressed using level weighted

population value

⚫ Sound level weighted population value is a single number

representation of significance of noise environment to exposed

population
 NOISE –ENVIRONMENT IMPACT
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3. Procurement of relevant noise standards/ guidelines

⚫ Sources:

⚪ Local, state and federal agencies

⚪ World Health Organisation
⚪ United Nations Environmental Program
⚫ Information used to:

⚪ Determine baseline quality

⚪ Determine significance of noise impacts
⚪ Decide between alternatives
⚪ Assess mitigation measures
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4. Impact Prediction

⚫ Predicting propagation of noise from source

⚫ Determining type of affected land uses

⚫ Models used to estimate impact of project on environment

⚫ Modifications on proposed project can be evaluated

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⚫ Approaches:

(a)Simple Noise attenuation models

⚪ Line source
⚪ Point source
(b)Simple Models for specific noise source types
⚪ Military installations
⚪ Construction
⚪ Airports
(c)Comprehensive mathematical models
⚪ ASAN, NOISEMAP, HNM, SLICE
 NOISE –ENVIRONMENT IMPACT
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5. Assessment of Impact Significance

⚫ Assessment refers to interpretation of anticipated changes related to

proposed projects

⚫ Public input could be received through public participation programmes

⚫ Professional judgement used to assess percentage changes from

baseline condition

⚫ Numerical standards an criteria are used as basis of interpretation

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6. Identification and incorporation of mitigation measures

⚫ Steps taken to minimize magnitude of detrimental noise impacts

⚫ To reduce or control noise expected to be emitted form project

⚫ Three courses of mitigation actions:

⚪ Source of noise

⚪ Path of noise from source to receiver

⚪ Receiver of noise
 REFERENCES
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⚫ Larry W Canter, ‘Environmental Impact Assessment’, McGraW- Hill

International editions, Second edition, pp. 304-340

⚫ The noise pollution (regulation and control) rules, 2000,Ministry of

Environment and Forests

⚫ S.C. Bhatia, ‘Environmental Pollution and control in chemical process

industries’, Khanna Publishers, Second edition pp. 365-391

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