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Noise Pollution

Dr.Rupali Verma Bagga

Professor
Dept of Community Medicine
Noise- Definition

• “Wrong sound, in the wrong place, at the wrong time.”

• Sound that which is unwanted and disrupts one’s quality of life, is known
as NOISE.

• Normal sound becomes undesirable when it disturbs our normal activities

such as working , sleeping and during conversation.

• World Health Organization stated that “Noise must be recognized as a

major threat to human well-being”.
Noise
• Noise has become a very important “stress factor” in the
environment of man

• Noise has two important properties: Loudness or intensity; and

frequency
Properties of Noise
• Loudness: Depends upon the amplitude of the vibrations. Measured by
sound level meter in decibels (dB).

• Frequency (Hz): Hearing frequencies range 20 to 20,000 Hz, but this

range is reduced with age. Vibrations below 20 Hz are infra-audible; and
those above 20,000 Hz ultra-sonic.
• Measured by octave band frequency analyzer.

• Audiometer measures the hearing ability

Community Noise Levels
Acceptable Noise Levels (dB)
Sources of Noise Pollution

• Transportation

• Commercial and industrial activities

• Social events

• Household sources
Effects of Noise Exposure
1. Auditory effects:
a) Auditory fatigue (whistling and buzzing in the ears): It appears in the
90 dB region and greatest at 4000 Hz

b) Deafness: Temporary hearing loss results from a specific exposure; the

disability disappears within 24 hours. Repeated and continuous
exposure to around 100 decibels may result in a permanent hearing loss.
Exposure above 160 dB may rupture the tympanic membrane.
Effects of Noise Exposure

• Irreversible hearing loss.

• Blood pressure rise of 5 to 10 mmHg on 8 hrs of exposure to even

70 db of sound level.
Effects of Occupational Noise Exposure
• Feeling of fullness in the ear.

• Sounds may seem muffled.

• Cannot hear high frequency sounds. Ringing in the ears while listening to the high
frequency sounds.

• Loud noise for a long period of time, or sudden burst of sound can cause
occupational hearing loss.

• Hearing that does not return after an acute noise injury is called a permanent
threshold shift
Effects of Noise Exposure
Non-auditory effects:
a) Interference with speech
b) Annoyance
c) Reduced efficiency
d) Physiological change:
 A rise in blood pressure and intracranial pressure
 An increase in heart rate, breath rate and sweating
 Interference with sleep
Noise pollution and overall health
• Noise pollution can damage physiological and psychological health.

• Consequences
• High blood pressure

• stress related illness

• sleep disruption

• productivity loss

Are some of the problems related to noise pollution.

• It can also cause fatigue, memory loss, severe depression, and panic attacks.
Effects on Animals
• High noise levels may interfere with the natural cycles of animals, including feeding
behavior and migration paths.

• Noise pollution damages the nervous system of animals.

• Increase of death by altering the prey/predator detection and avoidance.

• They becomes dangerous and attacking

• Noise pollution from ship engines and sonar systems make it difficult for marine
mammals like whales & dolphins, & prevent it from communicating, finding food, and
avoiding hazards.
Control of Noise
1. Careful Planning of Cities:
 Division of the city into zones with separation of areas concerned with
industry and transport
 Separation of residential areas from the main streets by means of wide
green belts.
 House fronts should lie not less than 15metres from the road and the
intervening space should be thickly planted with trees and bushes
 Widening of streets to reduce the level of noise penetration into
dwellings
Control of Noise
2. Control of Vehicles:
 Heavy vehicles should not be routed into narrow streets.
 Vehicular traffic on residential streets should be reduced.
 Indiscriminate blowing of the horn and use of pressure horn should be
prohibited.
3. Industries and Railways:
 Must be earmarked, outside the residential areas, if not possible,
protective green belts must be laid down in between.
Control of Noise
4. Protection of Exposed Persons:
 Workers consistently exposed to noise louder than 85 dB in the
frequency above 150 Hz, must be regularly rotated from noisy areas to
comparatively quiet areas.
 Workers should be provided with equipments such as ear plugs and earmuffs for
hearing protection.
5. Legislation and education of public
Legislation
• Noise Regulation Rules under the Environment (Protection) Act of
1986.
Limits for sound:
• Industrial- 75db
• Commercial- 65 db
• Residential zones- 55 db
• Zones of silence
• No public address system after 10:00 pm and before 06:00 am.
Control of Noise Pollution

• Community development or urban management should be done

with long-term planning, along with an aim to reduce noise
pollution.

• Social awareness programs should be taken up to educate the public

about the causes and effects of noise pollution.