The displeasing sound created by human beings, machines or animals that disrupts the activity or peace of others is called noise pollution or environmental noise.
The sources of noise pollution are traffic of cars, motorbikes, buses, lorries and all the other automobiles make tremendous noise. Aircraft and railway noise is also increasing with cheap airlines and high speed trains and goods trains. Industrial machinery, building construction work, construction of new roads or highways using power tools and the audio entertainment systems are also reasons for excess noise.
Deepavali and New Year festival crackers are one of the most severe sources of noise as well as environmental pollution.
The adverse effects of noise pollution on health include damage of physiological and psychological health and it causes annoyance, aggression, stress, hypertension, tinnitus and sleep disturbance. Chronic exposure to noise may cause noise-induced hearing loss and hearing sensitivity decreases with time and age. High noise levels for hours increase blood pressure.
The impact of noise pollution on animal life has only the negative significance. It causes stress to animals, changes the delicate balance of detection and avoidance of predator and prey which increases the risk of mortality. The animals use sounds in communication especially in reproduction and navigation and this is disturbed.
There are so many possibilities to reduce the noise pollution. Noise barriers on the sides of the road, speed limitation, roadway surface produces less noise. Goods transport in trains will help to reduce the noise than transporting with monster lorries. Aircraft noise may be reduced with better jet engines and changing the flight paths away from the residential areas. In the new industrial buildings and sheds lot is done to the health of the workers but it will be never enough. Trains could reduce their speeds when they cross the residential areas as in old bridges.
We all can contribute to noise reduction. This is one of the best ways to reduce noise pollution; the people must understand louder does not mean more might. Many consider noise only as a “nuisance” and it is completely wrong and it is a very serious environmental problem which can affect our health. It need not be calm only between 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., but everybody could do what they can to reduce the noise in the home, office or where ever it may be.
There are meters to measure noise and the unit is decibels. 60 decibels are considered to be good but most of the noises are over this. Imagine my electric shaver produces a noise of 72 decibels and this shows that the law-makers have only less control on noise.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Noise Pollution
Posted by
Dr. K. Padmanaban, Ph.D.
2:59 PM
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