Report 4: Noise Pollution

Pollution Control and Waste Management

2013

CHEN, Aaron Jian-Da

12210407
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University

CHEN, Aaron Jian-Da

12210407
Noise pollution is a very real problem in society today. It affects our everyday life and
our behavior, and can be caused by the smallest things. Noise pollution is any
intrusive sound or imbalance in the soundscape brought upon by another sound;
however it does not necessarily mean that it is a particularly loud or harsh sound, as
the characteristics of an unbalanced sound, which is not heard frequently, can also be
characterized as noise pollution. Noise is broken down into two types of sounds:
wanted or unwanted, whereby noise pollution is categorized by the latter.
(Xueping, 2013). As energy is required to create sound, it is a form of waste energy.
Noise pollution is intrusive, and when peoples environments are polluted by noise,
their concentration level and behavior may be affected. In this report, I would like to
discuss some of the key aspects, impacts, and control mechanisms regarding noise
pollution.
Sound is a particular auditory impression perceived by the sense of hearing. The
presence of unwanted sound is called noise pollution. This unwanted sound can
seriously damage and effect physiological and psychological health. For instance,
noise pollution can cause annoyance and aggression, hypertension, high stress levels,
tinnitus, hearing loss, and other harmful effects depending on the level of sound, or
how loud it is. Furthermore, stress and hypertension are the leading causes to heart
problems, whereas tinnitus can lead to forgetfulness, severe depression and at times
panic attacks. (Noise Pollution Clearinghouse, 2013). Everything from the sound of
an alarm clock in the morning to the sound of an airplane passing by to the sound of
your friend screaming at you can cause noise pollution, and leave you effected for a
short period, or for the rest of your life. But not all sound is "unwanted". Many people
listen to music, and go out to clubs and parties without suffering from any of the
negative symptoms of "unwanted" sound.

CHEN, Aaron Jian-Da

12210407
Many people enjoy playing instruments like the piano or the trumpet. "Wanted"
sound, unlike "unwanted" sound can relief stress, and relaxation and the calming of a
person. However on the physiological aspects, "wanted" sound can be just as harmful
as "unwanted sound". There are many misconceptions about sound and hearing, and
the greatest misconception is about loud sound not being harmful as long as it is
wanted. (Noise Pollution Clearinghouse, 2013).
Sound pollution is something measurable in decibels (DB), where the magnitude of
the sound in decibels is called a sound pressure level (SPL). Zero decibels is basically
the quietest a healthy ear can hear, while 130 and more is considered extremely
stressing and dangerous. A 10-dB increase equals a doubling in volume: a 75-dB
sound is twice as loud as a 65-dB sound. Complete quietness is equal to 20dB of
sound. Since everything that moves makes sound, although some of the sounds are so
small that they cannot be perceived by the human body, because the sound waves
spread out and become too weak to be "heard". Decibels are also categorized into 2
different types of decibels, and noted as dBA where low and high frequencies are
measured. In a regular day, we are usually submitted to about a constant seventy
decibels. Limits proposed say that seventy is fine, and up to seventy-eight is probably
ok. Temporary hearing loss is stated to be between 80-130 dBA, and recovery is
expected within 1 month. When working, workers are exposed to roughly eighty or
ninety decibels of sound pollution for eight hours. However, anything higher is said to
be extremely damaging, where permanent loss is usually at 105 dBA. Anything higher
than 150 dBA will rupture the human eardrum, and is dangerous. While we can and
frequently do endure high decibel level sounds, prolonged exposer can be extremely
harmful. (Xueping, 2013).

CHEN, Aaron Jian-Da

12210407

Noise comes from all over the place. Noise from road traffic, jet planes, jet skies,
garbage trucks, construction equipment, manufacturing processes, lawn mowers, leaf
blowers, and boom boxes, to name a few, are among the audible litter that are
routinely broadcasted in the air. The loudest place which has the highest sound level
would be at a major airport, with about 90dBA, 80dBA would be city noise in a
business area, 60-70 dBA would be an urban residential area, 50 dBA would be a
surburban residential area, and the 40-45 would be a farm field or similar. The air
which second-hand noise is emitted and travels on is known as a "commons", a public
good. It belongs to everyone, whether we like it or not. So therefore no one has the
rights to broadcast noise as they please. We experience noise in a number of ways. On
some occasions, we can be both the cause and the victim of noise. (Xueping, 2013).
Noise negatively affects human health and well-being. According to the Noise Effects
Handbook (1979), Problems related to noise include hearing loss, stress, high-blood
pressure, sleep loss, distraction and lost productivity, and a general reduction in the
quality of life and opportunities for tranquility. Noise is more than just a nuisance. It
has been proven that it constitutes a real and present danger to people's health.
Constant noise throughout the day, wherever you are, can produce serious physical
and psychological stress. Though we seem to adjust to noise by ignoring it, the ear, in
fact, never closes and the body still responds - sometimes with extreme tension, as to
a strange noise in the night.
There are three essential elements in noise control: the source, the path that sound
may travel, and the receiver (our ears which pick up these noises). Noise can also
bounce off objects, which is an indirect path.
3

CHEN, Aaron Jian-Da

12210407
According to the U.S Environmental and Protection Agency (2013), there are 4
fundamental ways to control noise. The first is the protect the recipient, the second is
to increase the path length, the third is the block the path, and the fourth is to reduce
the noise at the source. In areas where a higher amount of dBA is emitted, special care
in controlling noise following these fundamental steps should be considered.
Polluting the "commons" is not a right. Some people might just brush away the
problem but there are others who are working to protect the "commons". Although we
can't help but make noise ourselves, we should at least try to reduce the amount, and
we also should be aware of the health factors involved. It's no wonder that noise is
one of the pervasive pollutants today.
(Word Count: 1081)

CHEN, Aaron Jian-Da

12210407
REFERENCES

Noise Pollution Clearinghouse. (2013). Noise Pollution Clearinghouse. Retrieved

August 3, 2013, from http://www.nonoise.org/

U.S Environmental Protection Agency (n.d.). Noise Pollution. Retrieved August 3,

2013, from http://www.epa.gov/air/noise.html

U.S Environmental Protection Agency. (1979). Noise Effects Handbook . Florida, U.S:
National Association of Noise Control Officials.

Qian Xueping. (2013). Noise Pollution [PowerPoint slides].