Noise pollution means an unwanted or undesirable sound that leads to physical and mental problems. Noise pollution is dependent on the loudness and frequency of the sound. In fact, when the sound exceeds its limit, it becomes fatal for human and other organisms.
Types of Noise Pollution Following are the three types of pollution:
Transport Noise
Neighbourhood Noise
Industrial Noise
Transport Noise It mainly consists of traffic noise which has increased in recent years with the increase in the number of vehicles. The increase in noise pollution leads to deafening of older people, headache, hypertension, etc.
Neighbourhood Noise The noise from gadgets, household utensils etc. Some of the main sources are musical instruments, transistors, loudspeakers etc.
Industrial Noise It is the high-intensity sound which is caused by heavy industrial machines. According to many researches, industrial noise pollution damages the hearing ability to around 20%.
Causes and Sources of Noise Pollution
Following are the causes and sources of noise pollution:
- Industrialisation: Industrialisation has led to an increase in noise pollution as the use of heavy machinery such as generators, mills, huge exhaust fans are used, resulting in the production of unwanted noise.
- Vehicles: Increased number of vehicles on the roads are the second reason for noise pollution.
- Events: Weddings, public gatherings involve loudspeakers to play music resulting in the production of unwanted noise in the neighbourhood.
- Construction sites: Mining, construction of buildings, etc add to the noise pollution.
Effects of Noise Pollution on Human Health
Noise pollution can be hazardous to human health in the following ways:
- Hypertension: It is a direct result of noise pollution which is caused due to elevated blood levels for a longer duration.
- Hearing loss: Constant exposure of human ears to loud noise that are beyond the range of sound that human ears can withstand damages the eardrums resulting in loss of hearing.
- Sleeping disorders: Lack of sleep might result in fatigue and low energy level throughout day affecting everyday activities. Noise pollution hampers the sleep cycles leading to irritation and uncomfortable state of mind.
- Cardiovascular issues: Heart-related problems such as blood pressure level, stress, and cardiovascular diseases might come up in a normal person .
Control measures:
There are four fundamental ways in which noise can be controlled: Reduce noise at the source, block the path of noise, increase the path length and protect the recipient. In general, the best control method is to reduce noise levels at the source.
Source reduction can be done by effectively muffling vehicles and machinery to reduce the noise. one of the best methods of noise source reduction is regular and thorough maintenance of operating machinery. Noise levels at construction sites can be controlled using proper construction planning and scheduling techniques.
The path of traffic noise can also be blocked by construction of vertical barriers alongside the highway. Planting of trees around houses can also act as effective noise barriers. Increasing the path length between the source and the recipient offers a passive means of control. Use of earplugs and earmuffs can protect individuals effectively from excessive noise levels.
Preventive measures
1. Prescribing noise limits for vehicular traffic
2. Ban on honking (usage of horns) in certain areas
3. Creation of silence zones near schools and hospitals
4. Redesigning buildings to make them noise proof
5. Reduction of traffic density in residential areas
6. Giving preference to mass public transport system.
