The population that lives on our planet is increasing year by year, which leads to an increase in the activities that take place in our cities, to a greater extent, and in rural areas. This results in an increase in pollution of all kinds: environmental, visual, sound or light pollution.
In this AgroCorrn article we will focus on analyzing possible solutions to noise pollution , but first we will define what it is, how it is measured and what its sources are.
- What is noise pollution
- How noise or noise pollution is measured
- Health consequences of noise pollution
- Solutions to noise or acoustic pollution
Index
What is noise pollution
We define noise or acoustic pollution as the noise or vibrations that are generated in the environment, regardless of its emitter, that may be a danger or produce a negative effect on people’s health, in the development of their activities or directly in environment.
According to a list published by the WHO (World Health Organization), the cities with the most noise on the planet are: Bombay (India), Calcutta (India), Cairo (Egypt), New York (United States) or Buenos Aires ( Argentina). Madrid occupies one of the top positions on this list, with Spain being the European country with the highest noise pollution .
How noise or noise pollution is measured
The noise scale is made according to its intensity and power. They are generally calculated in decibels or decibels (dB) . The noise scale starts at 0, which is the lowest level that a person’s ear can perceive, and can go up to 140 dB. The instrument used to measure noise is called a sound level meter , which measures the sound pressure level at a given place and time. From a human point of view, the noise levels are:
- 0: minimum sound that the human ear can pick up
- 10-30: noise produced by a low volume conversation
- 30-50: noise produced by speaking at medium volume
- 55: noise comfortable for the human ear
- 65: maximum determined by WHO
- 65-75: noise produced by traffic, high volume television, etc.
- 75-100: noise that causes the first damage to the hearing
- 100-120: there is a danger of deafness
- 120: noise that can cause pain in the ear
- 140: maximum captured by the human ear
Main sources of noise
Currently, noise in cities comes from four main sources:
- Vehicles and transport: 80%
- Works and industries: 10%
- Rail: 6%
- Music and entertainment venues: 4%
Therefore, within a city, the areas with the highest noise level will be those located near transport routes for any type of vehicle and industrial areas. For this reason, it should be avoided that these places are close to homes.
Health consequences of noise pollution
According to the WHO, continuous exposure to noise can have negative physical and psychological effects , which develop slowly and progressively.
Thus, a noise level above 80 dB can cause stress, headaches, nervousness, depression, difficulty resting or communicating, fatigue, digestive problems, sexual dysfunction or hearing damage, among other negative effects on our health. and the rest of the animals that inhabit these areas.
Solutions to noise or acoustic pollution
There are several measures that we could take individually to reduce noise pollution , a problem that affects us all:
- Avoid making excessive or unnecessary noise both in our daily activities and at home.
- Avoid using motor vehicles as long as it is not essential and prioritize public transport or means of transport that do not pollute or make little noise, such as bicycles .
- Do not make excessive noise during the rest hours of other people inside the house or block of flats and do not carry out activities that can be very noisy late at night.
- Do not listen to music or watch television at very high volumes, as they can progressively damage our own hearing and that of others.
- Do not make excessive use of fireworks.
- Wear earplugs.
- Turn off electronic equipment.
- Avoid living in areas close to large sources of noise such as industrial areas, large works or downtown areas with excessive passage of vehicles.
Another way to avoid noise pollution is to effectively isolate our home from noise such as the use of insulating materials or constructions, for example, double-layer windows or having small roofs at home, which create an insulating barrier to the passage of sound vibrations. , in addition to providing fresh air to the home.
If you want to read more articles similar to Solutions for noise pollution , we recommend that you enter our Pollution category .
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