Over 110 million Europeans are exposed to dangerous levels of sound pollution, which causes 66,000 premature deaths annually, shows a report by the European Environment Agency. Traffic noise affects sleep, increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes and depression, and children are among the most vulnerable, according to this study, notes The Guardian.
The report, made by the European Environment Agency (AEM), focuses on the noise caused by cars, trains and airplanes, concluding that 20% of the population of the European Economic Area (EEE) is affected. Separate research, which uses a slightly lower threshold to define harmful noise, found that 40% of the UK population is exposed to dangerous transport noise.
Seventeen million people withstand a high level of sound pollution – a long -term, extremely disturbing exposure – and almost 5 million suffer from serious sleep disorders. Fifteen million children live in areas affected by harmful noise. According to analysis, the impact of health noise is greater than that of more publicized risks, such as passive smoking or lead exposure, and generates an economic cost of almost 100 billion euros (86 billion pounds) per year. The sound pollution affects our health researchers warns that damage to health is probably underestimated.
The use of a stricter threshold of the World Health Organization (WHO) for risky sound pollution lifts to 150 million people over Europe. The EU lens to reduce 30% by 2030 the number of chronically disturbed people by the transport noise will not be reached without additional measures, says experts. “The sound pollution affects our health by maintaining the body in a constant state of struggle or escape, even if we do not consciously achieve this,” said Dr. Eulalia Peris from AEM.
“This can trigger harmful physiological reactions, such as inflammation and oxidative stress, and over time increases the risk of health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, obesity, affecting cognitive functions and mental disorders.” “The sound pollution is not just a discomfort,” added Peris, who says she was itself affected. “Lord, yes. I am very aware of the effects of sound pollution and I am extremely sensitive to it. They limit your life.
“The road noise, the largest source of sound pollution The report is based on data reported by the SEE member countries on transport noise – the most widespread and significant source of sound pollution. Other sources, such as noisy neighbors or music music, are also probably harmful to their health. Affected by road noise, 18 million trains and 2.6 million aircraft. states that numerous measures can be taken.
Reducing speed limits in urban areas and promoting silent tires would reduce road noise, as well as encouraging public transport, walking and bicycle. Children are particularly vulnerable to increasing the number of electric cars will reduce noise less than you might think, researchers say, because at low speeds the main source of noise is the contact between tires and road, not the engine.
The noise of traffic is dominated by a small number of extremely noisy vehicles. The railway noise could be reduced by the better maintenance of trains and rails, and that of the planes by optimizing the take -off and landing routes and encouraging the use of quieter aircraft.
“The sound pollution is often overlooked, considered only a daily annoyance,” said the executive director of AEM, Leena Ylä-Mononen. One of the reasons is that the sound pollution is chronic, as opposed to the pollution of the air that has sudden tips, which trigger health alerts and increase the awareness.
“However, the long -term effects of noise on health and environment are extended and significant,” she said. “Children are also very vulnerable to the effects of noise and is a problem that all countries must urgently approach.”
