Noise Pollution

Chapter

1

What is Noise?

• Definition:– Unwanted sound– Excessive, displeasing human, animal, or

machine-created environmental noise that disrupts the activity or balance of human or animal life

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• The unit of sound is Decibel (db)

• 85 dB is the level above which hearing protection is recommended, to avoid hearing loss from the cumulative effects of exposure to noise over time.

• The higher the noise level, the less time it takes for damage to occur.

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• How can you tell if the noise level is 85 dB?

• A quick test:– If you have to raise your voice to talk to

someone who is an arm's length away from you, you are likely in an environment with a sound level of 85 dB or more.

4

Sources of Noise Pollution

• It is also a by-product of industrialization, urbanization and modern civilization

– Transportation Airplanes, Rickshaw, Train, Trucks, Cars, Motorcycles

– Industrial Buildings Factory Machines, Air Conditioning Systems

– Household Equipments Mixers, Vacuum cleaners, Intruder alarms of buildings

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– Construction Equipment Pneumatic hammers, Bulldozers, Air compressors, Dump trucks, Loaders

– Other Causes Boilers, Plumbing equipment, Air conditioners, Generators, Fans

– Public Places Open markets, Streets, Parks

– Individual Talking loudly, Listening to loud music

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Pneumatic Hammer

Bulldozer

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– Underwater Noise Pollution• Motorboats• Commercial shipping traffic, • Exploration and extraction of oil • Exploration and extraction of other minerals• Military Sonar

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9

Effects of Noise Pollution

• Noise pollution has adverse effects on:– Humans– Animals– Plants

10

• Unwanted sound (noise) can damage physiological and psychological health

• Noise pollution can cause – hearing loss– decreased communication skills– sleep disturbances – annoyance and aggression– heart problems– high stress levels – performance reduction

Hum

ans

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• Chronic exposure to noise may cause hearing loss, which cannot be cured.

• The risk of hearing loss from noise exposure depends on two things:– how loud the noise is– how long a person is exposed to the noise

Hearing Loss

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Maximum Recommended

Noise DoseExposure

Levels

13

• Prolonged noise exposure weakens our ability to communicate effectively, causing symptoms such as– difficulty in concentration– indecision– faltering speech– confusion– impatience

Decreased Communication Skills

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• High levels of noise make it difficult to get a full night’s sleep. 

• Sleep disturbances often lead to – insomnia,

• which creates stress, anxiety, depression, mood swings, and lowers our immunity.

Sleep Disturbances

15

– Effects the cognitive processes: Thinking and Learning

– Lead to serious health problems:• Heart disease, Heart attack, Heart failure,

Irregular heartbeat, High blood pressure, Stroke, diabetes

– Increases the chances of getting into an accident

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– Lead to forgetfulness

– Lead to weight gain• When you sleep, you lose weight. Lack of

sleep seems to be related to an increase in hunger and appetite, and possibly to obesity.

– It may increase risk of death

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• Noise pollution indirectly can contribute to cardiovascular effects in humans

• Due to insomnia, anxiety, stress, a person can end up with a – heart disease,– higher blood pressure– a host of stress-related health issues

Heart Problems

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• Noise pollution impairs our cognitive functioning

• It negatively affects our – reading comprehension, – learning and problem-solving skills,– work performance– socio-emotional development

ReducedPerformance

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• People suffer from:– Headaches– Fatigue– Sleepiness– Annoyance

• These problems decrease their efficiency levels and hamper the quality of their work.

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• Noise pollution also has an adverse effect on animals– Alters the predator or prey detection

and avoidance– Interferes with navigation– Interferes with reproduction– Contributes to permanent hearing

loss

Ani

mal

s

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• Lombard Vocal Response:– Noise makes animals communicate louder

• These unheard voices might be warnings, finding of prey, or preparations of net-bubbling.

• When one species begins speaking louder, it will mask other species' voice, causing the whole ecosystem to eventually speak louder

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• Following is a list of few animals which are effect by noise pollution:– Whales – Dolphins– Bats – Owls– Grey Tree Frogs– Beetles

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• Due to noise pollution, many birds and animals are changing their behavior in response to manmade noise– Like moving to less nosier places

• Because of this, plants are getting affected indirectly– Many animals pollinate plants or eat

or disperse their seeds, to help the trees spread and grow in other areas

Plan

ts

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