Studies Show Noise is Polluting Our Health

Various scientific studies are proving that environmental noise pollution threatens our hearing and overall health.

Evidence, such as a study carried out by the World Health Organization (WHO), suggests that hundreds of thousands of people around the world may be getting sick or even dying prematurely due to the effects of chronic noise exposure.

The World Health Organization (WHO) study shows that long-term exposure to traffic noise may account for 3 percent of deaths from ischemic heart disease in Europe, which translates into hundreds of thousands of casualties around the world. Furthermore, German research suggests that noise pollution prevents millions of us from getting a good nights sleep. For example, in European Union countries alone, 20 percent of the population (approximately 80 million people), including children, suffer from stress and sleep disorders that have a considerable negative effect on health.
Our hearing is also affected by the noise pollution, with more of us suffering hearing loss much earlier in life. Prolonged or excessive exposure to sounds over the threshold of 85 decibels, researchers say, such as chain saws, jackhammers, rock music, band practice, firearms, firecrackers, air raid sirens, and jet engines, to name just a few, can permanently harm our hearing.

Chronic noise, such as traffic, shown to increase health issues.
To prevent damage, hearing health specialists advise the use of earplugs when operating loud machinery, as well as eliminating or keeping to the minimum unwanted household noises such as TV sets, radios, or household appliances.

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