PREPARED BY : FARHAN IQBAL JAN

ROLL #: 19
CLASS : M.COM (previous)
SUBMITTED TO :

2010
NOISE POLLUTION

10/4/2010
NOISE POLLUTION

Noise is defined as “unwanted sound”. Sound, which pleases the

listeners, is music and that which causes pain and annoyance is
noise.

2
(2) Measurement:-
A decibel is the standard for the measurement of noise. The zero
on a decibel scale is at the threshold of hearing, the lowest sound
pressure that can be heard, on the scale acc. To smith, 20 db is
whisper, 40 db the noise in a quiet office. 60 db is normal
conversation, 80 db is the level at which sound becomes physically
painful.

(3) Sources of Noise Pollution:-

Noise pollution like other pollutants is also a by- product of

industrialization, urbanizations and modern civilization.

Broadly speaking , the noise pollution has two sources, i.e. industrial
and non- industrial. The industrial source includes the noise from
various industries and big machines working at a very high speed
and high noise intensity. Non- industrial source of noise includes the

3
noise created by transport/vehicular traffic and the neighborhood
noise generated by various noise pollution can also be divided in the
categories , namely, natural and manmade. Most leading noise
sources will fall into the following categories: roads traffic, aircraft,
railroads, construction, industry, noise in buildings, and consumer
products

Road Traffic Noise:-

In the city, the main sources of traffic noise are the motors and
exhaust system of autos , smaller trucks, buses, and motorcycles.
This type of noise can be augmented by narrow streets and tall
buildings, which produce a canyon in which traffic noise
reverberates.

Air Craft Noise: -

 Now-a-days , the problem of low flying military aircraft has added a
new dimension to community annoyance, as the nation seeks to
improve its nap-of the- earth aircraft operations over national parks,
wilderness areas , and other areas previously unaffected by aircraft
noise has claimed national attention over recent years.

Noise from railroads: -

The noise from locomotive engines, horns and whistles, and
switching and shunting operation in rail yards can impact
neighboring communities and railroad workers. For example, rail car
retarders can produce a high frequency, high level screech that can
reach peak levels of 120 dB at a distance of 100 feet, which
translates to levels as high as 138, or 140 dB at the railroad worker’s
ear.

Construction Noise:-
The noise from the construction of highways , city streets , and

4
buildings is a major contributor to the urban scene . Construction
noise sources include pneumatic hammers, air compressors,
bulldozers, loaders, dump trucks (and their back-up signals), and
pavement breakers.

Noise in Industry: -
Although industrial noise is one of the less prevalent community
noise problems, neighbors of noisy manufacturing plants can be
disturbed by sources such as fans, motors, and compressors
mounted on the outside of buildings Interior noise can also be
transmitted to the community through open windows and doors, and
even through building walls. These interior noise sources have
significant impacts on industrial workers, among whom noise-
induced hearing loss is unfortunately common.

Noise in building: -
Apartment dwellers are often annoyed by noise in their homes,
especially when the building is not well designed and constructed. In
this case, internal building noise from plumbing, boilers, generators,
air conditioners, and fans, can be audible and annoying. Improperly
insulated walls and ceilings can reveal the sound of-amplified music,
voices, footfalls and noisy activities from neighboring units. External
noise from emergency vehicles, traffic, refuse collection, and other
city noises can be a problem for urban residents, especially when
windows are open or insufficiently glazed.

Noise from Consumer products:-

Certain household equipment, such as vacuum cleaners and some
kitchen appliances have been and continue to be noisemakers,
although their contribution to the daily noise dose is usually not very
large.

5
(4) Harmful Effects:
On Human Being, Animal and Property: Noise has always been with
the human civilization but it was never so obvious, so intense, so
varied & so pervasive as it is seen in the last of this century. Noise
pollution makes men more irritable. The effect of noise pollution is
multifaceted & inter related. The effects of Noise Pollution on Human
Being, Animal and property are as follows:

It decreases the efficiency of a man:- Regarding the impact of

noise on human efficiency there are number of experiments which
print out the fact that human efficiency increases with noise
reduction. A study by Sinha & Sinha in India suggested that reducing
industrial booths could improve the quality of their work. Thus
human efficiency is related with noise.

Lack of concentration:- For better quality of work there should be

concentration , Noise causes lack of concentration. In big cities,
mostly all the offices are on main road. The noise of traffic or the
loud speakers of different types of horns divert the attention of the
people working in offices.

Fatigue:- Because of Noise Pollution, people cannot concentrate

on their work. Thus they have to give their more time for completing
the work and they feel tiring

Abortion is caused: - There should be cool and calm atmosphere

during the pregnancy. Unpleasant sounds make a lady of irrelative
nature. Sudden Noise causes abortion in females.

It causes Blood pressure - Noise Pollution causes certain

diseases in human. It attacks on the person’s peace of mind. The
noises are recognized as major contributing factors in accelerating

6
the already existing tensions of modern living. These tensions result
in certain disease like blood pressure or mental illness etc.

Temporary of permanent Deafness:- The effect of nose on

audition is well recognized. Mechanics, locomotive drivers,
telephone operators etc. All have their hearing. Impairment as a
result of noise at the place of work. Physicist, physicians &
psychologists are of the view that continued exposure to noise level
above. 80 to 100 db is unsafe, loud noise causes temporary or
permanent deafness.

EFFECT ON VEGETATION Poor quality of Crops:- Now is

well known to all that plants are similar to human being. They are
also as sensitive as man. There should be cool & peaceful
environment for their better growth. Noise pollution causes poor
quality of crops in a pleasant atmosphere

(5) The effect of noise on humans:-

Noise pollution does negatively affect us and the environment. In

humans, aside from annoyance, it's been shown that exposure to
moderately high levels of noise for an eight hour period can increase
blood pressure and cause other cardiac issues - even if the person
is not particularly consciously disturbed. Noise pollution can also
cause gastric problems. Sometimes a person doesn't even realize
their body is stressed by noise until the noise is no longer present -
they just feel a sudden sense of relief.

Exposure to excessively loud noise over long periods can also lead
to partial deafness. Approximately 10 percent of people living in
industrialized areas have substantial hearing loss and youngsters in

7
 the USA have an impaired hearing rate 250% higher than their
parents and grandparents.

 Noise also causes violence - many assaults and murders can be

attributed to a noise issue that spiraled out of control. 

 The effect of noise on the environment

 In nature, noise causes many adverse effects on animals - here's

some examples:

 Birds in a city need to call longer and louder than their

country counterparts
 Birds that rely on hearing to help locate prey are seriously
disadvantaged by anthropogenic (human) noise
 Noise disturbs feeding and breeding patterns of some
animals and has been identified as a contributing factor of the
extinction of some species. 
 Aircraft noise and sonic booms have been implicated as a
cause of lowered reproduction in a variety of animals.
 Military sonar has been responsible for the deaths of
possibly thousands of dolphins and whales. Even outboard motor
noise can confuse some whales and dolphins
 In dairy cows, excessive noise reduces feed consumption,
milk yield, and rate of milk release
 Noise causes increased incidence of miscarriages in
caribou
 Intense noise can affect growth of chickens and egg
production
 Canaries can suffer hearing damage at relatively low
decibel levels if the noise is sustained

8
  Noise has also been showing to have a detrimental effect
on the growth of some plants.
 reducing noise

 Noise is something we can all do something about; whether it's

fixing a faulty muffler on your car, turning down our music a little so our
neighbors don't have to listen to it  or making the effort when out in the
wild not to yell and shout unnecessarily. Here's some other tips for noise
reduction:

 Cell phones ringing annoy the hell out of many people -

keeps yours to the lowest level practicable
 If you have to raise your voice to have a conversation,
something's wrong; so see what noise sources around in your
immediate environment that you have control over.
 Discourage your dogs from barking unnecessarily for
extended periods
 Institute a quiet time in your household's routine
 Make special efforts to keep noise to a minimum at night
and early in the morning as these are times when people are
trying to unwind
 Believe me, nobody else wants to hear your music, no
matter how cool you think it is. There's other ways to make social
statements that are likely more effective and will have a more
positive response :)
 If you do want to turn your stereo up; ensure the doors and
windows are close and reduce the bass levels as bass travels
even through brick walls quite easily
 If your lifestyle is a particularly rowdy one, consider
planting more shrubs and trees around your property. Not only
will this reduce noise affecting your neighbors, you'll provide

9
shelter and food for animals (if they can tolerate the din) and also
play a part in greenhouse gas reduction.

(6) W.H.O guideline values:-

The role of world health organization (W.H.O) about the control of
noise pollution is also noteworthy (kamboj, 1999). It is to raise the
standard of health of the people which can adversely be affected by
noise. Although, W.H.O is not an authority to prescribe the limits of
noise, it recommends some permissible limits of noise which are
just advisory for its member-states. The W.H.O guideline values in
table are organized according to specific environments. When
multiple adverse health effects are identified for a given
environment, the guideline values are set at the level of the lowest
adverse health effect (the critical health effects). The guideline
values represent the sound pressure levels that affect the most
exposed receiver in the listed environment.

Guideline values for community noise in specific environments.

specific environment critical health LAeq time base lA max fast
effects [db] [hour] [db]
Outdoor living area Serious 55 16 -
annoyance,
daytime and
evening.
Moderate 50 16 -
annoyance,
daytime and
evening.
Dwelling, indoors Speech 35 16 -
inside bedrooms intelligibility and
moderate
annoyance,
daytime and
evening.
sleep
disturbance, 30 8 45

10
 night-time
Outside bedrooms Sleep 45 8 60
disturbance,
window open
(outdoor values)
School classrooms and Speech 35 During class -
pre-schools indoors intelligibility,
disturbance of
information
extraction,
message
communication.
Pre-school bedrooms, Sleep disturbance 30 Sleeping time 45
indoors
School, playground Annoyance 55 During play -
outdoor (external source)
Hospitals, ward rooms, Sleep 30 8 40
indoors disturbance,
night-time.
Sleep
disturbance, 30 16 -
daytime and
evenings
Hospitals, treatment Interference with No.1
rooms, indoors rest and recovery
Industrial commercial, Hearing 70 24 110
shopping and traffic impairment
areas, indoors and
outdoors
Ceremonies festivals Hearing 100 4 110
and entertainment impairment
events
Public addresses, Hearing 85 1 110
indoors and outdoors impairment
Music through Hearing 85 no.1 1 110
headphones/earphone impairment (free-
s field value)
Impulse sounds from Hearing - - 140 no.2
toys, fireworks and impairment
firearms. (adults).
Hearing
impairment - - 140 no.2
(children)
Outdoors in parkland Disruption of No. 3
and conservation areas tranquility

11
No.1) as low as possible
No.2) peak sound pressure (not LA max, fast),measured 100mm from
the ear.
No.3) existing quiet outdoor areas should be preserved and the ratio
of intruding noise to natural background sound should be kept low.
No.4) under headphones, adapted to free-field values.
(7) Noise standards in Pakistan:-
In Pakistan there is no legislation to deal with noise emanating from
railway engines, air craft’s, airport or industrial or construction
activities. Public complaints on noise pollution are often received in
the federal and provincial environment protection agencies, but in
the absence of national standards for noise, these agencies are
handicapped to take any legal action. Aircraft noise is another
source of pollution which has so far remained unchecked (PEPC
draft report). In Pakistan where most major civil airports lie in heavily
populated areas, no such precautionary measures have been taken.
Airlines, other than PIA continue to operate old Russian commercial
aircrafts which are exceptionally noisy. Road traffic noise is another
most widespread source of noise nuisance in the urban areas of
Pakistan. The situation is getting alarming with increase in traffic
density on city roads, particularly in Karachi.
The Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (PAK-EPA)
exercising its power under clause (d) of section 6(1) of the Pakistan
Environmental Protection Ordinance (PEPO), 1983 with approval of
the PEPC established National Environmental Quality Standards
(NEQS), inter alia, for motor vehicle exhaust and noise.

National Environmental Quality Standards for Motor Vehicle

Exhaust and Noise.
S.NO PARAMETER STANDARDS MEASURING
(maximum METHOD
permissible limit)

12
 1 Smoke 40% or 2 on the To compared with
Ringelmann scale ringelmann chart at
during engine distance of 6 meters
acceleration mode. or more.
2 Carbon monoxide Emission standards: Under idling condition:
New Used Non dispersive in
Vehicle: Vehicle: infrared detection
4.5% 6% through gas analyzer.
3 noise 85 dB (A) Sound meter at 7.5
meters from the
source.

At present there exist no national standards for prescribing noise limits for
residential areas, industrial areas, commercial areas or silence zones. Most
of the areas particularly to the urban side are subjected to unacceptable
noise conditions due to construction, manufacturing, traffic and
recreational activities. No national survey has been conducted to assess
noise level in cities. However, random tests in different cities showed that
the noise level in most of the areas was as high as 70-90 dB (A) which is
much higher than the acceptable limits.

Noise studies conducted in different cities of Pakistan:-

S.NO Cities name Max. Min. Average
recorded recorded
noise level noise level
dB (A) dB (A)
1 Gujranwala 100 41 72.5
2 Faisalabad 100 47 72
3 Islamabad 104.5 47 72.5
4 Rawalpindi 108.5 48 72.5
5 Karachi 88.9 62.4 76.5
6 Peshawar 708.5 68.2 86

(8) Control of noise pollution:-

Spotting noise risk zones:

13
In developing countries such as Pakistan the growth of their mega
cities such as Karachi had been unplanned and haphazard resulted
in many environmental hazards. One of the growing threats is noise
pollution, which is damaging human health like a silent killer.
Global , or strategic, noise planning tries to prevent noise issue
arising and to optimize the use of limited resources by mapping and
managing the noise environment of a large area such as a city.

An urgent need for legislation to control noise pollution:-

As present, there is no specific and detailed legislation to control

noise pollution. Government should pass the “noise pollution
control act” to meet special Pakistan condition.

Public awakening and the control:-

It is also important that public awakening is also very essential for

the control and prevention of the noise pollution. In Pakistan, most
of the persons lack and idea about the ways in which noise pollution
could be controlled.

By plantation:-

Plants are efficient absorbers of noise, especially noise of high

frequency. A dense ever green hedge can reduce the noise of
microphones by 20dB.

Reduce the noise at source level:-

14
 Steps should be taken to reduce the noise at source level. Industrial
areas, aerodromes and highways should be located outside the city
limits.

Exchange of scientific knowledge:-

Scientific knowledge regarding the pollutants and control of

environmental pollution may be exchanged internationally so that
the developing and under developed countries may also be able to
control the ever increasing problem of pollution.
(9) Conclusion:-
As present , there is no specific and detailed legislation to control the
noise pollution except Pakistan National Environmental Quality Standards
which are only for motor vehicle noise and allow the maximum permissible
noise emission limit of 85 dB (A). There is no standard to deal with noise
emanating from the activities of industrial, commercial and residential
areas. Therefore, there is an urgent needs that:
(1). Pakistan standards for noise emission for motor vehicle should be
revised.
(2). Recommendations and draft on national standards of noise prepared
by PEPC in 1995, should be made applicable.
(3). All EPAs coordinates the control of environmental noise. EPA should
run campaign against noise pollution in collaboration with traffic police. It
will require a combined effort of the relevant Government departments,
NGOs, transporters and general public to control the deafening noise that

15
have made live living hell.

16