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Noise Pollution

The document discusses noise pollution, its sources, effects, and steps to control it. It defines noise pollution and lists major sources such as industrialization, urban planning, transportation, construction, and social events. Effects include auditory issues like hearing loss as well as non-auditory impacts on health, animals, and property. Control methods center around reducing noise at its source, insulating receivers, and legislative restrictions.

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Preetham M. C Preetham M. C
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69 views10 pages

Noise Pollution

The document discusses noise pollution, its sources, effects, and steps to control it. It defines noise pollution and lists major sources such as industrialization, urban planning, transportation, construction, and social events. Effects include auditory issues like hearing loss as well as non-auditory impacts on health, animals, and property. Control methods center around reducing noise at its source, insulating receivers, and legislative restrictions.

Uploaded by

Preetham M. C Preetham M. C
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Malnad College of Engineering

(An Autonomous Institution under Visvesvaraya Technological University,


Belagavi Hassan – 573 202)

Report On
Environmental Studies (EVS)
Topic : Noise Pollution
Submitted by
PRIYADARSHINI H P ( 4MC21EC079)

Under the guidance of


Dr. Yashaswini P. R.
Assistant Professor
Dept.of ECE, MCE, Hassan
Noise Pollution
Sound
Sound is main means of communication in many animals, including humans. A low sound is
pleasant and harmless. A loud, unpleasant or unwanted sound is called as noise. A given
sound can appear music to some and noise to others. It depends upon loudness, duration and
mood of a person.

Noise
Noise (La. nausea=seasickness) is physical form of pollution. It is not harmful to air, soil
and water but affects the animals including humans. Noise is unwanted sound, that is
unpleasant, loud and disruptive. Humans have a hearing range called as audible range.
Audible range depends upon frequency and loudness of sound. For a person with normal
hearing, frequency ranges from 20 to 20,000 Hz and loudness ranges from 0 to 120 dB.
Sound is measured in decibels (dB). A decibel value above 80 is considered to be noise
pollution.
Source Of Noise Pollution

1. Industrialization: Most of the industries use big


machines which are capable of producing noise. Apart
from that, various equipment’s like compressors,
generators, exhaust fans, grinding mills also
participate in producing noise.

2. Poor Urban Planning: In most of the developing


countries, poor urban planning also play a vital
role.Congested houses, large families sharing small
space, parking lots, street noise, honking, commercial
zone leads to noise pollution which disrupts the
environment of society.

3. Social Events: Noise is at its peak in most of the


social events. Whether it is marriage, parties, pub, disc
or place of worship, people normally defy rules set by
the local administration and create nuisance in the
area. People play songs on full volume and dance till
midnight which makes the condition of people living
nearby pretty worse.

4. Transportation: Large number of vehicles on roads,


aero planes, trains produce heavy noise. The high noise
leads to a situation wherein a normal person lose the
ability to hear properly.
5. Construction Activities: Construction activities
like mining, construction of bridges, dams,
buildings, stations, roads, flyovers take place in
almost every part of the world. These construction
activities have to be continued to meet the demand
of ever increasing Population. It also creates noise
pollution

6. Household Chores: We people are surrounded by


gadgets and use them extensively in our daily life.
Gadgets like TV, mobile, mixer grinder, pressure
cooker, vacuum cleaners, washing machine and
dryer, cooler, air conditioners are also contributors
to the amount of noise that is produced and but
many times it affects the quality of life of our
neighborhood.

7. Fireworks: Firework is a common thing during


various fairs, festivals and cultural ceremonies.
Apart from air pollution, the intensity of their sound
creates noise pollution.

8. Defence Equipment and launching of satellites: A


lot of noise pollution is added to the atmosphere by
artillery, tanks, launching of rockets, explosions,
exercising of military airplanes and shooting
practices. Screams of jet engines and launching of
satellite, sonic booms have a deafening impact on
the ears.

9. Miscellaneous Sources: The automobile repair


shops, market places, schools, colleges, bus stands,
and railway stations etc. are other sources of noise
pollution.
Sound Range
Effects Of Noise Pollution
Human response to noise varies from man to man according to age and temperament. It
may vary even in the same individual from time to time because of change in health,
fatigue and other conditions

1) Auditory effects:
It includes deafness or auditory fatigue.
Deafness or impaired hearing: Prolonged exposures to noise lead to gradual
deterioration of internal ear and subsequently hearing loss or deafness. It may occur due
to continuous exposure to noise level of more than 90 dB. It may be temporary or
permanent. Explosions or other high intensity sounds can also cause immediate deafness
by rupturing the ear drums or damaging the cochlea. Many time hearing loss is
attributed to occupation.

Auditory fatigue: It is defined as a temporary loss of hearing after exposure to sound.


Continuous humming sound such as whistling and buzzing in the ears.

2) Non auditory effects:


These are :-
Irritation and annoyance: Noise, sometimes, leads to emotional disturbances and makes
people loose their temper. It can interfere with proper rest and sleep. Annoyance seems
to increase with the loudness of the sound.

Work efficiency: It has been observed that noise reduces the efficiency of work.

Physiological effects: It includes dilation of the pupils, paling of skin, tensing of


voluntary muscles, diminishing of gastric secretions, increase in diastolic blood pressure
and the sudden injection of adrenalins
into blood stream which increases neuromuscular tension, nervousness, irritability and
anxieties. It can adversely affect the development of unborn babies.

Other health effects: Noise is also associated with headache, giddiness, sweating, nausea,
fatigue, difficulty in breathing, disturbed sleep pattern, psychological stress.

Trouble Communicating: High decibel noise can put trouble and may not allow people to
communicate freely. Constant sharp noise can give you severe headache and disturb your
emotional balance.

3) Effect on non-living things: The noise booms cause cracks in walls of buildings as well
as in hills. Sonic boom can break window panes and buildings.
4) Effect on Animals: Animals rely heavily on sounds to communicate, to find food,
avoid predators etc. Pets react more aggressively due to exposure to constant noise. They
become disoriented more easily and face many behavioral problems. Overexposure to
high intensity of noise affects the hearing ability of many animals. Man-made noise
affects mating calls and echolocation. This leads to reduction in survival and
reproduction rates. At an ecosystem level, noise pollution could lead to migration of
animals. Their migration can affect the crop production. Because many animals such as
bats pollinate bananas, peaches, agave and other cash crops.

Steps to Control Noise pollution

Noise pollution can be effectively controlled by taking the following measures:

(1) Control at receiver’s end: For people working in noisy installations, ear-protection
aids like ear-plugs, ear-muffs, noise helmets, headphones etc. must be provided to reduce
occupational exposure.

(2) Suppression of noise at source: It can be achieved by following methods:


(a) Designing, fabricating and using quieter machines to replace the noisy ones.
(b) Proper lubrication and better maintenance of machines.
(c) Installing noisy machines in sound proof chambers.
(d) Covering noise-producing machine parts with sound-absorbing materials to check
noise production.
(e) Reducing the noise produced from a vibrating machine by vibration damping i.e.
making a layer of damping material (rubber, neoprene, cork or plastic) beneath the
machine.
(f) Using silencers to control noise from automobiles, ducts, exhausts etc.

(3) White noise:- It is a special type of sound signal which is used to mask background
sounds. White noise helps to mask out sounds which might otherwise prevent one from
either falling asleep or waking up whilst asleep.
(4) Acoustic Zoning: There should be silence zones near the residential areas, educational
institutions and above all, near hospitals. Zoning of noisy industrial areas, bus terminals
and railway stations, aerodrome etc. away from the residential areas i.e. increasing the
distance between source and receiver.

(5) Sound Insulation at Construction Stages: It reduces the chances of noise nuisance in
future.

a) The space/cracks that get left between the door and the wall should be packed with
sound absorbing material.
(b) Sound insulation can be done by constructing windows with double or triple panes of
glass and filling the gaps with sound absorbing materials.
(c) Acoustical tiles, perforated plywood etc. can be fixed on walls, ceilings, floors etc. to
reduce noise (especially for sound proof recording rooms etc.)

(6) Planting of Trees: Green muffler scheme involves planting green trees and shrubs
along roads, hospitals, educational institutions etc. to reduce noise to a considerable
extent. Trees like Ashoka, Neem, Tamarind are good for this purpose.

(7) Legislative Measures: Strict legislative measures need to be enforced to curb the
menace of noise . Noise standards (Table) should be strictly followed. Minimum use of
loudspeakers and amplifiers especially near silence zones. Banning pressure horns in
automobiles.

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