sound pollution cause and effect essay

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Industry growth, an increasing number of vehicles and constant information overload causes a significant and underestimated problem: noise pollution. The term noise pollution is used to define unwanted sounds that are released into the environment. Various research studies have proven that noise pollution imposes a number of negative impacts on mental and physical health. To understand the reasons behind these health conditions, people should consider the effects that are usually caused by noise pollution.

In a modern megalopolis, noise pollution arises from many sources, such as traffic, barking dogs, noisy neighbors, aircraft, verbal advertising in streets, and many other environmental factors merging into one sound wall. A person may get used to perceiving these sounds and ignore them, but on a subconscious level, such constant noise exposure has a significant effect. Noise pollution is measured in decibels, and its intensity and duration determines the impact on an individual’s health.

One of the most obvious negative consequences of prolonged exposure to noise is hearing loss. Studies show that people who have been regularly exposed to intense noise, due to the nature of their work, have decreased hearing sensibility compared to those who have worked in more quiet conditions. The most disturbing source of noise pollution stems from traffic (Healthy Hearing). Elevated sound levels cause changes in the structure of the inner ear, which results in irreversible hearing loss.

Another negative effect caused by noise pollution is heightened irritability and sensitivity. Different sounds can have different impacts on a person; thus, one can get annoyed with the sound of water dripping from a faucet or car horns blowing, but relax to the sounds of falling rain. Natural sounds are much less irritating than artificial sounds, such as traffic noise. However, natural sounds also create a sound wall effect as in the case of a waterfall or the wind blowing. In contrast, living near the motorway can lead to frustration and can seriously upset human nerves.

Speech and sleep interference is another issue that arises from noise pollution. It can be difficult to talk while standing on a busy street, and in this case, people often have to shout to be heard. Therefore, hearing and interpreting each other becomes an issue. The noise of a big city is one of the most popular reasons for sleep disorders. High levels of noise often wake people in the middle of the night and hinder them while trying to fall asleep again, thus breaking bio-rhythms and causing weakness and drowsiness during the next day.

Decreased work performance should also be mentioned in the list of negative impacts caused by noise pollution. High levels of noise can cause inaccuracy and inattentiveness, which can result in decreased productivity and additional stress. This is a crucial point for people whose workplaces are potentially dangerous, such as construction sites or factories. A misheard order or instruction, or the lack of concentration in such workplaces can lead to severe consequences.

It can be observed that noise pollution is a serious, though underestimated problem for the human population. It causes a number of negative effects both on health and the effectiveness of performing actions. Among the most obvious and significant negative effects are hearing loss, increased irritability, speech and sleep disturbances, and decreased work performance. Even if a person becomes accustomed to constant noise and thinks that it does not affect them, changes still occur. Every individual, including scientific and healthcare organizations, should seek ways to minimize the aforementioned impacts and reduce their exposure to noise pollution.

References: 1. “Reasons for Hearing Loss: Noise Pollution Levels.” Healthy Hearing. N.p., 5 July 2010. Web. 14 Dec. 2012. <http://www.healthyhearing.com/content/articles/Hearing-loss/Causes/47496-Noise-pollution-hearing-loss>. 2. “Noise Effects Handbook.” NPC Library. National Association of Noise Control Officials, n.d. Web. 22 Dec. 2012. <http://www.nonoise.org/library/handbook/handbook.htm>.

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ENCYCLOPEDIC ENTRY

Noise pollution.

Noise pollution can cause health problems for people and wildlife, both on land and in the sea. From traffic noise to rock concerts, loud or inescapable sounds can cause hearing loss, stress, and high blood pressure. Noise from ships and human activities in the ocean is harmful to whales and dolphins that depend on echolocation to survive.

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Construction Noise Pollution

A man working with a jackhammer in a construction site. Noise pollution becomes and increasingly larger issue in big cities.

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Noise pollution is an invisible danger. It cannot be seen, but it is present nonetheless, both on land and under the sea. Noise pollution is considered to be any unwanted or disturbing sound that affects the health and well-being of humans and other organisms.

Sound is measured in decibels . There are many sounds in the environment, from rustling leaves (20 to 30 decibels ) to a thunderclap (120 decibels ) to the wail of a siren (120 to 140 decibels ). Sounds that reach 85 decibels or higher can harm a person’s ears. Sound sources that exceed this threshold include familiar things, such as power lawn mowers (90 decibels ), subway trains (90 to 115 decibels ), and loud rock concerts (110 to 120 decibels ).

Noise pollution impacts millions of people on a daily basis. The most common health problem it causes is Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). Exposure to loud noise can also cause high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep disturbances, and stress. These health problems can affect all age groups, especially children. Many children who live near noisy airports or streets have been found to suffer from stress and other problems, such as impairments in memory, attention level, and reading skill.

Noise pollution also impacts the health and well-being of wildlife. Studies have shown that loud noises can cause caterpillars' dorsal vessels (the insect equivalent of a heart) to beat faster, and cause bluebirds to have fewer chicks. Animals use sound for a variety of reasons, including to navigate, find food, attract mates, and avoid predators. Noise pollution makes it difficult for them to accomplish these tasks, which affects their ability survive.

Increasing noise is not only affecting animals on land, it is also a growing problem for those that live in the ocean. Ships, oil drills, sonar devices, and seismic tests have made the once tranquil marine environment loud and chaotic. Whales and dolphins are particularly impacted by noise pollution . These marine mammals rely on echolocation to communicate, navigate, feed, and find mates, and excess noise interferes with their ability to effectively echolocate.

Some of the loudest underwater noise comes from naval sonar devices. Sonar , like echolocation , works by sending pulses of sound down into the depths of the ocean to bounce off an object and return an echo to the ship, which indicates a location for object. Sonar sounds can be as loud as 235 decibels and travel hundreds of miles under water, interfering with whales’ ability to use echolocation . Research has shown that sonar can cause mass strandings of whales on beaches and alter the feeding behavior of endangered blue whales ( Balaenoptera musculus ). Environmental groups are urging the U.S. Navy to stop or reduce using sonar for military training.

Seismic surveys also produce loud blasts of sound within the ocean. Ships looking for deep-sea oil or gas deposits tow devices called air guns and shoot pulses of sound down to the ocean floor. The sound blasts can damage the ears of marine animals and cause serious injury. Scientists believe this noise may also be contributing to the altered behavior of whales.

Among those researching the effects of noise pollution is Michel Andre, a bioacoustics researcher in Spain who is recording ocean sounds using instruments called hydrophones . His project, LIDO (Listening to the Deep Ocean Environment), collects data at 22 different locations. Back in the lab, computers identify the sounds of human activities as well as 26 species of whales and dolphins. The analysis aims to determine the effects that underwater noise is having on these animals. Andre hopes his project will find ways to protect marine animals from the dangers of ocean noise.

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Essay on Noise Pollution: 100, 300 and 500 Words

• Updated on  
• Sep 8, 2023

Noise pollution, an insidious environmental menace, refers to the excessive and undesirable sound that disrupts the tranquillity of our surroundings. Often originating from urban areas, transportation, industries, and recreational activities, noise pollution has far-reaching implications on human health and well-being. 

Prolonged exposure to high noise levels can lead to stress, sleep disturbances, hearing impairment, and even cardiovascular problems. Moreover, it disturbs the natural habitat of wildlife and affects the overall quality of life. In this blog, we will give you a 100, 300, and 500-word essay on noise pollution. 

Also Read: Essay on Global Warming

100 Words Essay on Noise Pollution

Noise pollution is a pressing environmental issue that has detrimental effects on human health and well-being. It refers to our surroundings’ excessive, unwanted, and disturbing sounds. These sounds can originate from various sources, such as traffic, industrial machinery, construction, and even recreational activities.

Exposure to high levels of noise pollution can lead to several health problems, including hearing loss, increased stress, sleep disturbances, and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, it can disrupt communication, hinder concentration, and decrease overall quality of life.

To mitigate noise pollution, it’s essential to implement sound regulations and promote noise-reducing technologies in urban planning and infrastructure development . Public awareness and responsible behaviour, such as reducing unnecessary honking and limiting loud activities during nighttime hours, also play a crucial role in combating this problem.

In conclusion, addressing noise pollution is vital for creating healthier, more livable urban environments and improving the overall well-being of communities.

Also Read: Essay on Pollution 

300 Words Essay on Noise Pollution

Noise pollution is a pervasive and often underestimated environmental issue that has a significant impact on the quality of life in urban areas. It refers to the excessive, unwanted, and disruptive sounds that fill our surroundings, leading to a wide range of physical, psychological, and social problems.

Sources of Noise Pollution

One of the primary sources of noise pollution in urban settings is traffic. The constant roar of engines, honking horns, and screeching brakes can be overwhelming. Industrial activities also contribute significantly, with the relentless hum of machinery and construction sites adding to the cacophony. In addition to these, social and recreational activities, such as concerts, parties, and even barking dogs, can add to the noise burden.

Consequences of Noise Pollution

The consequences of noise pollution are far-reaching. Physiologically, exposure to high noise levels can lead to hearing loss, elevated stress levels, and an increased risk of cardiovascular problems. It can disrupt sleep patterns, leading to chronic fatigue and irritability. Noise pollution can also impair cognitive functions and hinder concentration, impacting productivity and academic performance .

Moreover, noise pollution has social implications. It can strain relationships among neighbours, causing conflicts and reducing the sense of community. Children growing up in noisy environments may experience delays in language development and learning difficulties. Additionally, it affects wildlife, disrupting their natural habitats and communication.

How to Reduce Noise Pollution

Addressing noise pollution requires a multifaceted approach. Urban planning and zoning regulations can play a crucial role in minimizing noise exposure for residents. The development of noise barriers, quieter road surfaces, and improved public transportation can help mitigate the problem. Promoting the use of noise-reducing technologies, such as quieter machinery and better-insulated buildings, is also essential.

Individual responsibility is equally vital. Reducing unnecessary honking, limiting loud activities during nighttime hours, and using noise-cancelling headphones are practical steps individuals can take to reduce their contribution to noise pollution.

In conclusion, noise pollution poses a growing threat to urban life, affecting physical and mental health, social harmony, and overall well-being. To combat this issue effectively, a combination of government regulations, technological advancements, and individual awareness and responsibility is needed. 

500 Words Essay on Noise Pollution

Introduction.

Noise pollution encompasses unwanted and disruptive sounds generated by various sources, including transportation, industrial activities, and recreational events. 

This essay explores the causes, effects, and solutions to noise pollution, emphasizing the pressing need for collective action to mitigate its adverse impact on modern urban life.

Causes of Noise Pollution

1. Transportation: Urban areas are characterized by constant traffic flow, which is a primary source of noise pollution. The incessant rumble of engines, screeching tires, and incessant honking contribute significantly to the overall noise levels.

2. Industrial Activities: Industries and factories, often concentrated in urban zones, generate noise through the operation of heavy machinery, equipment, and manufacturing processes. Construction activities, with their bulldozers and pile drivers, are particularly notorious for their noise emissions.

3. Recreational Activities: Urban centres are hubs of entertainment and recreation, hosting concerts, sporting events, and social gatherings. These activities generate high levels of noise, especially when amplified music or cheering crowds are involved.

Effects of Noise Pollution

1. Health Implications: Prolonged exposure to high noise levels can lead to severe health problems. Hearing impairment is a common consequence, with noise-induced hearing loss being a well-documented issue. Noise pollution is also linked to increased stress, anxiety, and elevated blood pressure, which can escalate the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

2. Sleep Disturbances: Noise pollution disrupts sleep patterns, leading to chronic sleep disturbances. Poor sleep quality can result in fatigue, irritability, and decreased cognitive performance, affecting overall productivity and well-being.

3. Cognitive Impairment: Noise pollution impairs cognitive functions, making it difficult to concentrate and focus. This can hinder academic performance and reduce workplace productivity.

Solutions to Noise Pollution

1. Urban Planning: Thoughtful urban planning and zoning regulations are essential to mitigate noise pollution. Separating industrial areas from residential zones, implementing noise-buffering green spaces, and designing soundproofed buildings can significantly reduce noise exposure.

2. Noise Barriers: Erecting noise barriers along highways and busy roads can shield residential areas from traffic noise. These barriers are designed to absorb or reflect sound waves, reducing their impact.

3. Quiet Transportation: Promoting quieter modes of transportation, such as electric vehicles and hybrid engines, can substantially reduce noise pollution. Improved public transportation can also reduce the number of private vehicles on the road.

Noise pollution poses a significant threat to urban life, affecting physical and mental health, social harmony, and overall well-being. 

To effectively combat this issue, concerted efforts are required at the individual, community, and government levels. Implementing noise-reducing technologies, adopting responsible behaviour, and enacting sound urban planning policies are steps toward creating quieter, healthier, and more livable urban environments for all. 

Also Read: Essay on Sustainable Development: Format; Examples

Ans. The primary sources of noise pollution include transportation, industrial activities, and recreational events. Transportation-related noise comes from vehicles on roads, railways, and aircraft in the sky. Industrial activities generate noise through machinery, equipment, and construction. Recreational events like concerts, sporting events, and social gatherings also contribute to noise pollution.

Ans. Noise pollution can have adverse effects on human health. Prolonged exposure to high noise levels can lead to hearing loss, increased stress, anxiety, and elevated blood pressure. It can disrupt sleep patterns, resulting in chronic fatigue and irritability. Noise pollution can also impair cognitive functions, making it challenging to concentrate and focus, which can impact productivity and overall well-being.

Ans. To reduce noise pollution, several measures can be implemented. These include: 1. Urban Planning: Thoughtful urban planning and zoning regulations can separate noisy industrial areas from residential zones and incorporate green spaces to buffer noise. 2. Noise Barriers: Installing noise barriers along highways and busy roads can shield residential areas from traffic noise by absorbing or reflecting sound waves. 3. Quiet Transportation: Promoting quieter transportation options like electric vehicles and hybrid engines can reduce noise emissions.

We hope that this blog on Noise Pollution has given you some known and unknown facts and secrets about Noise Pollution.  For more amazing reads on essay writing , follow Leverage Edu. 

Aditi Gupta

A bachelors in Journalism and Mass Communication graduate, I am an enthusiastic writer. I love to write about impactful content which can help others. I love to binge watch and listen to music during my free time.

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Sound Pollution Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on sound pollution.

Sound pollution also known as Noise Pollution is one of the most rampant pollutions we find in the world. Especially in India, the nuisance of sound pollution is steadily on the rise, especially in urban cities and areas. Some statistics say that noise pollution in New Delhi is now having medical effects on the inhabitants of the city. But what exactly constitutes sound pollution? Let us read more in this sound pollution essay.

Sound or rather noise pollution is a physical form of pollution. Sound pollution does not affect any element of our environment directly. So it does not have a direct effect on the land, air, soil or any other such life-supporting elements. It actually affects the human population more directly. Essentially the excess of sound or noise, such that it causes disturbance and imbalances the day-to-day life of humans and animals is known as noise pollution.

Sources of Sound Pollution

While sound pollution is not fatal or lethal in any form to humans, it is still a very harmful form of pollution. In this sound pollution essay, it is essential that we look at some of the major sources of sound pollution and how they contribute to the ever-rising degradation of our habitats.

All the sources of noise pollution are man-made in nature. One of the most common and harmful sources is the noise caused due to various transportation systems and motor vehicles in particular. Increasing traffic congestions, the sheer number of vehicles on the roads, the noise from unnecessary honking, etc are all major contributing factors to sound pollution, especially in major cities like Mumbai and Delhi.

Read 500 Words Essay on Pollution here.

The other major source of noise pollution is industrial activities. Since the Industrial Revolution, the world has never slowed down manufacturing and other industrial activities. This has taken a toll on our environment in the form of land and air pollution. And now we can add noise pollution to the list. Factories, printing presses, mills, metal works, etc. are all contributing to the noise pollution of the area. Hence it is ideal to keep industrial areas and residential areas separate, but this is not always possible.

There are quite literally thousands of other sources such as loudspeakers, roadworks, crackers, household noises, agricultural activities, that all are also harmful and cause some degree of noise pollution.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Effects of Noise Pollution

As we saw earlier in this sound pollution essay, the effects of sound pollution are directly on humans and not on the environment as such. While these effects are not instantaneous there are some very serious effects of noise pollution that cannot be taken lightly. The effects of noise pollution are both physical and psychological or behavioral in nature.

One of the obvious physical effects is the effect sound pollution can have on the hearing of a person. Hearing loss or some form of hearing impairment due to excessive noise is becoming increasingly common. And this is not only restricted to senior citizens, but even the younger generation is also being affected in this manner. Another common effect is the lack of sleep due to noise pollution. This, in turn, causes various other symptoms such as irritability, hypertension, ulcers and even cardiovascular diseases.

Persistent insomnia can cause humans to have certain negative psychological effects which we can also trace back to sound pollution. Fatigue, mental strain, stress and even depression in some capacity can be the effects of sound pollution.

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Essay on Noise Pollution : Causes, Effects & Solutions

February 2, 2021 by Study Mentor Leave a Comment

Table of Contents

What is Noise pollution?

Noise pollution is a type of pollution that does not directly affect the environment but has adverse effects on the hearing abilities of the inhabitants of our ecosystem.

Hearing of an organism is directly linked to the nervous systems internally.

Hence noise pollution affects the mental health and disturbs the delicate balance of an individual in case of over-exposure to noise levels beyond a certain decibel.

There may have been many instances, especially when you’re living in a city, that you’ve been so annoyed with the noise around you, that you lose your composure. You grab your ears and just wait for the noise to stop.

That is the essence of noise pollution. It comprises of all the loud noises around you, caused by vehicular traffic, heavy machinery in factories and sometimes, the disturbance of trains and aeroplanes, if you live near an airport or railway station .

The blaring sounds from loudspeakers and high speakers are not to be left behind, especially when there are processions or big festivals taking place.

Let us ponder over a few examples for better understanding.

Whales are known to emit their call louder when they detect a submarine since a submarine uses SONAR and other sound oriented devices for communication and navigation.

The SONAR dampens the whale’s call, making it less effective, which in turn might lead to some members not hearing it and missing some vital signal, like a hunting call.

Causes of noise pollution

Let us first begin by trying to understand how noise is generated technically.

Noise basically is a mixture of all sounds around us. These sounds originate from various sources.  Inside the waveform of a noise, we can find overlapping waveform indicating mixed and jumbled outputs rendering ‘noise’.

The outcomes may contain undesirable and irritating waveform called noise. Noise pollution is more prominent in urban areas than in rural areas.

This is because rural areas have only half the amount of vehicles, minimal amount of factories and other sources producing loud noises.

It is more discomforting and annoying in particular to senior citizens, who seek a calm and peaceful atmosphere in their days of retirement. In India, festivals are a crucial part of our culture and thus, are given utmost importance.

But the celebrations and proceedings involved with these festivities result in noise pollution on a wide scale.

This scenario especially gets worse when people disregard the fact about patients in hospitals, nursing mothers, pregnant women and ill patients who need relief from such blaring noises.

Similar is the case with wedding celebrations. Nowadays, almost everyone holds a wedding procession which involves the bride and groom, either walking or on horses or carriages, slowly proceeding towards the groom’s house.

Celebrations take place on a large scale involving huge loudspeakers and noise from trumpets and drum beats causing inconvenience to residents and other establishments, including schools, colleges, hospitals and other religious establishments like temples and churches.

Well known incidences of noise pollution occur during festivals, normal, everyday traffic on the road, etc.

During festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi , Diwali etc the occurrence of sound pollution is really high.

Diwali causes noise as well as Air pollution , people celebrate Diwali for their joy, and indeed they burst crackers that create massive noise.

Traffic on the road is the primary reason for sound pollution in big cities. There are many other factors too that cause the deadly noise pollution.

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Effects of noise pollution

Our human ear can detect sounds in the frequencies between 20Hz to 20 KHz. But constant exposure to sound beyond certain intensity is harmful to the ears.

We already know that sound intensity is measured in Decibels, also denoted as dB. In a normal airport, a plane that is landing or leaving the run way creates a noise exceeding intensities of 120 dB.

There are chances of irreversible damage to the human ear when exposed to noises above 80 dB. Instances of noise have been recorded from the ancient times in the cities of Rome, on account of the dawn of industrialization.

Poorly planned cities and towns are another reason where residents have to become victims of noise pollution. If the city is near an industrial area, then the residential areas face heavy instances of noise pollution.

Though the human ear’s maximum capacity of tolerating noise cannot be exactly measured, it is believed that the intensity is about 80 dB.

Continuous exposure to sounds of intensities higher than this may lead to a myriad of health problems. It may lead to physical as well as psychological changes.

A person shows increased levels of stress and becomes prone to mental illnesses if he is prone to irregular levels of noise.

Every person’s tolerance is inbuilt differently and the ability of a person to tolerate noise provides him stability from within. Beyond that threshold level, the mind senses disturbance and gets irritated by the effects of noise.

This irritability is then transferred to the inner regions on the brain wherein complex reactions alter normal functioning of brain components.

When this process happens over long periods of time, the brain functioning itself gets altered and that’s when we say that an abnormality has occurred in the mental well being of a person.

The chances of a cardio vascular disease are also highly elevated. It is not just humans who are affected, but animals in the vicinity too face disturbance.

Dogs, with a higher sense of hearing, may get their ears damaged by exposure to higher levels of noise pollution.

Wildlife is adversely affected, as the loud man-made noises drown the mating calls, warning alarms and threat noises that animals use normally to communicate with one another.

For example in birds, the bird robin is observed to sing more likely at night, in a heavily noise polluted area since, in the day time, the noises are significantly louder.

Solutions for noise pollution

The threat of noise pollution is being realized and the governments are taking measures to reduce them.

In India too, certain rules and regulations have been set up regarding noise generation and emission. But the enforcement of these laws is not incorporated on strict terms and thus the defaulters escape scot-free.

It is good to know that there are many NGOs (non-government organizations) that have taken the initiative to reduce noise pollution and so far they’ve made tremendous progress, especially in the urban areas.

The rural areas, unfortunately, still face the wrath of noise pollution. It is up to us, the educated urban crowds, to control and prohibit the curse of noise pollution.

It’s also good to create awareness among the rural inhabitants regarding the ill effects of noise pollution.

Today, everyone has come to know the deadly effect of noise pollution. The government has taken some of the crucial steps to reduce the sound pollution.

The noise of Loud Speakers should be limited and should not cross beyond a certain decibel. An individual or group isn’t permitted to use loud speakers in the vicinity of schools, colleges, and hospitals.

Government has imposed strict restrictions and posed limitations on the use of loudspeakers during festivals. It has posted a big list do’s and don’ts and applied the rules at appropriate regions of high noise traffic.

The effects of noise pollution is not restricted to human beings alone, it has deadly impacts on lives of animals as well.

To control this type of pollution, people should create awareness on its impact on human health. Airports should be situated far away from residential areas.

Manufacturing industries such as steel and iron establishments should be situated far away from residential complexes.

It’s more of an individual effort to control noise pollution.  We may not be able to totally stop noise pollution , but we can definitely take steps to reduce it by a great level.

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Noise and Sound Pollution Essay

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Introduction

Noise as one of the greatest hazards of this world, noise pollution in law, application of methods in real life, the truax model, works cited.

Little sound and noise we all require to live in the society but when this noise and sound becomes unbearable and very loud, it turns to noise and sound pollution. The word noise originated from the Latin term “nausea”, meaning uncalled for. “Noise is defined as unwanted sound; sound, which pleases the listeners is music and that which causes pain and annoyance is noise”. (Jaiswal & Jaiswal, 327) However, “Sound is a kind of energy that allows the particles in the air, a liquid or a solid to vibrate”. (Occupational Health Clinic for Ontario Workers, Online)

For all living inside the arena of the technological world and amidst the cities and towns, noise has become a part of life except for all those fortunate who are still living in the laps of nature away from any busy roads, screaming industries and factories, sounds of loud music, etc. Twenty hours a day we have to bear these sounds and we have increased our toleration level and endurance towards them, but amidst this too when sound becomes too loud, it becomes unbearable causing health hazards.

In the early years of the 1890s, journals of America and London raised the people’s consciousness towards noise as one of the greatest hazards of this world, but people had already got aware to the noise problem during the time when “Epic of Gilgamesh” was written and read in the 3 rd millennium BC. In the Sumerian account of the flood, it was written, “in those days the world teemed, the people multiplied, the world bellowed like a wild bull, and the great God was aroused by the clamour. Enlil heard the clamour and he said to the Gods in council, “the uproar of mankind is intolerable and sleep is no longer possible by reason of the babel. So Gods in the heart were moved to let loose the diluge”.

Now the noise problem is no doubt has become a matter of grave concern for politicians, environmentalists, and basis for legal actions and a topic for health-conscious people. But rarely it is considered as a human problem that is a part of the system acoustic communications. Sound creates a relationship between the individual and environment whereas noise becomes a mediator but creates a negative impact on such mediations and makes the contact between the individual and communicator impossible; it also creates hindrance on the part of effective communications. But what constitutes noise and when sound becomes noise, the concept of this since Helmholtz has been, “the physical acoustic definition of noise has been that it is a non-periodic vibration, by comparison to musical sound, which has a periodicity and therefore a pitch”. (Traux, 95).

However, music can also become a source of irritation and become a noise for someone who is unaccustomed and annoyed by it. As per law, the quantitative noise is defined functionally as regards to the sound’s intensity level to determine the extent to which it could be acceptable or not. The problem with the legislation law is finding out the right level above which the sound becomes unacceptable enough to be considered as noise. (Traux, 95) The noise pollution should be considered by the duration of the sound, the frequency of noise, and whether there is any control to the sound or not. The British Columbia Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) has fixed the limitations of sound to be 85 decibels in the workplace and above it is harmful. If sound reaches 120 decibels, it becomes very painful and at 140, it is very harmful. However, at home the noise level above 50 decibels is quite normal and above 55 is serious. While in hospitals and schools, the safe level of sound is 35 decibels. (Ban the Canons, Online) The noise if reaches above the safe level cause tremendous impact on health like increase in stress, high blood pressure, loss of sleep, inability to concentrate and learn and loss of productivity. Noise pollution can impair hearing in children; reduce their attention level and cause negative impact on them.

We are staying in British Columbia and near the villages where farmer’s blast their cannons from dawn to dusk and they are very loud. They have the devices like leaf blowers that reciprocate the novel that reaches to the level of 75 or 80 decibels. The noise of the boom cars can reach till 100 decibels, but propane cannons can go to the range of 130 decibels. Though these canons are regulated by the British Columbia, they begin at 6: 30 am and blast until 8: 00 pm. And the areas, which are not regulated, farmers blast their cannons from dawn to dusk. The blast of propane cannons is like a shotgun, ranging between 120-130 decibels. From our home we often have to hear two blasts every single minute and many have to hear five to six blasts every single minute. These blasts occur during the berry season, which stretches from the month of late June to the whole month of October. It is claimed that these propane cannons are neither very necessary nor are very effective and the farmers are breaching the Langley Township Noise Bylaw. (Ban the Canons, Online).

I did some thought-provoking methods to deal with the situation. I along with my neighbors prepared some brochures and campaigning plans and went personally to the farmer’s houses to explain them how much they are causing noise pollution and they should substitute these propane canons with some other method that do not make too much noise and are economically feasible too. Secondly we went to visit the local MLA to personally administer the farmer’s use of propane cannons and govern the farmers towards reducing the noise immersing from the use of cannons. Still the noisemakers are ignoring and bent on using the cannons above the normal decibels. Then I decided to contact the Minister of Agriculture, and the Farm Industry Review Board (FIRB). They have responsibility to pursue the right to Farm Legislation, which has the clause to allow the farmers to the use of the propane cannons. But, if they want they are entitled to modify or make changes in this legislation to check the farmers to control their use of cannons. Many of these issues like that of noise pollution comes under the Vancouver Charter whereby the powers of Council would be exercised by bylaw. The bylaws governing city of Vancouver are numbered beginning with by-law No 1 that is the law, which was enacted first and then continued subsequently. The first by law was passed on 18 th May 1886 and then over many years around 10,000 laws have been passed. The Noise Bylaw of city controls and legalizes construction works, vehicles and noise immersing from households. (SoundSmart, Online) People also formed Urban Noise Task Force. This is a group of citizens, who with the help of the city staff and councilors recommends and makes suggestions to the city for making improvements in Vancouver’s soundscape. There is also on the anvil the Vancouver Transportation Plan. It had proposed that reviews should be conducted on the most important arterial roads in the city for their performance and the way they are dealt with and are being used in relationship to the neighbors. The city is also planning for the quite payment towards most important transportation corridors. The Urban Noise task force has been created to check on the increasing noise in the city and the extent to which it is affecting the daily lives of Vancouver.

In Canada, there are very few laws at the national, provincial, or state levels to govern the noise pollution. As a result, most of the Canadian and EU countries regulations of the law are governed at the municipal level. There are different noise laws and ordinances in municipalities among different areas. The laws constitute certain ordinances that may prohibit persons against creating noise or may place certain guidelines on the level of noise allowed for certain time duration. There is slight difference between the laws in the cities and villages as regards the control of noise pollution is concerned. In cities, there are several laws and governing bodies to check the lawbreakers while in the villages of British Columbia, either MLA can put a control on the noise pollution or there is right to Farm Legislation whose discretion is in the hands of the Minister of Agriculture, and the Farm Industry Review Board (FIRB). Particularly for British Columbia, there is one law, which is the Langley Township Noise Bylaw. For e.g. “the law states that the number of discharges from any noise scare device is limited to a maximum of one discharge in any three minute period of time”. (Noise Control by law 1988 No 2573, Online) The difficulty in the provision of the law is inability on the part of the province to control the direct use of the devices.

Sounds, which exceed the level more than determined, become noise. What makes one sound a noise is determined by the intensity of the volume of sound. It depends on the listening capacity of the people also. For many people what constitutes sound could be noise and for many what is noise is sound and for many, sound is a pleasure. When we look at the day-to-day to life, it is very simple to determine what constitutes sound and what constitutes noise. For e.g. when we listen to the music, it would sound very appealing to the ears and give soothing effect and if this music is interrupted by the other sounds like unnecessary playing of drums, or shouts of children or sounds of traffic on the roads, it would become a noise, which could be very irritating. But it is very difficulty to consider the same in case we have to determine sound and noise in theoretical terms and on the basis of its established set norms and prescribed limits. The legislation of each area or place has considered the proximate level of sound and if the sound reaches above that level, it becomes noise requiring strict consideration. The problems come in legislation in determining the nature of sound and in determining if really this sound is noise. If someone is typing something on a typewriter, it could be very annoying to someone even if its sound is low. It is also not necessary that unpitched sound is noise; it could be a sound from music as well.

The Truax model understands the relationship between the listener and the sound. This model describes the relationship between the listener and its environment, which is interfered with the help of the sound and triangular relationship, is therefore created. Any change occurring due to any one of the components either due to habituation, or any other disturbances has an effect on the soundscape and that what happened in this process.

The above example I cited is related to the environmental acoustics. “This acoustics studies show different frequencies behave during propagation. When the sound waves comes into contact with objects, its energy is transmitted through the object, absorbed within it, or reflected from it with varying degrees of efficiency depending on efficiency.” (Traux, 5) This happens when the cannons blow. They reciprocate the sound waves above the level prescribed. These sounds create a disturbance between the relation between the listener and its environment.

Every now and then we are facing the noise pollution and as it is difficult to analyze, more difficult is to follow the legislation. In Canada, the noise pollution is controlled at the Federal, provincial and municipal levels and government has adopted different roles and responsibilities as regards to the noise pollution issues. For e.g. Federal government has responsibility for ensuring noise pollution does not occur in case of consumer products, equipment, and vehicles. But, these regulations do not follow when these products are sold and after they are used and depleted. The sold and depleted products often exceed the prescribed sound levels, for which federal government is not responsible. The federal government has also mentioned about the guidelines for control of pollution through provincial transportation systems including aircraft, trains and waterways. As a part of its provincial role, government fixes rules in the area of land use planning. They help the municipalities in pursuing the noise control by-laws to decrease the sources of noise pollution. They also have provisions to check the noise levels immersing from consumer products, equipments and vehicles. And in municipal level role too, municipalities see to it that noise control bylaws are followed adequately in the provincial areas. (CBC News, Online).

The complexities of the noise immersing from the different corners of our lives create hurdles in the path of the government at different levels for effective application of the legislation.

Ban The Cannon. “The Impacts of Noise”. 2008. Web.

CBC News, “Noise regulations in Canada” 2008. Web.

Jaiswal P.S. & Jaiswal, Nistha. “Environmental Law”. New Delhi, India: Pioneer Publications, 2003.

“Noise Control by law 1988 No 2573”. (2004). Web.

Occupational Health Clinic for Ontario Workers. “Noise Damages Hearing” 2005. Web.

SoundSmart. “What the City is Doing About Noise” (2008). Web.

Traux, Barry. “Acoustic Communication: Second Edition”. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2001.

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• Sound Pollution Essay

Essay on Sound Pollution

With the increase in population, the pollution causes and the types are only increasing around the world. Many kinds of pollution are causing harm to the environment, like air pollution, water pollution, land pollution etc. The most recent one being sound pollution also called noise pollution that is only rampantly increasing. In a country like ours where there is rapid urbanization, the cities have shown a massive increase in noise pollution. Whose effects have created an impact on the health conditions of the residents as well? In this article for a sound pollution essay in English, we will learn what constitutes it and who it impacts. The formats discussed below are a long essay on sound pollution and a short essay on sound pollution, both of which are helpful for students learning.

Long and Short Sound Pollution Essay in English

Short sound pollution essay.

This essay on sound pollution is a brief explanation of the meaning and reasons that contribute to the cause.

Sound Pollution or noise pollution is now a major concern especially in populous places and metro cities in India is a recent phenomenon and an impactful one at that. While we are aware of other kinds of pollution like air, water and land which is harming the natural bodies of the environment. And slowly affecting the ecosystem leading to humans.

Noise pollution on the other hand has no such significant effects on the environment or the natural bodies of the planet. It directly harms the residing beings that are humans and animals.

All living beings have a certain threshold to certain types of sound which can fall under the range of 0 decibels to 120 decibels. And when a human ear is exposed to sounds ranging above 90 decibels, the damage is caused. The damaging frequency of sound can be from honking in traffic or from loud music at parties. The damage is concerning either way.

Even though in India, laws for no loud music in parties or large gatherings after 10 pm are enforced, the health effects should be also considered and strict road laws must be applied. It can lead to mental illnesses, can turn a person deaf and even high blood pressure. We must all do our bit in controlling what we can and not contribute to the noise whether indoors or outdoors.

Long Sound Pollution Essay

In this type of essay on sound pollution, the reasons and effects are mentioned in detail.

Sadly all the causes of pollution are man-made like air pollution which is because of harmful emissions from factories and industries built by humans for their benefit. Similarly, the reason for sound pollution is also human-made and unwanted sound distribution is called noise. This even though not deliberately caused, has been seen as a major cause for many human health problems. It is not a lethally affecting cause, but the consequences of this kind of pollution on health are nevertheless problematic and difficult.

An audible sound can be of varying frequencies and pitches. And the measurement unit is decibels which are denoted as “dB”. There are various threshold levels for humans ranging from 0dB to 120dB. Not all ranges are audible to every living being. Any form of sound that falls under this range is audible to the human ear. But some sounds are considered noise when they are damaging to the ear.

The range that is audible to humans is A-weighted decibels that can also be written as dBA. And anything below 70dBA is the optimal range for the human ear. Any magnitude or intensity above it, especially sound ranges that lie above 85dB, is very damaging to the human ear. This damage is then not just limited to just the ear, other abilities are also affected.

Many things contribute and add to the causes of noise pollution. There are many reasons for the increasing sound pollution from various sources that can be categorized as indoor and outdoor sources.

Indoor sources are within our own homes or in the noise from the neighborhood. The noise from electronic gadgets, household utensils, musical instruments, transistors, generators and inverters and speakers. The other factor of the indoor environment is that of an event or a wedding function where loud music is played unabashedly that does no good to anybody.

Outdoor sources are industries, which is a leading source of usage of heavy machines, exhaust fans and mills that cause unwanted noise. Industrialization is also a double-edged sword. Industries are located in the outskirts so the nearby villagers and towners are mostly affected. Construction sites and mining sites also produce a lot of unwanted noise due to the machines used for building and excavating. The other cause of outdoor noises is from roads due to vehicles. Especially in cities where everyone has their mode of transportation and traffic congestion is also no less. And honking in those situations is the major contributor to sound pollution. Railways, aircraft and bursting of crackers and other fireworks also add to the cause.

These reasons have a major impact on living beings. It leads to hearing impairment and in many cases hearing loss. The eardrums in the inner ear cannot tolerate the constant exposure to loud noises. When one is continuously exposed to such high pitch sounds, the blood levels elevate and cause high blood pressure or hypertension.

This further causes anger issues, tiredness and fatigues the body leading to sleeping disorders. Which in the long run may also cause mental illness like anxiety and depression. The raised blood levels also result in heart diseases and a constant increase in stress levels.

Preventing is a personal responsibility and we should be accountable for our actions. The best way is to abstain from using loudspeakers which are helpful for others as well. One can also install soundproof systems in buildings that generate loud noise like industries and hospitals. Honking must be limited and not practiced irresponsibly.

Important Tips to write an effective Essay  

Brainstorm and Plan - Before you start writing, it's usually a good idea to gather your thoughts. Try to come up with as many ideas for your essay as possible based on your question or topic. When it comes to writing the essay, making a proper writing outline will really save you time. If you get stuck at first, scribble down a few thoughts and the rest will likely flow.

Prepare and Make a Structure - Outlining your essay and gathering proof resources are both part of the preparation step. Examine the outcomes of your brainstorming session. Extract the concepts that are most important to the success of your thesis, and then organize them in a logical and progressive order. This is where you'll include your essay's structure and content. If you're looking for empirical proof or supplementary citations, start looking now.

Drafting - This is the stage of the essay writing process where you compose the early draft. Remember that nothing has to be perfect; this is your first version, not your final plan, so allow yourself to make mistakes.

Revision - You've completed the essay, but you're not finished yet. Look through what you've written again for any errors or typos. Check for mistakes in language, punctuation, and spelling. You can't always rely on spell check to catch all of your mistakes. Sometimes you can misspell a word but it will still be a word, such as when you misspell "from" as "form."

Sources of Sound Pollution

Despite the fact that sound pollution is neither dangerous or lethal to people in any way, it is nonetheless an extremely destructive sort of pollution. All causes of noise pollution are man-made. Noise from different transportation systems, particularly motor cars, is one of the most prevalent and hazardous sources. Sound pollution is caused by increasing traffic congestion, the sheer quantity of vehicles on the road, and noise from unnecessary honking, among other things. Industrial operations are another important cause of noise pollution. Factories, printing presses, mills, and other businesses all contribute to the area's noise pollution. There are literally thousands of different forms of noise pollution, such as loudspeakers, roads, fireworks, home sounds, and agricultural operations, all of which are damaging and contribute to noise pollution in some way.

Sound pollution is indeed a cause of concern like other pollution but the major factor to consider here is it can be easily controlled. We must begin at home and start placing the utensils carefully. And induce sound controllers in the generator or inverters this will prevent the children and the old people at home to be safe from ear damage. The other major way is to not honk unnecessarily on roads. Creating awareness about such problems and the damages they caused to others and also providing them with the way to handle such problems brings effective changes.

FAQs on Sound Pollution Essay

1. What is the cause of Noise Pollution?

At the same time as the world is turning to technology for comfort, it is damaging us. Industry, no matter how large or little, contributes to noise pollution. Compressors, exhaust fans, generators, and other machinery make a lot of noise. 

Similarly, an increase in the usage of vehicles is a key contributor to pollution. It includes not just autos, but also other modes of transportation such as aircraft, buses, bicycles, trucks, and more. People honk incessantly in traffic and listen to loud music while driving, causing excessive noise. Furthermore, social activities such as weddings, parties, and religious services held in places such as clubs, pubs, temples, halls, and other venues cause a great deal of annoyance in residential neighborhoods. Furthermore, noise is produced by construction operations such as mining, the construction of flyovers, bridges, and other structures.

2. What are the damaging impacts of Noise Pollution?

Noise pollution has a significant influence on the lives of living beings, despite the fact that it is rarely discussed. Noise pollution, for instance, causes a variety of hearing impairments. High amounts of noise harm the Eardrums and can possibly induce hearing loss. Similarly, it lowers ear sensitivity to noises that the human body needs to regulate our body's rhythm.

Furthermore, it has an impact on our mental health. It may not be immediately apparent, but it has a long-term effect on our behavior. You may have weariness and even migraines if your sleep is disrupted or if you have persistent headaches as a result of excessive noise. Noise pollution has an influence on animals as well as humans. When pets hear a loud noise, they may become angry or fearful. To conclude, we must raise awareness about the dangers of noise pollution. We must also urge them to choose methods that do not add to noise pollution. We will undoubtedly be able to minimize noise pollution to a significant amount if everyone starts doing the same on a personal level.

3. Where can I get a collection of long and short essays for a school competition?

Vedantu contains a large number of long and short essays to educate students in grades 1 through 12. The online educational platform provided by Vedantu will give you a holistic learning experience. Through our live interactive teaching sessions, you will be able to communicate with some of the teachers who have the competence to train you for school examinations, competitive tests, and other exams. We give review notes for grades 6 to 12 in addition to coaching courses. You may also effortlessly download and access them whenever it is convenient for you. Students who are seeking high-quality study materials may get them for free from the Vedantu website in PDF format. By installing the Vedantu app, you may access even more materials for free.

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• Introduction

Measuring and perceiving loudness

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• Noise regulation and mitigation

• What are the abiotic and biotic components of the biosphere?
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• WebMD - What is Noise Pollution?
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• Academia - Pollution due to Noise Pollution
• Table Of Contents

noise pollution , unwanted or excessive sound that can have deleterious effects on human health, wildlife, and environmental quality. Noise pollution is commonly generated inside many industrial facilities and some other workplaces, but it also comes from highway, railway, and airplane traffic and from outdoor construction activities.

Sound waves are vibrations of air molecules carried from a noise source to the ear. Sound is typically described in terms of the loudness ( amplitude ) and the pitch ( frequency ) of the wave . Loudness (also called sound pressure level, or SPL) is measured in logarithmic units called decibels (dB). The normal human ear can detect sounds that range between 0 dB (hearing threshold) and about 140 dB, with sounds between 120dB and 140 dB causing pain (pain threshold). The ambient SPL in a library is about 35 dB, while that inside a moving bus or subway train is roughly 85 dB; building construction activities can generate SPLs as high as 105 dB at the source. SPLs decrease with distance from the source.

The rate at which sound energy is transmitted, called sound intensity , is proportional to the square of the SPL. Because of the logarithmic nature of the decibel scale, an increase of 10 dB represents a 10-fold increase in sound intensity, an increase of 20 dB represents a 100-fold increase in intensity, a 30-dB increase represents a 1,000-fold increase in intensity, and so on. When sound intensity is doubled, on the other hand, the SPL increases by only 3 dB. For example, if a construction drill causes a noise level of about 90 dB, then two identical drills operating side by side will cause a noise level of 93 dB. On the other hand, when two sounds that differ by more than 15 dB in SPL are combined, the weaker sound is masked (or drowned out) by the louder sound. For example, if an 80-dB drill is operating next to a 95-dB dozer at a construction site, the combined SPL of those two sources will be measured as 95 dB; the less intense sound from the compressor will not be noticeable.

Frequency of a sound wave is expressed in cycles per second (cps), but hertz (Hz) is more commonly used (1 cps = 1 Hz). The human eardrum is a very sensitive organ with a large dynamic range, being able to detect sounds at frequencies as low as 20 Hz (a very low pitch) up to about 20,000 Hz (a very high pitch). The pitch of a human voice in normal conversation occurs at frequencies between 250 Hz and 2,000 Hz.

Precise measurement and scientific description of sound levels differ from most subjective human perceptions and opinions about sound. Subjective human responses to noise depend on both pitch and loudness. People with normal hearing generally perceive high-frequency sounds to be louder than low-frequency sounds of the same amplitude. For this reason, electronic sound-level meters used to measure noise levels take into account the variations of perceived loudness with pitch. Frequency filters in the meters serve to match meter readings with the sensitivity of the human ear and the relative loudness of various sounds. The so-called A-weighted filter, for example, is commonly used for measuring ambient community noise. SPL measurements made with this filter are expressed as A-weighted decibels, or dBA. Most people perceive and describe a 6- to 10-dBA increase in an SPL reading to be a doubling of “loudness.” Another system, the C-weighted (dBC) scale, is sometimes used for impact noise levels, such as gunfire, and tends to be more accurate than dBA for the perceived loudness of sounds with low frequency components.

Noise levels generally vary with time, so noise measurement data are reported as time-averaged values to express overall noise levels. There are several ways to do this. For example, the results of a set of repeated sound-level measurements may be reported as L 90 = 75 dBA, meaning that the levels were equal to or higher than 75 dBA for 90 percent of the time. Another unit, called equivalent sound levels (L eq ), can be used to express an average SPL over any period of interest, such as an eight-hour workday. (L eq is a logarithmic average rather than an arithmetic average, so loud events prevail in the overall result.) A unit called day-night sound level (DNL or L dn ) accounts for the fact that people are more sensitive to noise during the night, so a 10-dBA penalty is added to SPL values that are measured between 10 pm and 7 am . DNL measurements are very useful for describing overall community exposure to aircraft noise, for example.

Noise is more than a mere nuisance. At certain levels and durations of exposure, it can cause physical damage to the eardrum and the sensitive hair cells of the inner ear and result in temporary or permanent hearing loss , known as noise-induced hearing loss. Hearing loss does not usually occur at SPLs below 80 dBA (eight-hour exposure levels are best kept below 85 dBA), but most people repeatedly exposed to more than 105 dBA will have permanent hearing loss to some extent. In addition to causing hearing loss, excessive noise exposure can raise blood pressure and pulse rates, cause irritability, anxiety , and mental fatigue, and interfere with sleep , recreation, and personal communication. Children living in areas with high levels of noise pollution may suffer from stress and other problems, such as impairments in memory and attention span. Noise pollution control is therefore important in the workplace and in the community.

Noise pollution also impacts wildlife. A wide range of animals, including insects , frogs , birds , and bats , rely on sound for a variety of reasons. Noise pollution can interfere with an animal’s ability to attract a mate, communicate, navigate, find food, or avoid predators and thus can even be an existential threat to vulnerable organisms. The problem of noise pollution is especially serious for marine animals, particularly those that rely on echolocation , such as certain whales and dolphins , and much of the world’s oceans are polluted with chaotic sounds from ships, seismic tests, and oil drills. Some of the loudest and most detrimental sounds in the sea are from naval sonar devices, whose noise can travel hundreds of miles through the water and is associated with mass strandings of whales and dolphins.

Essay on Noise Pollution

Students are often asked to write an essay on Noise Pollution in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Noise Pollution

Understanding noise pollution.

Noise pollution is unwanted or excessive sound that can disturb the environment. It’s often overlooked but it can harm our health and wellbeing.

Causes of Noise Pollution

Noise pollution can come from various sources such as traffic, industries, construction sites, loud music, and airplanes.

Effects of Noise Pollution

Noise pollution can cause stress, hearing loss, sleep disturbances, and even heart disease. It also affects wildlife by disrupting their habitats.

Preventing Noise Pollution

We can reduce noise pollution by controlling the volume of our devices, using earplugs, and supporting laws that limit noise levels.

250 Words Essay on Noise Pollution

Introduction to noise pollution.

Noise pollution, also known as environmental noise or sound pollution, is an often-overlooked form of pollution that has profound impacts on human health and ecosystems. It is primarily caused by transportation systems, industrial processes, and recreational activities.

Impacts on Human Health

Prolonged exposure to high decibel noise can lead to serious health issues such as stress, sleep disturbances, hearing loss, and cardiovascular diseases. Noise pollution also affects mental health, causing anxiety and aggression, and can impair cognitive development in children.

Ecological Consequences

Noise pollution disrupts wildlife communication, breeding, and feeding patterns. It can lead to lower species diversity in urban areas and interfere with the natural behavior of animals, impacting biodiversity.

Regulation and Mitigation

Addressing noise pollution requires comprehensive regulations that limit noise emissions from various sources. Additionally, urban planning strategies can be implemented, such as creating green spaces to absorb sound and designing buildings that minimize noise transmission.

While noise pollution is an invisible form of pollution, its effects are tangible and far-reaching. It is crucial to raise awareness about this issue and implement effective strategies to mitigate its impact. As we move towards more sustainable living, addressing noise pollution becomes an integral part of the conversation.

500 Words Essay on Noise Pollution

Introduction.

The primary sources of noise pollution are from human activities. Industrialization, urbanization, and modernization have significantly contributed to the increase in noise levels. Industries, construction activities, transportation, and public gatherings are the major contributors. Other sources include household appliances, loud music, and recreational activities.

Effects on Human Health

Noise pollution has a myriad of detrimental effects on human health. Chronic exposure to high noise levels can lead to auditory issues such as noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus. However, the impact of noise pollution extends beyond auditory health. It can lead to non-auditory health effects including cardiovascular diseases, sleep disturbances, cognitive impairment in children, and mental health issues like stress and anxiety.

Impact on Biodiversity

Prevention and control.

Noise pollution is a pressing environmental issue that demands immediate attention. It not only affects human health but also disrupts biodiversity. As responsible inhabitants of this planet, it is incumbent upon us to understand the gravity of the situation and take necessary measures to mitigate this problem. By doing so, we can ensure a healthier and quieter environment for ourselves and future generations.

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Essay on noise pollution: effects, disease and control.

Noise is generally defined as an unwanted or undesirable sound and the release of unwanted sound into the atmosphere is called noise pollution.

High pitch sound produced by automobiles, machines, power plants, trains, helicopters, aero planes, jets, rockets, public broadcasting systems, T.V., sudden ratting of doors and windows, explosion of bombs, sound of crackers etc. are potent sources of noise pollution. Noise provides alarm system in man’s physical environment. It has been regarded as urban pollution. It has become serious in urban areas due to technologies increasing population, urbanization and industrialisation.

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It is associated with almost all human activities. In 1990, Nobel laureate Robert Koch said, “a day will come when man will have to fight merciless noise as the enemy of health and that day is not far off’. The noise should be taken not only as a factor of annoyance but also as a lethal partner of life. According to Dr. Vem O. Knudsen of university of California, noise, like smog is a slow agent of death. If it continues unabated for the next 30 years it could become lethal to an alarming degree.

Sound is a form of energy. Man is not only affected by the sound energy but also by sound pitch or frequency and intensity. Intensity of sound is measured in decibels (d = deci meaning 10, B for Bell, name of scientist Alfred Grahm Bell). Technically a dB is the amount of sound pressure that equals to 0.0002 microbars (energy of about 10 -15 watts). One dB is the finest sound intensity which can be perceived by human ear and 180 dB is the maximum tolerance limit.

The frequency is defined as the number of vibrations and is denoted by Hertz (hz). One Hertz (hz) is equal to one vibration per second. Man can hear sound from 16 hz to 20,000 hz Less than 16 hz second is infra-audible and sound above 20,000 hz is ultrasonic, some animals however can perceive sounds that are not andible to man. Loudness of sound can also be expressed in sones. One sone is equal to 40 dB at a pressure of 1,000 hz. The loudness of noise is measured on a logarithmic scale called “decibel”.

Mathematically the decibel (dB) can be expressed as follows:

I dB = 10 log 10 (P/p ref) or 10 x log 10 p/p ref.

Where, P = measured sound pressure in dynes /cm and, p ref = reference sound pressure which is equal to barely audible sound taken as 0.002 dynes /cm. As the decibel is measured on a log scale, rise of every 10 decibel would cause 10 fold change in sound intensity. For example, a sound level of 100 decibels has an intensity 10 times greater than a sound level of 90 dB. According to World Health Organization (WHO), a level of 45 dB is considered a safe noise level for city.

By international standard, a noise level up to 65 dB may be taken as tolerable. Noise level above 80 dB causes noise pollution. Noise level above 100 dB becomes uncomfortable and beyond 120 dB it becomes painful. Sudden or intermittent noise IS more harmful than continuous noise. According to a report of National Physical Laboratory, India, the noise level is increasing at the rate of 1 dB per year.

Some important standards developed for noise levels in India are given in Tables 13.20 13.21, 13.22 and 13.23.

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. The effects of noise on human beings can be related to physiological, behavioural and psychological responses.

When we hear a loud noise the blood vessels constrict, the skin pales, the pupil dilates, the eyes close, the voluntary and involuntary muscles tense, gastric secretions reduce and the blood pressure increases. The immediate reactions to noise which starts at noise level of 30 to 70 dB include constriction of peripheral blood vessels with a consequent increase in blood flow to the brain, change in breathing rate, change in muscle tension and gastrointestinal mobility.

As these reactions can also be carried out by some other factors, they are called non-auditory reactions. At slightly higher noise level there is “startle effect” produced due to change in pulse rate and blood pressure, release of stored glucose from lever into the blood stream and the excess secretion of adrenalin hormone because of which fear reaction develops in body.

Some of the other effects of noise pollution are given below:

1. The short-term auditory effects of noise include some temporary loss in hearing at high noise levels. Explosions or other high intensity sounds may cause immediate deafness by rupturing the ear drums or damaging the cochlea. Continuous exposure at high noise level may cause some permanent damage.

2. Prolonged exposures to noise are known to lead to gradual deterioration of internal ear and to subsequent hearing loss or deafness. Scientists are of the opinion that constant occupational exposure to sound at higher frequency is dangerous for human beings.

3. Noise also clearly produces annoyance in human beings and can interfere with proper rest and sleep. Annoyance seems to increase with the loudness of the sound.

4. Noise also produces psychological effects in human being.

5. One important effect of noise is the vasoconstriction reflex in which small blood vessels of the body constrict and reduce the flow of blood.

6. Physiological effects of noise include 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.

7. Impulsive noise and thunders are worse than continuous noise which, if loud enough, may cause sudden hearing loss. Sudden noises also startle persons and lead to accidents. Supersonic booms produced by objects travelling faster than the speed of sound produce shock waves which deviate from atmosphere pressures.

Diseases Due To Noise Pollution :

Recently there has been growing evidence that noise in the range of 90 decibels and above may cause temporary or irreversible changes in the autonomous nervous system. Noise may be an important factor in many stress-related diseases, such as peptic ulcer and hypertension.

A brief summary of noise induced diseases are given below:

Deafness or impaired hearing:

This may occur due to continuous exposure to noise level of more than 90 dB. It may be temporary or permanent.

Auditory fatigue:

Continuous humming sound may cause side effects such as whistling and buzzing in the ears.

Irritation and annoyance:

Noise, sometimes, leads to emotional disturbances and makes people loose their temper.

Work efficiency:

It has been observed that people work efficiently in a quiet environment and noise reduces the efficiency of work.

Other health effects:

Noise is also associated with:

Rise in blood pressure (hyper tension)

Headache and giddiness

Sweating, nausea and fatigue

Difficulty in breathing

Disturbed sleep pattern

Psychological stress

Control of Noise Pollution:

Noise pollution can be checked by the following means:

i. Noise-generating factories should be located far away from the populated areas.

ii. Proper maintenance of machinery checks noise pollution.

iii. Use of pressure horns in automobiles in the densely populated areas should be banned.

iv. Loudspeakers and mikes should be banned from 10 pm to 6 am.

v. Firecrackers producing loud noise should be banned.

vi. Televisions, music systems, VCDs should be played at a low volume.

There is no separate law for noise pollution control in India. It has been suggested that cultivation of thick vegetation along the roadsides, railway tracts and industrial establishments may considerably reduce noise pollution.

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Causes And Effects Of Noise Pollution

Noise can be defined as an unwanted or undesired sound. Decibel is the standard unit for measurement of sound. Usually 80 db is the level at which sound becomes physically painful. And can be termed as noise. Humans, animals, plants and even inert objects like buildings and bridges have been victims of the increasing noise pollution caused in the world. Be it human or machine-created, noise disrupts the activity and balance of life.

While traffic dons the cap of being the largest noise maker throughout the world, there re many others that add to it, making our globe susceptible to its effects.

The effect of noise pollution is multi-faceted and Inter-related. In the following lines, we have provided some of the causes and effects of noise pollution. Causes Of Noise pollution. Traffic noise is the main source of noise pollution caused in urban areas. With the ever-increasing number of vehicles on road, the sound caused by the cars and exhaust system of autos, trucks, buses and motorcycles is the chief reason for noise pollution.

With the low flying military aircrafts soaring over the national parks, wasteland and other vacant areas, the level f noise pollution has drastically increased in these previously unaffected. People living beside railway stations put up with a lot of noise from zones. Locomotive engines, horns and whistles and switching and shunting operation in rail yards. This is one of the major sources of noise pollution.  To meet the demands of the basic necessity of living, the construction of buildings, highways and city streets causes a lot of noise.

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Pneumatic hammers, air compressors, bulldozers, loaders, dump trucks and pavement breakers are the major sources of noise pollution in construction sites. Though not a prime reason, industrial noise adds to the noise pollution. Machinery, motors and compressors used in the industries create a lot of noise which adds to the already detrimental state of noise pollution. Plumbing, boilers, generators, air conditioners and fans create a lot of noise in the buildings and add to the prevailing noise pollution. Household equipments, such as vacuum cleaners, mixers and some kitchen appliances are noisemakers of the house. Though they do not cause too much of problem, their effect cannot be neglected. Effects Of Noise Pollution Deafness, temporary or permanent, is one of the most prevalent effects of noise pollution. Mechanics, locomotive drivers, telephone operators etc all have their hearing impairment. The first and foremost effect of noise is a decrease in the efficiency in working.

Research has proved the fact that human efficiency increases with noise reduction.  Too much of noise disturbs the rhythms of working, thereby affecting the concentration ARQ aired for doing a work. Noise Of traffic or the loud speakers or different types Of horns divert the attention, thus causing harm in the working standard. * Fatigue caused is another effect of noise. Due to lack of concentration, people need to devote more time to complete their task, which leads to tiredness and fatigue. Noise pollution acts as a stress invigilator, increasing the stress levels among people.  Sometimes, being surrounded by too much of noise, people can be victims of certain diseases like blood pressure, mental illness, etc. Noise pollution indirectly affects the vegetation. Plants require cool & peaceful environment to grow. Noise pollution causes poor quality of crops. Animals are susceptible to noise pollution as well. It mages the nervous system of the animals. Noise indirectly weakens the edifice of buildings, bridges and monuments.

It creates waves, which can be very dangerous and harmful and put the building in danger condition How to Prevent Noise Pollution One man’s music heaven may be another’s living hell. Noise pollution is often in the ear of the beholder, but if you use common sense and keep your chosen noises to yourself, you won’t have to worry about being charged as a polluter. Noise from machinery, on the other hand, is often inescapable, but there are things you can do to minimize its effects:

• Keep your stereo turned down so that if you are in your driveway, you cannot hear it. Of course, if you live in the country, isolated from neighbors, then you can blast away though you may be polluting the birds’ habitats.
• Roll your windows up if you enjoy listening to loud music when you drive. If you drive a convertible and insist on cranking up the volume, then get a small pair of earphones and wear one of the earpieces. You should be able to hear any traffic you need to stay safe with one ear.
• Replace a noisy muffler. Street noise is one of the toughest to tackle, and you can eliminate some by asking your vehicle as quiet as possible. In your home, close heavy curtains to filter out some of the noise.
• Use electric yard tools when you can since they are quieter than gas-run models. When you must you a gas powered tool, such as a lawn mower, turn it off when not in use.
• Build a solid fence or wall, or plant trees and bushes beside a chain link fence to buffer noise around your home.
• Find out what your city or town offers in the way of protection.

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Noise Pollution

We know that a sound is a form of energy. Sometimes the sound can be soothing to listen to and, at times, loud to hear. Sound can travel in the air and is produced by the vibration of objects. Regular exposure to a higher sound level that impacts humans and other living organisms is known as sound pollution. This article will help us understand what noise pollution is, the types of noise and pollution, and its causes and examples.

What is Noise Pollution?

The word noise is derived from the Latin word ‘Nausea’, which means sickness in which one feels the need to vomit. Noise is the unpleasant and undesirable sound which leads to discomfort in human beings. The intensity of sound is measured in decibels (dB) . The faintest sound that the human ear can hear is 1 Db. Due to increasing noise around the civilizations, noise pollution has become a matter of concern. Some of its major causes are vehicles, aircraft, industrial machines, loudspeakers, crackers, etc. When used at high volume, some other appliances also contribute to noise pollution, like television, transistor, radio, etc.

Types of Noise Pollution

Following are the three types of pollution:

• Transport Noise
• Neighbourhood Noise
• Industrial Noise

It mainly consists of traffic noise which has increased in recent years with the increase in the number of vehicles. The increase in noise pollution leads to deafening of older people, headache, hypertension, etc.

The noise from gadgets, household utensils etc. Some of the main sources are musical instruments, transistors, loudspeakers, etc.

It is the high-intensity sound which is caused by heavy industrial machines. According to many researches, industrial noise pollution damages the hearing ability to around 20%.

Causes and Sources of Noise Pollution

Following are the causes and sources of noise pollution:

• Industrialisation: Industrialisation has led to an increase in noise pollution as the use of heavy machinery such as generators, mills, huge exhaust fans are used, resulting in the production of unwanted noise.
• Vehicles: Increased number of vehicles on the roads are the second reason for noise pollution.
• Events: Weddings, public gatherings involve loudspeakers to play music resulting in the production of unwanted noise in the neighbourhood.
• Construction sites: Mining, construction of buildings, etc add to the noise pollution.

Noise Pollution Examples

Following are the examples of noise pollution:

• Unnecessary usage of horns
• Using loudspeakers either for religious functions or for political purposes
• Unnecessary usage of fireworks
• Industrial noise
• Construction noise
• Noise from transportation such as railway and aircraft

Effects of Noise Pollution on Human Health

Noise pollution can be hazardous to human health in the following ways:

• Hypertension: It is a direct result of noise pollution which is caused due to elevated blood levels for a longer duration.
• Hearing loss: Constant exposure of human ears to loud noise that are beyond the range of sound that human ears can withstand damages the eardrums, resulting in loss of hearing.
• Sleeping disorders: Lack of sleep might result in fatigue and low energy level throughout the day affecting everyday activities. Noise pollution hampers the sleep cycles leading to irritation and an uncomfortable state of mind.
• Cardiovascular issues: Heart-related problems such as blood pressure level, stress and cardiovascular diseases might come up in a normal person and a person suffering from any of these diseases might feel a sudden shoot up in the level.

Prevention of Noise Pollution

Some noise pollution preventive measures are provided in the points below.

• Honking in public places like teaching institutes, hospitals, etc. should be banned.
• In commercial, hospital, and industrial buildings, adequate soundproof systems should be installed.
• Musical instruments’ sound should be controlled to desirable limits.
• Dense tree cover is useful in noise pollution prevention.
• Explosives should not be used in forest, mountainous and mining areas.

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Essay on Noise Pollution: Causes, Effects and Prevention

What is Noise Pollution?

Noise pollution (also sound pollution, sound disturbance) refers to the excessive and troublesome sound that is injurious to health.

Noise pollution refers to the presence of such levels of noise or sound in the environment that are disturbing, irritating and annoying to living beings. It causes discomfort and harm to living being’s mental and physical health.

It is one of the major cause for deafness and other health hazards. Even animals suffer from excessive environmental noise.

In this article, we will further discuss on the following sub-topics of Noise Pollution. Click on the links below to directly jump to the relevant section.

Causes of Noise Pollution Effects of Noise Pollution Prevention of Noise Pollution Causes of Noise pollution

There are many causes of noise pollution.

1. Fire crackers: Fire crackers are exploded to make huge sound during celebrations and festive occasions. It is common sight to witness the firing of crackers at live concerts.

2. Transportation vehicles: Noise pollution is severest in the cities. The different modes of transportation (land, air and water), such as motor-cars, buses, trains, trams, airplanes, etc. produces sound that disturbs human mind.

3. Microphones: The unrestricted use of microphones during social and political events.

4. Loud speakers: During social events and other festive occasions, people use loud speakers in unjustified manner.

5. Factories and industries: In large cities, there are large number of factories, mills and industries. These industrial sites produce immense environmental noise to disturb the habitats of nearby residential areas.

6. Domestic appliances: Even at homes, people use large number of domestic appliances such as grinder, mixer, juicer, etc.

7. Loud music: Playing music in high volume,

8. Television: Television also causes sound and watching television for long hours in just as harmful for ears as they are for eyes.

9. Building and construction sites near residential areas: The building and construction activity involves use of sound producing equipment such as cement-mixer, road-roller, crane, etc.

All the above activities produce enough noise to disturb the health and mind of human-beings and other living bodies.

What are the Causes of Noise Pollution? Sources of Noise Pollution Effects of Noise Pollution

Noise pollution affects the human mind and body negatively. The ill-effects of noise pollution are many. It is the major cause for several ailments. The quality of human life gets disrupted. The lives of the children, the aged or the ailing people become miserable.

1. Loss of hearing and deafness: Noise above the tolerable threshold is the leading cause for loss of hearing and deafness.

2. Cardiac disturbance: Noise increase the risk of cardiac disturbance including coronary artery disease or ischemic heart disease (IHD).

3. Sleeplessness: Noise may make people restless. It may keep people away from sound sleep.

4. Headache: Human mind can tolerate sound only to a limited extent. Excess noise causes headache.

5. Stress, tension and aggressiveness: Constant exposure to irritating sound may cause stress and tension. The behavior of people often becomes aggressive.

6. Irregular blood pressure: For good health, it is very important to maintain normal pressure in the arteries both during the heartbeat and between the heartbeat. Noise may contribute to fluctuations in the levels of blood pressure.

7. Mental imbalance and nervous debility: Mental illness is among the worst negative effects of noise pollution. People may find it difficult to cope with their normal routine life. Human mind cannot accept sound beyond a certain level. Excess sound may lead to mental imbalance and nervous disability.

8. Psychological imbalance: It may also cause psychological imbalance.

9. Difficulty in talking: Due to excessive noise, it becomes very difficult to talk on roads or inside malls.

Also read: Negative Effects of Noise Pollution on Human Health

Prevention of Noise Pollution

Some effective measures should be taken too solve the problem. The following measures can be taken to prevent noise pollution:

To prevent and control noise pollution it is necessary to create public awareness. Only law is not sufficient. People must be made aware of the harmful consequences of noise pollution. People should be made aware that excessive noise beyond certain limits may cause deafness. They should know that injuries caused by sound pollution are often irreversible. There should be minimum use of sound producing instruments. There should be proper regulations for the use of loudspeakers and other devices that produce noise beyond that are beyond the toleration limits of human-beings. The Pollution Control Board and the High Court have already taken effective measures to bring sound pollution under control. Adequate measures should be taken to ensure that noise related restrictions are not violated. Anti-pollution laws should be enacted and enforced. Ban of fire crackers should be imposed and electric horns should be replaced by bulb horns. The use of microphones should be controlled and regulated. Also read: Noise Pollution (in Wikipedia)

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Essay on Noise Pollution for Children and Students

Table of Contents

Noise pollution or sound pollution refers to the presence of excessive and disturbing noise (from machines, transportation systems, aircrafts, trains, etc) in the environment that is very harmful to the physical and mental health of the living beings on earth.

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Long and Short Essay on Noise Pollution in English

Noise pollution has become one of the big problems in India affecting the human lives in many ways. We all should know the causes, effects and most importantly the preventive measures of the noise pollution in order to get prevented from the effects of it. School students generally get this topic to write something according to their own view during the competitions like essay writing, etc. We have provided below some easily written essay on noise pollution under different words limit for students. You can select any noise pollution essay according to your need and requirement.

Noise Pollution Essay 1 (100 words)

It is considered as the environmental pollution caused in the environment by the excess level of noise through many sources. Noise pollution is also known as the noise disturbance. Excessive noise is harmful to the health and cause imbalance to the human or animal life. It has been a massive environmental issue in India which needs a proper attention to be solved however it is less dangerous than the water, air and soil pollution. Outdoor noise is hugely caused by the sources like machines, transportation systems, poor urban planning (construction of side-by-side industrial and residential buildings), etc. Indoor noise sources are household machines, building activities, loud music, etc. The most common impairment caused by the noise pollution is the permanent hearing loss due to ear drum damage.

Noise Pollution Essay 2 (150 words)

Normal level of the sound necessary to maintain the daily lives however undesired sound or noise which is not tolerated by the people, animals or plants causes noise pollution in the environment. Noise is commonly called as the unwanted sound created by many industrial or non-industrial sources used in the daily life in our surrounding. High level sound creates unpleasant effects and discomfort to the health especially to the ears.

Unwanted sound generally interferes with the daily routine activities like sleep in night, conversation, hearing ability, feeling of well being, etc. Water animals also affected by the noise pollution created by the noise of submarines and big ships in the ocean. Forest animals have been affected to a great extent due to the chain-saw operations (create extreme noise) by timber companies. Common sources of the noise pollution are household gadgets, transport vehicles, jet planes, helicopters, industrial machines, etc. According to the World Health Organization, industries must limit their sound production by 75 dB.

Noise Pollution Essay 3 (200 words)

Noise pollution the pollution caused by the high and unsafe level of noise in the environment causes lots of health disorders to the human beings, animals and plants. Common problems caused by the noise pollution are stress related illnesses, anxiety, communication problems, speech interference, hearing loss, lost productivity, sleep disruption, fatigue, headache, irritability, nervousness, weakness, reduce sensitivity to sound which our ear receive to maintain body rhythm, etc. It causes gradual impairment to the hearing ability over a long period of time. Continuous exposure to high level sound causes permanent damage to the eardrum.

High level of the noise causes huge nuisance, injuries, physical trauma, bleeding around brain, large bubbles in organs and even death to the marine animals specially whales and dolphins as they use their hearing ability to communicate, find food, defend and survive in water. Source of noise in the water is navy submarine’s sonar which can felt around 300 miles away. The consequences of the noise pollution are more dangerous and worrying in the near future.

There are many preventive measures of the noise pollution, some are like promoting soundproof rooms construction in the industries, industries and factories should be away from the residential building, repairing of motorbikes having damaged exhaust pipes, ban of noisy vehicles, airports, bus, railway stations and other transport terminals should be far from the living places, declaring silence zones near educational institutes and hospitals, allowing more vegetation along with roads and residential areas in order to reduce noise pollution by absorbing sound.

Noise Pollution Essay 4 (250 words)

Noise pollution caused by the high level of unwanted sound in the environment which causes pain. Some of the main sources of the noise pollution like noise generated by the road traffic, air craft noise, railroads noise, noise generated by the construction (of buildings, highways, city streets, flyovers, etc), industrial noise, noise created in home on daily basis (due to electrical home appliances, plumbing, generators, air conditioners, boilers, fans, etc), and noise from consumer products (like household equipments, kitchen appliances, vacuum cleaners, washing machine, mixer, juicer, pressure cooker, TV, mobile, dryer, cooler, etc).

In some countries (highly populated countries like India, etc) poor urban planning also plays vital role in the noise pollution as this planning includes the construction of congested houses having large families in small space (causing fight for parking, fights for basic requirements, etc) lead to the noise pollution. New generation people play music in full volume and dance for late night causing lots of physical and mental disturbances to the neighbors. High level of noise causes loss of normal person’s ability to hear properly. High level of noise slowly affects the health and acts as slow poison.

It hugely affects the wildlife, lives of plants, and human beings. Normally, the ability of our ear is to accept the only certain range of sounds without making any damage to the ear. However, our ear cannot bear the regular exposure to loud levels of noise and get damage to the ear drums which results in the temporary or permanent loss of hearing. It also causes other disorders like sleeping disorders, fatigue, weakness, cardiovascular issues, stress, high blood pressure, communication problem, etc.

Noise Pollution Essay 5 (300 words)

There are various types of pollution in the environment, soil pollution is one of them and have become more dangerous to the health. It has become so dangerous that it can compared to the other most dangerous problems like cancer, etc in which slow death is sure. Noise pollution is the dangerous gift of modern living style and increasing level of industrialization and urbanization. If regular and effective actions not taken to control, it can very serious to the future generations. Noise pollution the pollution caused by the noise due to the increased level of unwanted sound in the environment. It is a big potential hazard to the health and causes huge level of communication problems.

High level of noise brings irritation in the behavior of many people especially diseased, old people and pregnant women. Unwanted sound causes deafness problem and other chronic disorders to the ear like damage to the ear drum, ear pain, etc. Sometimes high sound music pleases the listeners however irritates other people. Any undesired sound in the environment is injurious to the health. Some of the sources participating highly in the noise pollution are industries, factories, transportation, traffic, aeroplane engines, train sounds, home appliances, construction, etc.

The noise level of 60 db considered as the normal noise however, noise level of 80 db or above become physically painful and harmful to the health. Cities having high noise quantum are Delhi (80 db), Kolkata (87 db), Bombay (85 db), Chennai (89 db), etc. Limiting the amount of noise to a safe level has become very necessary for the life on the earth as undesired noise affects the health of human beings, plants and animals too. It is possible through the general awareness among public about the noise pollution, its main sources, it’s dangerous effects, as well as all the possible preventive measures to get prevented from the noise pollution.

Noise Pollution Essay 6 (400 words)

It caused by the noise when the level of noise gets increased than the normal level in the environment. Excessive amount of noise in the environment is unsafe for the living purpose. Unpleasant sound causes various disturbances in the natural balance. High volume noises are unnatural and create difficulty in escaping those generated noises. In such a modern and technological world, where everything is possible through the electrical appliances at home or outside the home, the risk of noise has increased to a great extent.

Increasing the demand of urbanization and industrialization in India is causing major exposure of people to the unwanted sounds. Understanding, planning and implementing strategies to get prevented from the noise pollution has necessary to curb within time. The sounds we make in our everyday life like loud music, unnecessary use of television, phone, traffic, dog barking and etc noise creating sources have become part of the urban culture as well as most disturbing things causing headache, sleep disturbances, stress, etc. Those things causing disturbance to the natural rhythm of life called as dangerous pollutant. Following are the causes or sources and effects of the noise pollution:

• Industrialization is putting our health and life at risk because all the (big or small) industries are using big machines producing high pitch sound in large amount. Other equipments (compressors, generators, exhaust fans, grinding mills) used in the factories and industries also produces big noise.
• Regular social events like marriages, parties, pub, club, disc or place of worship, temples, etc create nuisance in the residential area.
• Increasing transportation in the cities (vehicles, aeroplanes, underground trains, etc) produces heavy noise.
• Regular construction activities (including mining, bridges, building, dams, stations, roads, flyovers, etc) involve big equipments creating high level of noise.
• Use of household appliances in our daily life is also the main reason noise pollution.
• Noise pollution causes various hearing problems (damage to ear drums and loss of hearing) because of the unwanted sound.
• It reduces ear sensitivity to the sounds required to regulate body rhythm.
• Noise pollution affects the psychological health and causes the occurrence of aggressive behavior, sleep disturbance, stress, weakness, fatigue, hypertension, cardio-vascular diseases including other severe and chronic health issues in later life.
• It creates communication problems and lead to misunderstanding.
• Affects wildlife and makes pets more aggressive.

Preventive Measures:

General awareness should increased among people and all the rules should followed seriously by everyone in order to control the unsafe sound level in the environment. Unnecessary use of things generating high pitch sound should reduced in the home or outside the home like clubs, parties, bars, discos, etc.

Essay 7 (800 words)

Noise pollution the pollution caused by the various noise sources whether by the industrial or non-industrial affecting the human beings, plants and animals health in many aspects. Regularly increasing level of the noise pollution is keeping the lives of people of present generation and coming generations at high risk. I have discussed below the sources, effects, legal aspects control noise pollution and conclusion of the noise pollution.

Following are the sources of noise pollution

The level of noise pollution has increased a lot in India by the urbanization, modern civilization, industrialization, etc. The spread of noise caused by the industrial and non-industrial sources. Industrial sources of noise include the use of big machines of high technologies working at high speed and high level of noise intensity in the various industries. Non-industrial sources of noise include noise created outside the industries such as through the transport, vehicles traffic and other means by people. Non-industrial source of noise can be natural or man made. Some of the industrial and non-industrial sources of noise pollution mentioned below:

• Noise created by the low flying military aircraft has also added noise pollution to the environment to a great extent.
• Road traffic noise is increasing day by day in the city because of the motors and exhaust system of vehicles like trucks, buses, autos, motorcycles, personal cars, etc. Tall buildings in the cities cause noise to resound in that area for some time.
• Industrial noise created by the manufacturing plants because of the use of motors, compressors, fans, etc.
• Construction noises created by the construction of tall buildings, roads, highways, city streets, etc through the use of pneumatic hammers, bulldozers, air compressors, dump trucks, loaders, pavement breakers, etc.
• Rail roads noise (from locomotive engines, whistles, horns, switching or shunting operations in the rail yards) are also very effective in the creating high level of noise pollution as they create peak level of noise of around 120 dB to the 100 feet distance.
• Noise created in the building because of the plumbing, generators, boilers, household equipments, music, air conditioners, vacuum cleaners, kitchen appliances, fans, and other noisy activities in the neighborhood.
• Another source of noise pollution is the use of variety of fire crackers (high sound generating) during the festivals and other family occasions.

Following are the effects of noise pollution

Noise pollution highly affects the health of human beings, animals and properties. Some of mentioned below:

• Increasing noise pollution day by day is decreasing the efficiency and quality of work of human beings.
• Noise pollution reduces concentration level as high level of noise causes fatigue and tiredness.
• Hugely affects the pregnant women and cause irritation and abortion.
• Causes various diseases (high blood pressure and mental illness) to the people because it disturbs the peace of mind.
• High level of noise decreases quality of work and thus causes lack of concentration level.
• It may cause temporary or permanent deafness because noise level of 80 to 100 db is unsafe for the people.
• It also damage historical monuments, old buildings, bridges, etc because it weakens the structure by creating dangerous waves which struck to the walls.
• Animals lose control on their mind and can be more dangerous because high level noise damage their nervous system.
• It also affects the plants and causes poor quality crops production.

Following are legal aspects to control noise pollution

• Constitution of India guarantees right to life, right to information, right to religion and noise.
• Section 133 empowers human being to remove a public nuisance on a conditional or permanent order.
• It is Control Rule 2000 under Environment Protection Act 1996 involves controlling the growing problem of noise pollution.
• Factories Act Reduction of Noise and Oil of Machinery limits for noise exposure in the work zone.
• Motor Vehicle Act involves the use of horn and change of fault engines.
• Indian Penal code deals with the health and safety issues caused by the noise pollution. One can penalized under law of torts.

Increasing level of noise pollution has created the urgent need of general awareness about the sources, effects and preventive measures of the noise pollution. High level of noise should prohibited in the areas like working places, educational institutes, residential areas, hospitals, etc. Young children and students should motivated to not get involved in the high sound producing acts like use of high sound generating equipments and instruments on the occasions. Use of high level sound generating fire crackers should reduced during the occasions like festivals, parties, marriages, etc. Subjects related to the noise pollution should added into textbooks and activities can organized in the schools like lectures, discussion, etc so that new generations can more aware and responsible citizens.

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Home — Essay Samples — Environment — Air Pollution — Air Pollution: Causes and Effects

Air Pollution: Causes and Effects

• Categories: Air Pollution Environmental Issues Pollution

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Words: 723 |

Updated: 30 November, 2023

Words: 723 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

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Air Pollution Essay: Hook Examples

• The Silent Killer: Delve into the invisible threat that surrounds us every day, affecting our health, environment, and future generations – air pollution.
• Gasping for Breath: Paint a vivid picture of individuals struggling to breathe in polluted cities, highlighting the urgency of addressing this pressing issue.
• Nature’s S.O.S: Explore how wildlife and ecosystems send distress signals through the impact of air pollution, underscoring the interconnectedness of all living beings.
• The Economic Toll: Uncover the hidden costs of air pollution on healthcare, productivity, and quality of life, revealing the far-reaching consequences of our actions.
• Clean Air, Clear Future: Imagine a world where we embrace cleaner technologies and sustainable practices, offering a vision of hope and change in the fight against air pollution.

Works Cited

• Agarwal, A., & Agarwal, S. (2020). Air Pollution: Sources, Effects, and Control. CRC Press.
• Cohen, A. J., Brauer, M., Burnett, R., Anderson, H. R., Frostad, J., Estep, K., … & Balakrishnan, K. (2017). Estimates and 25-year trends of the global burden of disease attributable to ambient air pollution: an analysis of data from the Global Burden of Diseases Study 2015. The Lancet, 389(10082), 1907-1918.
• Guttikunda, S. K., & Gurjar, B. R. (2012). Role of meteorology in seasonality of air pollution in megacity Delhi, India. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 184(5), 3199-3211.
• He, G., Ying, Q., Ma, Y., Cheng, L., Wang, Y., & Liu, Y. (2016). Health risks of air pollution in China: a special focus on particulate matter. Environmental Pollution, 211, 17-30.
• Heyder, J., Gebhart, J., Rudolf, G., & Schiller, C. (1986). St deposition in the human respiratory tract as determined by cyclone techniques. Environmental Health Perspectives, 66, 149-159.
• Khan, M. N., Islam, M. M., Siddiqui, M. N., & Islam, M. S. (2019). Sources and Impact of Air Pollution on Human Health. In Sustainable Environment and Transportation (pp. 307-334). Springer.
• Kumar, P., Kumar, A., & Goyal, P. (2020). Air Pollution: Measurement, Modelling and Mitigation. CRC Press.
• Lelieveld, J., Evans, J. S., Fnais, M., Giannadaki, D., & Pozzer, A. (2015). The contribution of outdoor air pollution sources to premature mortality on a global scale. Nature, 525(7569), 367-371.

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Environmental pollution and human health – how worried should we be?

Professor of Chemistry, RMIT University

Disclosure statement

Oliver A.H. Jones receives funding from the Australian Research Council, various water utilities, EPA Victoria and the Defence Science Institute for research into environmental pollution, including PFAS.

RMIT University provides funding as a strategic partner of The Conversation AU.

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If not the root of all evil, chemical pollution is surely responsible for a good chunk of it. At least, that’s how it feels sometimes when reading the news and the latest research.

From hormone disruptors in our rivers and drugs in our drinking water , to PFAS and microplastics just about everywhere, it seems there’s plenty to worry about.

The list of potential health effects is also scary. Pollution is linked to infertility , cancer , reduced immune function , and more.

So it’s not surprising many people feel chemicals are intrinsically bad, though that’s not the case . But how worried should we really be, and can we reduce the risks?

In the air we breathe

Globally, pollution is a serious problem – particularly air pollution.

The Lancet Commission on pollution and health estimates pollution is responsible for about 9 million deaths a year and economic losses in the trillions of dollars.

The burden of disease falls heavily on developing countries, but even in Australia air pollution causes significant harm .

Fortunately, we can monitor air pollution , even at home. We know what levels are dangerous, and how to reduce exposure . But what about things we can’t monitor, or know less about?

The water we drink

In June, the Sydney Morning Herald implied tap water throughout Australia was contaminated with alarming levels of PFAS. But the levels detected fall within Australia’s drinking water guidelines. They just happen to exceed the United States’ new safety thresholds, which don’t come in for five years .

PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of highly persistent chemicals characterised by carbon-fluorine bonds.

Although PFAS in your water sounds awful, we don’t know if water is the main route of exposure or what the actual risks are.

PFAS is also in dust , cookware , waterproof clothing , cosmetics , and other consumer products .

The presence of PFAS is an emotive subject, thanks to films such as Dark Waters and documentaries like How to Poison a Planet .

Found everywhere from Mount Everest to the ocean depths , PFAS have been associated with negative health effects including cancer and reduced immune response .

What is generally missing from both research papers and news reports is context – details on the dose and duration of exposure needed to cause such effects.

The levels of PFAS needed to cause health effects tend to be orders of magnitude higher than those typically found in the environment. So while it’s not great that we’ve polluted the entire planet with these compounds, the health risks for most of us are likely to be low .

New technologies are being developed to reduce PFAS in water and soil .

But given their widespread distribution and extreme persistence , we should perhaps reevaluate PFAS risks and regulations (as the National Health and Medical Research Council is doing ).

If you want to reduce your exposure , you can consider using water filters and avoid non-stick pans and other products that contain PFAS.

Many non-stick pans now boast they are PFAS-free. Sadly this is not always the case . Ceramic pans can be a good, PFAS-free option, but these are actually silica-based and may not last as long .

And the food we eat

Everyone knows pesticides give you cancer right? Well, actually no. This is another area where public perception has jumped ahead of the science .

The usual suspect, glyphosate, is usually claimed to cause non-Hodgkin lymphoma. But this is a catch-all term covering more than 60 different types of lymphoma, which can vary significantly.

Multiple independent regulatory agencies worldwide list glyphosate as non-carcinogenic . A study of more than 54,000 people who applied pesticides for a living found no link to cancer .

Small amounts of pesticide residue are permitted on our food, but concentrations are in the parts per trillion (for reference, a trillion seconds is 31,710 years).

The evidence suggests parts per trillion of pesticides do not increase the risk of cancer in people. But if you want to reduce your exposure anyway, washing and cooking vegetables and washing fruit is a good way to go.

Microplastics are everywhere

Microplastics (plastic particles less than 5mm in diameter) are now found everywhere from the top to the bottom of the planet.

They have been reported in food and drink, including salt , seafood , various meats and plant-based proteins , fruit and vegetables as well as bottled and tap water .

Again, it sounds scary – but several reports of microplastics in food and blood have been firmly criticised by other scientists. The widely (mis)reported claim that we eat a credit card’s worth of microplastic each week was debunked by YouTuber Hank Green .

The World Health Organization recently concluded evidence of the health effects of microplastics is insufficient . However, they also make the point that this is not the same as saying microplastics are safe. We need more data to understand the risks .

Avoiding plastic bottles and food packaging can reduce exposure, as can having hard floors rather than carpets, and regular vacuuming .

We need new recycling technology to reduce plastic waste. Ultimately, we may need to wean ourselves off plastic entirely.

Where to from here?

I am not suggesting we should not worry about pollution – we should. But just because something is present does not automatically mean it is causing harm. To my mind, air pollution is the biggest worry so far, with more proven health effects than microplastics or PFAS.

Scary headlines generate clicks, views and likes but they rarely reflect the science .

We must understand relative exposure and the nuances of risk assessment. We need sensible debate, evidence-based approaches and new techniques for monitoring and assessing the impacts of, low (parts per trillion) pollutant concentrations.

This should help prevent and mitigate potentially harmful exposures in future.

• Environment
• Microplastics
• environmental pollutants
• Air pollution and health
• Chemical pollution
• Environmental pollution
• Microplastics in food
• Microplastics in humans
• PFAS in drinking water

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