How Noise Pollution Harms Your Health
How bad is noise pollution?
The car horn, the revving engine, the streak of tyres on the pavement all build up to one thing: noise pollution. People often brush away noise pollution as part of the chatter, slightly annoyed but unable or unwilling to fight against it.
But noise pollution is a serious problem, one that harms people all over Europe. Noise pollution is the third most harmful type of pollution to European residents, only coming after air pollution and temperature-related factors, leading to the loss of approximately 1.3 million healthy life years annually.
Who does noise pollution affect?
More than 20% of the population in Europe is exposed to long-term noise that exceeds regulations put in place by the Environmental Noise Directive (END). Even more, the actual number of people hurt by noise is thought to reach 30%, as WHO recommendations for noise levels are much more stringent than END thresholds.
How does noise pollution affect my health?
Although noise pollution is traditionally associated with sleep disturbance, its influence encompasses entire health systems. Not just high-level noise, chronic levels of low-level noise can also trigger stress responses, leading to:
Inflammation
High blood pressure
Heart disease
Cognitive decline
Impaired hormonal regulation
Insulin Resistance, obesity, and type 2 diabetes
Coping methods of dealing with stress can also compound the health impacts of noise. These health impacts are much broader and more significant than previously thought.
What can we do to reduce noise pollution?
All this noise largely comes from transportation, and the EU is working to decrease it. Under the EU’s zero pollution act, the plan is to reduce the number of people who are exposed to noise pollution by 30%. If the current situation persists, however, these goals will fall painfully short. Even under optimistic plans, where countries implement more dramatic policies, the END report estimates only a 21% reduction. If no action is taken, the number of people affected is set to remain the same – one in five people affected.
Regulating Noise
But there is still much that can be done. Some cost-effective reductions in traffic noise include:
increasing the share of electric vehicles,
reducing speed limits,
installing low-noise asphalt,
putting up more noise barriers,
and implementing stricter noise emission regulations.
These regulations are becoming more and more strict, making it harder for automobile manufacturers to keep up. They are looking to find new advanced materials that allow them to build a car that is both lightweight, quiet, and cost-effective.
Our acoustic material, SoundBounce, steps up to fill this gap. It is 40% lighter and 4 times thinner than traditional materials, while still being able to provide superior soundproofing, especially at low frequencies. SoundBounce is being applied across multiple industries where noise pollution is a problem - construction, automotive, hearing protection, aerospace and home appliances. Its adaptable design means that there are limitless opportunities for its application.
Creating Quiet Spaces
City planning, especially creating traffic-free or quiet zones, is shown to be effective. They go hand-in-hand with other quality of life improvements as well, as these quiet zones can also help improve air quality, climate change, and wellbeing. Integrating policies for other types of pollution, such as air pollution, can also generate substantial synergy. Through these policies, the EU seeks to protect its citizens from the lasting negative effects of noise pollution.
We at Lios are dedicated to this cause with our product SoundBounce, acting as an advanced next-gen acoustic insulator that is cost-effective, sustainable, and able to block out the frequencies that traditional insulators were ineffective at. Our aim? To build a quieter, greener world.