Noise Pollution and Source
Noise pollution is a nuisance, especially in cities, where urbanization is at its peak. It is a menace to kids, aged people, animals and of course patients. Given below are the major sources of noise pollution:
- Factories and Industries: In the modern progressive age of industrialization, noise pollution has reached to its maximum. Technically, industrial areas should be distanced from residential areas so that their heavy machinery noise levels do not impact humans in a harmful way. Some examples of industries that significantly contribute towards increasing noise pollution are: printing presses, engineering factories, metal works, textile mills, etc.
- Surface Transport: The ever-increasing traffic scene in every city has negatively impacted the noise pollution level. Constant honking of vehicles is a major source of noise pollution. Noise of running engines of heavy vehicles like trucks and buses also create noise pollution.
The sources of Transport noises are mainly of the following types.
Surface transport or road traffic noise: In recent years, there has been steady increase of vehicles on road surface. Road Transport is the main source of noise pollution. Ever growing vehicular population, heavy traffic and urban crowd are responsible for noise nuisance in the environment. The factors on which surface transport noise depends are (a) traffic speed, (b) traffic density (c) condition of the road, (d) weight of the vehicles (e) condition of the engines of the vehicles.
Rail transport noise: The effect of noise pollution of rail is not very much severe am the rail transports generally occur outside the residential locality.
Air transport noise: The intensity or frequency of noise is much higher than that of noise generated from surface transport.
- Domestic and Household activities: Household appliances and gadgets like radio sets, sounds speaker transistors , mixer grinder, vacuum cleaner, washer dryers, coolers, and sound systems (TVs and music systems) also contribute towards constant noise pollution.
- Neighborhood noise: The term neighborhood noise, used by the noise advisory council of many developed countries to cover great variety of sources of noise which may and frequently do cause disturbance and annoyance to the general public in their homes and in their lawful occasions.
Noise generated from ventilation and air conditioning plants in buildings of all kinds.
Noise from demolition, construction and road works.
Use of public addressing systems like loud speakers is also a major source of noise pollution. Noise generated from activities such as sports, entertainment and advertising. It includes the social gatherings on different occasions, public functions, political meetings, shouting for advertising and selling of goods. Disco-music and dance in late evenings cause noise nuisance to nearby residents.
- Animal sources: Unruly pets and/or street animals, like, constantly barking dogs also lead to noise pollution and disturbance of a peaceful existence.
Most times, people ignore noise pollution and just learn to live with it since it is not fatal. However, it is not something to be ignored as it may cause long-term hearing problems.
