PREPARED BY : FARHAN IQBAL JAN ROLL #: 19 CLASS : M.

COM (previous) SUBMITTED TO :

2010
NOISE POLLUTION

10/4/2010

NOISE POLLUTION
Noise is defined as unwanted sound. Sound, which pleases the listeners, is music and that which causes pain and annoyance is noise.

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

(3) Sources of Noise Pollution:Noise pollution like other pollutants is also a by- product of industrialization, urbanizations and modern civilization. Broadly speaking , the noise pollution has two sources, i.e. industrial and non- industrial. The industrial source includes the noise from

various industries and big machines working at a very high speed and high noise intensity. Non- industrial source of noise includes the noise created by transport/vehicular traffic and the neighborhood noise generated by various noise pollution can also be divided in the categories , namely, natural and manmade. Most leading noise sources will fall into the following categories: roads traffic, aircraft, railroads, construction, industry, noise in buildings, and consumer products

Road Traffic Noise:In the city, the main sources of traffic noise are the motors and exhaust system of autos , smaller trucks, buses, and motorcycles. This type of noise can be augmented by narrow streets and tall 3

buildings, which produce a canyon in which traffic noise reverberates.

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

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

Construction Noise:The noise from the construction of highways , city streets , and buildings is a major contributor to the urban scene . Construction noise sources include pneumatic hammers, air compressors, bulldozers, loaders, dump trucks (and their back-up signals), and pavement breakers.

Noise in Industry: Although industrial noise is one of the less prevalent community noise problems, neighbors of noisy manufacturing plants can be disturbed by sources such as fans, motors, and compressors mounted on the outside of buildings Interior noise can also be transmitted to the community through open windows and doors, and

even through building walls. These interior noise sources have significant impacts on industrial workers, among whom noiseinduced hearing loss is unfortunately common.

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

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

(4) Harmful Effects:

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

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

noise on human efficiency there are number of experiments which print out the fact that human efficiency increases with noise

reduction. A study by Sinha & Sinha in India suggested that reducing industrial booths could improve the quality of their work. Thus human efficiency is related with noise.

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

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

Fatigue:- Because of Noise Pollution, people cannot concentrate

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

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

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

It causes Blood pressure - Noise Pollution causes certain

diseases in human. It attacks on the persons peace of mind. The noises are recognized as major contributing factors in accelerating the already existing tensions of modern living. These tensions result in certain disease like blood pressure or mental illness etc.

Temporary of permanent Deafness:- The effect of nose on

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

EFFECT ON VEGETATION Poor quality of Crops:- Now is

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

(5) The effect of noise on humans:Noise pollution does negatively affect us and the environment. In humans, aside from annoyance, it's been shown that exposure to moderately high levels of noise for an eight hour period can increase blood pressure and cause other cardiac issues - even if the person is not particularly consciously disturbed. Noise pollution can also cause gastric problems. Sometimes a person doesn't even realize their body is stressed by noise until the noise is no longer present they just feel a sudden sense of relief. Exposure to excessively loud noise over long periods can also lead to partial deafness. Approximately 10 percent of people living in industrialized areas have substantial hearing loss and youngsters in the USA have an impaired hearing rate 250% higher than their parents and grandparents. Noise also causes violence - many assaults and murders can

be attributed to a noise issue that spiraled out of control. The effect of noise on the environment In nature, noise causes many adverse effects on animals -

here's some examples: Birds in a city need to call longer and louder than their

country counterparts

Birds that rely on hearing to help locate prey are seriously

disadvantaged by anthropogenic (human) noise Noise disturbs feeding and breeding patterns of some

animals and has been identified as a contributing factor of the extinction of some species. Aircraft noise and sonic booms have been implicated as a

cause of lowered reproduction in a variety of animals. Military sonar has been responsible for the deaths of

possibly thousands of dolphins and whales. Even outboard motor noise can confuse some whales and dolphins In dairy cows, excessive noise reduces feed consumption,

milk yield, and rate of milk release Noise causes increased incidence of miscarriages in

caribou Intense noise can affect growth of chickens and egg

production Canaries can suffer hearing damage at relatively low decibel

levels if the noise is sustained Noise has also been showing to have a detrimental effect on

the growth of some plants. reducing noise Noise is something we can all do something about; whether

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

keeps yours to the lowest level practicable If you have to raise your voice to have a conversation,

something's wrong; so see what noise sources around in your immediate environment that you have control over. 8

Discourage your dogs from barking unnecessarily for

extended periods Institute a quiet time in your household's routine Make special efforts to keep noise to a minimum at night

and early in the morning as these are times when people are trying to unwind Believe me, nobody else wants to hear your music, no

matter how cool you think it is. There's other ways to make social statements that are likely more effective and will have a more positive response :) If you do want to turn your stereo up; ensure the doors and

windows are close and reduce the bass levels as bass travels even through brick walls quite easily If your lifestyle is a particularly rowdy one, consider

planting more shrubs and trees around your property. Not only will this reduce noise affecting your neighbors, you'll provide shelter and food for animals (if they can tolerate the din) and also play a part in greenhouse gas reduction.

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

sound pressure levels that affect the most exposed receiver in the listed environment.

Guideline values for community noise in specific environments.

specific environment critical health effects Outdoor living area Serious annoyance, daytime and evening. Moderate annoyance, daytime and evening. Dwelling, indoors inside bedrooms Speech intelligibility and moderate annoyance, daytime and evening. sleep disturbance, night-time Outside bedrooms Sleep disturbance, window open (outdoor values) School classrooms and pre-schools indoors Speech intelligibility, disturbance of information extraction, message communication. Pre-school bedrooms, indoors School, playground outdoor Hospitals, ward rooms, indoors Annoyance (external source) Sleep disturbance, 30 8 40 55 During play Sleep disturbance 30 Sleeping time 45 35 During class 45 8 60 30 8 45 35 16 50 16 LAeq [db] 55 time base [hour] 16 lA max fast [db] -

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night-time. Sleep disturbance, daytime and evenings Hospitals, treatment rooms, indoors Industrial commercial, shopping and traffic areas, indoors and outdoors Ceremonies festivals and entertainment events Public addresses, indoors and outdoors Music through headphones/earphones Hearing impairment Hearing impairment (freefield value) Impulse sounds from toys, fireworks and firearms. Hearing impairment (adults). Hearing impairment (children) Outdoors in parkland and conservation areas Disruption of tranquility No. 3 140 no.2 140 no.2 85 no.1 1 110 85 1 110 Hearing impairment 100 4 110 Interference with rest and recovery Hearing impairment 70 24 110 No.1 30 16 -

No.1) as low as possible No.2) peak sound pressure (not LA max, fast),measured 100mm from the ear. No.3) existing quiet outdoor areas should be preserved and the ratio of intruding noise to natural background sound should be kept low. No.4) under headphones, adapted to free-field values.

(7) Noise standards in Pakistan:In Pakistan there is no legislation to deal with noise emanating from railway engines, air crafts, airport or industrial or construction activities. Public complaints on noise pollution are often received in the federal and provincial environment protection agencies, but in 11

the absence of national standards for noise, these agencies are handicapped to take any legal action. Aircraft noise is another source of pollution which has so far remained unchecked (PEPC draft report). In Pakistan where most major civil airports lie in heavily populated areas, no such precautionary measures have been taken. Airlines, other than PIA continue to operate old Russian commercial aircrafts which are exceptionally noisy. Road traffic noise is another most widespread source of noise nuisance in the urban areas of Pakistan. The situation is getting alarming with increase in traffic density on city roads, particularly in Karachi. The Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (PAK-EPA) exercising its power under clause (d) of section 6(1) of the Pakistan Environmental Protection Ordinance (PEPO), 1983 with approval of the PEPC established National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS), inter alia, for motor vehicle exhaust and noise.

National Environmental Quality Standards for Motor Vehicle Exhaust and Noise.
S.NO PARAMETER STANDARDS (maximum permissible limit) 1 Smoke 40% or 2 on the Ringelmann scale during engine acceleration mode. 2 Carbon monoxide Emission standards: New Vehicle: 4.5% 3 noise 85 dB (A) Used Vehicle: 6% To compared with ringelmann chart at distance of 6 meters or more. Under idling condition: Non dispersive in infrared detection through gas analyzer. Sound meter at 7.5 meters from the source. MEASURING METHOD

At present there exist no national standards for prescribing noise limits for residential areas, industrial areas, commercial areas or silence zones. Most 12

of the areas particularly to the urban side are subjected to unacceptable noise conditions due to construction, manufacturing, traffic and recreational activities. No national survey has been conducted to assess noise level in cities. However, random tests in different cities showed that the noise level in most of the areas was as high as 70-90 dB (A) which is much higher than the acceptable limits.

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

(8) Control of noise pollution:Spotting noise risk zones:

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

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An urgent need for legislation to control noise pollution:As present, there is no specific and detailed legislation to control noise pollution. Government should pass the noise pollution control act to meet special Pakistan condition.

Public awakening and the control:It is also important that public awakening is also very essential for the control and prevention of the noise pollution. In Pakistan, most of the persons lack and idea about the ways in which noise pollution could be controlled.

By plantation:Plants are efficient absorbers of noise, especially noise of high frequency. A dense ever green hedge can reduce the noise of microphones by 20dB.

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

Exchange of scientific knowledge:-

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Scientific knowledge regarding the pollutants and control of environmental pollution may be exchanged internationally so that the developing and under developed countries may also be able to control the ever increasing problem of pollution.

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

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