Fight Against Noise Pollution
Affecting More Than Hearing
What is Noise Pollution and How does It Affect our Health?
Noise Pollution is constant or occasional noise negatively affecting a person's health. Major causes of noise pollution are rail transportation, airports, and industrial activity, while minor causes include ear buds, stereos, concerts, and firearms. Hearing is the only health affect caused by noise, is the thought of most people, but noise has been reported to cause multiple issues such as stress, lack of sleep, and multiple cardiovascular and nervous system defects. Such cardiovascular diseases includes heart attack, and high blood pressure which are highly dangerous. In the U.S.,4 million industrial workers face hazardous noise everyday due to their workplace. Be wary of the noise around you as you might be one of the many affected daily.
Preventing Noise Pollution on Local and National Levels
There have been multiple regulations put into place on the National Level to protect people from noise pollution since the 1970's. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health administration's reducing the amount of hours a person can be able to work an occupation with constant sound over 90 dBa has helped reduce hearing loss. Even with this regulation though, there is still room for improvement, as the people in this workplace are still 25% to have hearing problems and potential hearing loss. Not a regulation by a recommendation by the U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), suggests a 24 hour noise limit of 55 decibels to help protect the population from health problems. Quite a while ago, the Noise Control Act of 1972 helped regulate air traffic noise, but air travel his increased since then, therefore making the Act less effective. In order to protect your own hearing, listen to ear-buds and radios with volume down, always wear earplugs when using firearms, and come prepared to concert (as they have sounds over 115 dBa occasionally). To protect others, try to reduce the amount of travel by vechicle, and support regulations on aircraft and rail transportation noise.
Works Cited
An, Eport Of. PREVENTION OF NOISE-INDUCED HEARING LOSS (n.d.): n. pag. Http://www.who.int/en/. 27 Oct. 1998. Web. 10 Apr. 2015.
Hammer, Monica S. "EHP – Environmental Noise Pollution in the United States: Developing an Effective Public Health Response." EHP. EHP, 01 Feb. 2014. Web. 08 Apr. 2015.
Holzman, David C. "EHP – Fighting Noise Pollution: A Public Health Strategy." EHP. EHP, Feb. 2014. Web. 16 Apr. 2015.
"NOISE AND HEARING LOSS PREVENTION." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 05 Dec. 2014. Web. 06 Apr. 2015.
"Noise Pollution." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, 16 July 2012. Web. 06 Apr. 2015.
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