2010

10/4/2010

PREPARED BY : FARHAN IQBAL JANROLL #: 19CLASS : M.COM (previous)SUBMITTED TO :

NOISE POLLUTION

NOISE POLLUTION

Noise is defined as “unwanted sound”. Sound, which pleases the

listeners, is music and that which causes pain and annoyance is

noise.

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(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

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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

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 worker’s

ear.

Construction Noise:-

The noise from the construction of highways , city streets , and

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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 noise-

induced 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.

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(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 person’s peace of mind. The

noises are recognized as major contributing factors in accelerating

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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

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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

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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.

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

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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

LA eq

[db]

time base

[hour]

lA max fast

[db]

Outdoor living area Serious

annoyance,

daytime and

evening.

Moderate

annoyance,

daytime and

evening.

55

50

16

16

-

-

Dwelling, indoors inside

bedrooms

Speech

intelligibility and

moderate

annoyance,

daytime and

evening.

sleep

35 16 -

10

disturbance,

night-time

30 8 45

Outside bedrooms Sleep

disturbance,

window open

(outdoor values)

45 8 60

School classrooms and

pre-schools indoors

Speech

intelligibility,

disturbance of

information

extraction,

message

communication.

35 During class -

Pre-school bedrooms,

indoors

Sleep disturbance 30 Sleeping time 45

School, playground

outdoor

Annoyance

(external source)

55 During play -

Hospitals, ward rooms,

indoors

Sleep

disturbance,

night-time.

Sleep

disturbance,

daytime and

evenings

30

30

8

16

40

-

Hospitals, treatment

rooms, indoors

Interference with

rest and recovery

No.1

Industrial commercial,

shopping and traffic

areas, indoors and

outdoors

Hearing

impairment

70 24 110

Ceremonies festivals

and entertainment

events

Hearing

impairment

100 4 110

Public addresses,

indoors and outdoors

Hearing

impairment

85 1 110

Music through

headphones/earphone

s

Hearing

impairment (free-

field value)

85 no.1 1 110

Impulse sounds from

toys, fireworks and

Hearing

impairment

- - 140 no.2

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firearms. (adults).

Hearing

impairment

(children)

- - 140 no.2

Outdoors in parkland

and conservation areas

Disruption of

tranquility

No. 3

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 craft’s, airport or industrial or construction

activities. Public complaints on noise pollution are often received in

the federal and provincial environment protection agencies, but in

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.

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National Environmental Quality Standards for Motor Vehicle

Exhaust and Noise.

S.NO PARAMETER STANDARDS

(maximum

permissible limit)

MEASURING

METHOD

1 Smoke 40% or 2 on the

Ringelmann scale

during engine

acceleration mode.

To compared with

ringelmann chart at

distance of 6 meters or

more.

2 Carbon monoxide Emission standards:

New Used

Vehicle: Vehicle:

4.5% 6%

Under idling condition:

Non dispersive in

infrared detection

through gas analyzer.

3 noise 85 dB (A) Sound meter at 7.5

meters from the

source.

At present there exist no national standards for prescribing noise limits for

residential areas, industrial areas, commercial areas or silence zones. Most

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)

Min.

recorded

noise level

dB (A)

Average

1 Gujranwala 100 41 72.5

2 Faisalabad 100 47 72

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3 Islamabad 104.5 47 72.5

4 Rawalpindi 108.5 48 72.5

5 Karachi 88.9 62.4 76.5

6 Peshawar 708.5 68.2 86

(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.

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:-

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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:-

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.

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(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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