New Legislation To Limit Noise Pollution

Ah, the sound of spring! Birds chirp, leaves rustle, children laugh, car horns blare, sirens ring, people shout into their cell phones over the sound of lawn mowers and airplanes. Behold noise, the new pollution. According to one US Census survey, street noise was the number one most bothersome neighborhood problem. 4.5 million (from polled 106 million) reported that noise was so bothersome, they wanted to move. Today however, even the suburbs are filled with noise.Noise pollution bothers everyone, but nothing really gets done. What can you do to eliminate the sounds of modern American life? Federal legislation is currently attempting to work that out. Back in 1972, the Environmental Protection Agency created the Office of Noise Abatement and Control (ONAC). Although fairly successful for over ten years, President Ronald Regan cut funds, and the office closed its doors in 1981. Now congress is attempting to bring it back. Ten bills are in discussion that propose to reduce noise levels, most concerning large aircraft flying over residential neighborhoods, state parks, and reserves. Many propose an act that would re-establish ONAC. California is taking the lead amongst state legislature to reduce noise pollution. Sacramento, San Diego, and fifteen other cities are regulating days and hours when citizens can use lawn mowers, leaf blowers, or chain saws.Are some people taking noise pollution a little too seriously? In fact, over 400 cities across the US and parts of Canada and Europe have banned leaf blowers completely. In Loraine, Ohio, an ordinance permits a resident to confiscate a loud stereo from someone who has already committed one noisy offense. A few years ago, the Noise Pollution Clearinghouse released a table demonstrating the noise levels, measured in decibels, of what we are exposed to. Normal conversation is sixty decibels. A hair dryer close to your head and a lawn mower are both ninety decibels. A weed whacker is ninety-five decibels, and a rock concert is one hundred and ten. Long-term damage can occur at eighty-five decibels, or the sound of traffic in a medium to a large size city. Amount of time exposed also matters. Most of us can be exposed to more than one loud sound at a time. As if this idea alone isn’t deafening enough, remember that decibels increase in a tenfold logarithmic pattern, meaning that one hundred decibel exposure is twice as loud as ninety decibel exposure. The Right to Quiet Society (www.quiet.org) has an informative website, with many ideas for congress and an active web group of people across the country who have pledged to make efforts to reduce the amount of noise pollution. Among their hefty list of proposals are to restrict, and in some places ban aircraft in wilderness and residential areas, audible car alarms, leaf blowers, and “excessively” loud radios, and regulate emergency siren volume, beeper levels, indoor public music, and intercom use.Environmental scientists say that noise pollution is something we should be concerned about. Long periods of exposure are hazardous to human and environmental health. Noise is the leading cause of hearing loss in the US, with 28 million people impaired. Noise can lead to sleepless nights, disrupted study habits, stress and headaches. Government studies have “correlated” noise with heart problems, hypertension, and some psychological disorders. In children, noise is suspected of being responsible for interfering with language acquisition and learning. How can you tell what exactly is considered loud? Music can be either soothing or tormenting to a person. Some like the sound of airplanes, while others cover their ears. Does this mean that some people are more sensitive to sound than others? There are signs to warn you about hearing damage. Hearing a ringing noise in your ears immediately after exposure to a loud noise could mean harm. When listening to music on headphones, if the lyrics are muffled, it is probably too loud. At a live show, if someone within three feet has to shout to be heard, you are risking damage. For most people, a few dozen concerts isn’t that bad, but consistent or repeated exposure can be damaging. There is no evidence to prove if your odds of noise caused hearing loss are increased if hearing loss runs in your family. Having common sense is probably the best way to reduce your chance of getting hurt by noise. If you work in a factory or a landscaping service, wear sound proof headphones or earplugs. Be aware of how loud the music in your car is, especially if the windows are closed. Try to be respectful by turning down your radio or at night, or when driving through a residential area. Noise pollution is transient. When the noise stops, there is no more pollution. Economically, there are no clean up costs or toxins left in the air. The amount of ads for headache medication and stress relievers might tell us something about our daily, noisy lives. Wednesday, April 28 is International Noise Awareness Day, reminding people to go about their daily lives just a little quieter.