Interview — Assessing the health and environmental impacts of noise

Why does noise pollution not get as much attention as other environmental challenges?

Noise is everywhere and is affecting our health more than we might realise. Most people know that certain pollutants, like for example chemicals can harm us, but it is not always obvious that something like noise can also have serious effects on our bodies.

When people think about noise and health, they often picture loud places like concerts or heavy machinery that can hurt our hearing. However, the effects of noise pollution go beyond those on the hearing system and are very extensive. For example, if we are constantly exposed at home to background noise from traffic, it can lead to serious health problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and many more.

Another reason noise may not get as much attention as other pollutants, like for instance air pollution, is that its effects are harder to see. With air pollution, we can quickly notice problems, like asthma attacks, and there are clear warnings and guidelines for when it’s unsafe to practice sports outside etc. But when it comes to noise, there are not any harmonised limits.

Eulalia Peris

Expert on environmental noise

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends certain noise levels not to be exceeded to help protect our health, but these are just recommendations, not laws. Many people live in areas that exceed these guideline levels and are exposed to unhealthy levels of noise.

How big of a problem is noise pollution in Europe?

Exposure to environmental noise is a widespread issue across Europe, particularly from transport sources like road, rail and aircraft. According to data collected under the EU Environmental Noise Directive, more than hundred million people live in areas where noise levels can harm health. This is not just a problem for a few countries or cities; it affects most countries and urban areas throughout Europe. Therefore, although impacts may be a bit less severe than for other pollutants noise is an important public health issue, because it affects a very large portion of the population in Europe.

How does noise pollution impact us, the environment and the economy?

Noise pollution impacts our health by keeping our bodies in a constant state of "fight or flight," even if we don't consciously realise it. This ongoing state of activation can lead to harmful physiological responses, such as inflammation and oxidative stress. Over time, these repeated reactions can increase the risk of various health issues, including ischemic heart disease, diabetes, stroke, obesity, cognitive impairment in children, and mental health problems.

In terms of the environment, noise pollution impacts both terrestrial and marine wildlife, influencing their behaviour, physiology, communication and sensory perception. It also alters predator-prey dynamics. For instance, studies have found that higher levels of road noise led to decreased bird populations and altered singing behaviours. Specifically, birds in noisier areas tended to sing at higher pitches and longer durations to be heard over the background noise. This alteration in communication can affect their mating success and overall fitness.

Noise pollution has impacts on both health and ecosystems, leading to considerable costs for the environment and society. For example, since noise is associated with cardiovascular and other health issues, it is reasonable to expect significant expenses for treating these conditions, in addition to the indirect costs related to premature mortality.

What will be the focus of the EEA’s upcoming report?

We will be launching the new Environmental Noise in Europe Report on the 24 of June at the European Parliament. The report focuses on the impacts of transport noise from road, rail and aircraft based on the new data that comes from the Environmental Noise Directive. The report provides information on the health impacts and burden of disease associated with environmental noise, trends and outlooks, impacts of noise on biodiversity and accessibility to green-quiet areas.

The report has been produced in collaboration with the EEA’s European Topic Centre on Human Health and the Environment and our Eionet partners, as well as with contributions from various stakeholders. It is published every five years to align with the requirement of reporting strategic noise maps under the Environmental Noise Directive. Each cycle, we gather and analyse updated data to better understand the magnitude of the problem.

What action have the European Union and Member States taken?

In terms of legislation, we have an EU directive on environmental noise that requires countries to monitor noise levels and produce noise maps and action plans every five years. However, this directive doesn’t set binding limits. The obligation of the countries or competent authorities is to report noise maps and to describe which actions they are going to take. Despite the lack of mandatory limits or requirements to implement specific actions, many countries are adopting various measures to mitigate transportation noise pollution, often in connection with the noise action plans mandated by the directive.

In recent years, the EU has introduced several measures to strengthen the rules and regulations surrounding transportation noise pollution. These efforts aim to improve the accuracy of collected data and reduce the negative impacts of noise on citizens. For example, the introduction of a non-binding target to lessen the number of people exposed to noise pollution under the Zero Pollution Action Plan highlights the increasing awareness of the health effects of environmental noise and encourages action to tackle transport noise more effectively.

However, the EEA report indicates that these efforts are insufficient to address the noise problem. Therefore, actions must be accelerated to effectively tackle this issue.

What role can quiet areas in cities play?

Quiet areas are important. Some studies show that people living in noisy areas have a greater need to access quiet areas. Other studies have shown that access to quiet and green spaces provide health benefits such as reduction in stress and noise annoyance.

We have grown accustomed to unhealthy noise levels in cities, because it was what we were used to hearing every day. During Covid lockdowns, many people started to see that cities can be a lot quieter and peaceful. We could hear other sounds that contribute to a more pleasant soundscape such as birds singing or people talking. Some studies showed that people had a positive reaction to these lower noise levels and that there have been an increased awareness, appreciation and wish to live in a quieter urban environment.

In the report, we have assessed accessibility of green-quiet areas in different cities. We can see that only a small proportion of people have access to green areas that are unaffected by transport noise. In addition to their health benefits, creating such areas also support climate adaptation and nature restoration.

Ernesto Di Tommaso, Urban Treasures / EEA

What else is being done to reduce the impact of noise pollution?

Some common measures implemented in various cities include enforcing speed limits in urban areas and regulating high noise emitters, such as restricting the circulation of loud motorbikes and identifying particularly noisy vehicles. On the railways, initiatives like quiet freight routes have been established to minimise noise pollution. Many countries also have adopted national railway plans to reduce noise by retrofitting vehicles with quiet brakes or smoother tracks. Additionally, there are plans to reduce noise for new commercial aircraft.