How does environmental noise pollution impact my health?

Environmental noise pollution, and in particular road traffic noise, is a growing concern across Europe. Long-term exposure to noise from environmental sources such as road, rail and air transport can cause a variety of health effects including annoyance, sleep disturbance, negative effects on the cardiovascular and metabolic system, as well as cognitive impairment in children. The EEA estimates that environmental noise contributes to 48 000 new cases of ischemic heart disease a year, as well as 12 000 premature deaths. In addition, we estimate that 22 million people suffer chronic high annoyance and 6.5 million people suffer chronic sleep disturbance.

For further information, please consult our latest report Environmental noise in Europe — 2020, visit the noise observation and information service in Europe or consult our noise country factsheets.