The Effects of Noise Pollution on the Physical Environment

The physical environment includes everything that surround us: land, air, water, people, plants, animals, buildings and infrastructures. The levels of noise in the physical environment can influence the physical and mental health of humans and other living creatures. Noise pollution, often with levels above 75 decibels, seriously damages the whole physical environment. Sources of noise pollution include factories, transport, building sites and loudspeakers.

Economic Effects

• High levels of noise pollution in an area can negatively affect property values. In residential areas, the value of houses decreases according to the increase of decibels. Near noisy highways, the value of a property decreases even more significantly, partly due to other negative effects of intense traffic, such as air pollution.

Physical Health Effects

• Noise pollution can cause physical damage to the human ear that is constantly exposed to sound levels from 80 to 130 decibels. Light traffic noise, for instance, generates about 74 decibels; the approaching of a subway train produces 90 decibels, and an aircraft takeoff can produce as much as 120 decibels of noise. Noise-related hearing loss can be temporary, or it can be permanent, called "noise-induced permanent threshold shift," or NIPTS. A sound level of 150 decibels or more can negatively affect the circulatory system by raising blood pressure.

Mental Health Effects

• Excessive noise can cause emotional or psychological effects, such as irritability, anxiety, mental fatigue and stress in humans and animals. Noise exposure is related to memory deficit, increased aggression and reduced helping behavior. Symptoms reported among industrial workers exposed to noise pollution include nausea, headaches, argumentativeness, changes in mood, and anxiety. Noise pollution can also interfere with the cognitive performance of children at school.

Effects on Wildlife

• In addition to sight and smell, some animals rely on their hearing to locate prey. Highways or airports built close to wildlife areas can expose the animals to noise pollution, making the hunting process more difficult and causing ecological imbalance. Noise pollution can also disrupt the animals' breeding patterns, and it has been identified as a reason for the extinction of some animal species, according to Charter Township of West Bloomfield, Michigan.

Read more: eHow