Hello and welcome back! The next type of pollution that we will be looking at is noise pollution. In our latest lecture, Professor Taylor introduced noise pollution as one form of pollution. With the increasing levels of urbanisation, noise has become an integral part of society. Yet, excessive noise has been known to be detrimental to health and impact the natural environment.
Making sense of noise
Before we begin exploring noise pollution, let us talk about why it is becoming an increasingly problematic issue in our modern society. It should be clear by now that pollution is an issue due to the cumulative damage done to the environment, which includes humans as we are part of the ecosystem (Hill, 2010). Just like the sound of a rooster’s crow is useful in regulating activities, the different types of sounds that we hear may help us identify our surroundings. This can range from danger from a car horn to identifying environmental changes from rain hitting our roofs and windows.
However, noise pollution occurs when these sounds that we hear on the daily become excessive. When we are looking at the cumulative effects of harm to the environment due to pollution, it becomes a bigger issue that we must take steps to mitigate and ameliorate (Thampapillai & Ruth, 2019). As mentioned in our lecture, humans can hear between the frequency of 20 to 20,000 Hz. In comparison, our animal companions may be able to hear a larger range of frequencies, such as dogs which can hear up to 45,000 Hz and cats up to 60,000 Hz (Fay, 2012). Yet, this ability is a double-edged sword, as animals tend to be more sensitive to sound than humans. If we are already annoyed by a constant humming sounds coming from the environment, imagine how much worse it can be for the animals around us!
Ryan’s anecdote on excess noise and hearing issues
“As a motorcyclist, I have come to appreciate the importance of regulating noise to prevent harm to ourselves and the environment. I am constantly buffeted by wind noise and blaring horns when travelling, which has resulted in a slight case of tinnitus. For those who are unaware, tinnitus is the constant ringing sound that you hear even in a quiet environment (NIDCD, 2014). While its effects are reversible if I left it alone to heal over time, constant exposure to noise around me will only worsen the condition. To reduce further damage, I have begun using ear plugs that are specially designed for commuting to reduce the amount of noise that I receive daily.”
However, when we consider the amount of road noise generated to our environment, is it equitable for every living being to wear earplugs to reduce the level of noise? Rather, is it even possible to put ear plugs on animals? In this case, let us introduce the importance of prevention. Similar to the Pollutant Transfer Continuum, where prevention is the most equitable option (Haygarth, Condron, Heathwaite, Turner, & Harris, 2005), epidemiologists use the Hierarchy of Control when addressing potential health-related issues (Thorne, Khozin, & McDiarmid, 2004). In the case of earplugs, the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) may mitigate the effects of risks, but requires active participation which could render it less effective (CDC, 2015). Like the masks that we have to wear daily due to the current COVID pandemic, these solutions are only a temporary measure before we find a cure, which eliminates the risk of COVID entirely (CDC, 2015).
Without delving too deep into epidemiology, we would like to illustrate the similarities when considering risks and how to mitigate them. As our blog focuses on legislation, we will look at whether current laws are adequate in tackling these issues. However, when we are considering environmental pollution, which is a global issue stemming across multiple disciplines, it seems that we have to tackle many of our problems right at the source.
In our next post, we will be investigating the different types and effects of noise pollution. Do share with us your experiences with noise pollution and let us know how you have taken steps to mitigate its impacts!
Hope to hear from you 🙂
Ryan
References
CDC. (2015). Hierarchy of Controls. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/hierarchy/default.html
Fay, R. R. (2012). Comparative hearing: mammals (Vol. 4): Springer Science & Business Media.
Haygarth, P. M., Condron, L. M., Heathwaite, A. L., Turner, B. L., & Harris, G. (2005). The phosphorus transfer continuum: linking source to impact with an interdisciplinary and multi-scaled approach. Science of the total environment, 344(1-3), 5-14.
Hill, M. K. (2010). Understanding Environmental Pollution: Cambridge University Press.
NIDCD. (2014, 2017). Tinnitus. Retrieved from https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/tinnitus
Thampapillai, D. J., & Ruth, M. (2019). Environmental economics: Concepts, methods and policies: Routledge.
Thorne, C. D., Khozin, S., & McDiarmid, M. A. (2004). Using the hierarchy of control technologies to improve healthcare facility infection control: lessons from severe acute respiratory syndrome. Journal of occupational and environmental medicine, 46(7), 613-622.