Noise that makes you sick

by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition

Photo credit: Pixabay

The Noticias Ambientales website posted an article titled: “Noise that makes you sick: excessive sound, a silent environmental enemy that pollutes spaces and the ears.” I don’t think noise can be called silent, and the article states that silence can be a form of environmental health. I suspect that a Spanish to English translation app can’t quite tell the difference between silence and quiet, the latter being what most people want.

Regardless of this minor quibble, the rest of the article summarizes the many adverse health and economic effects of noise pollution that exceed the European Union’s 55 decibels safe noise limit.

A daily average of 55 decibels was also calculated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to be the safe noise exposure level for Americans, but the federal government has done little to protect Americans from noise since the Reagan era defunding of the EPA’s Office of Noise Abatement and Control.

Federal noise regulations are unlikely to be reinstated during the current administration, but the scientific evidence is incontrovertible. Noise is unwanted and/or harmful sound and a quieter world will be a better and healthier world for all.