Published:
26 Oct 2009 - The European Environment Agency
(EEA) has launched the most comprehensive
map of noise exposure to date, revealing
the extent to which European citizens are
exposed to excessive acoustic pollution.
The European Environment
Agency (EEA) has launched the most comprehensive
map of noise exposure to date, revealing
the extent to which European citizens are
exposed to excessive acoustic pollution.
The NOISE (Noise Observation
and Information Service for Europe) database
provides, at the click of a mouse, a picture
of the numbers of people exposed to noise
generated by air, rail and road traffic
across Europe and in 102 large urban agglomerations.
Noise is ubiquitous
but its role as a key form of pollution
with serious human health consequences is
still underestimated. Prolonged exposure
to even low levels of noise can trigger
hypertension and disrupt sleep.
A first glance at Europe's
noise exposure map is far from soothing:
it is estimated than half of the population
in urban areas with more than 250 000 inhabitants
endure levels above 55 dB Lden (the lower
EU benchmark for an average 24-hour period)
as a result of ambient road noise. Just
over 41 million Europeans are exposed to
excessive noise from road traffic alone
in the largest cities.
Member States need to
step up efforts in noise reporting
Compiling information from 19 of the 32
EEA member countries, the NOISE database
represents a major step towards a comprehensive
pan-European service. Following the adoption
of the Environmental Noise Directive (END),
Member States were given until December
2007 to deliver relevant data. Users of
the NOISE database can view the extent of
data reported in accordance with the directive
on a colour-coded map.
Adopted in 2002, the
END aims to moderate noise exposure in built-up
areas. The Directive also covers noise in
public parks or other quiet areas in an
agglomeration, in quiet areas in open country,
and near schools, hospitals and other noise-sensitive
buildings and areas. It does not apply to
noise caused by residents or noise from
domestic activities, noise at work places
or inside means of transport.
About the noise indicators
Lden is an indicator of the overall noise
level during the day, evening and night,
which is used to convey the annoyance caused
by noise exposure. Lnight is an indicator
for the sound level during the night used
to describe sleep disturbance. They are
both used for mapping noise in Europe.
More information:
EEA's website, pages about noise
Noise Observation and Information Service
for Europe
The European Comission's pages on noiseWorld
Health Organisation Regional Office for
Europe's pages on noise
Notes to the editor:
The EEA is based in Copenhagen. The agency
aims to help achieve significant and measurable
improvement in Europe's environment through
the provision of timely, targeted, relevant
and reliable information to policy makers
and the public.
EEA member countries:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,
Luxemburg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Spain, Slovak Republic,
Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United
Kingdom.
Òscar Romero
Press Officer
