Is noise pollution a health issue?
Yes, exposure to daily levels of noise pollution causes hearing loss, stress, hypertension, increased blood pressure and headaches. High frequency noise can cause permanent hearing damage; low frequency noise produce pressure waves that can cause nausea and heart palpitations. In a 2001 US Census survey, 11.8 million households said street or traffic noise was bothersome. An additional 4.5 million residents said it was so bad they wanted to move. Noise pollution and its harmful effects are recognized by the World Health Organization, United Nations, Environmental Protection Agency, and National Institutes of Health (NIH). According to NIH, more than 10 million people in the United States suffer permanent, noise-induced hearing loss.
