One in five Europeans exposed to too much traffic noise

One in five Europeans is exposed to too much traffic noise Keystone-SDA

Noise is not only annoying, it can also make you ill. More than one in five Europeans are exposed to unhealthily high levels of traffic noise, according to the European Environment Agency (EEA).

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An estimated 112 million people in 31 European countries analysed have to cope with environmental noise levels caused by road, rail and air traffic that exceed the threshold values of EU reporting regulations, writes the EEA in a new report. Such noise levels are harmful to human health as well as to the environment and the economy, it said.

The experts criticise the slow progress being made in reducing noise pollution. The EU target of reducing the number of people chronically affected by traffic noise by 30% by 2030 is unlikely to be achieved without additional measures, warns the Copenhagen-based EU authority. More action needs to be taken to tackle the problem at both European and national level, for example by improving access to quiet and green spaces in cities.

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The report includes data collected in 2021 from 31 EEA member states, which, in addition to the 27 EU countries, also includes Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

It shows that in Germany, the most populous of the countries, it is estimated that almost 22 million people (26% of the population) have to cope with noise levels above the threshold value of 55 decibels. Noise levels throughout the day were taken into account for this part of the report. For the night alone, there was also a second evaluation with a threshold value of 50 decibels. This was exceeded by almost 15 million people (18%).

Children particularly susceptible

Compared to other environmental health hazards in Europe, traffic noise ranks third behind air pollution and temperature-related factors, according to the report.

The experts identified road traffic as the main source of noise pollution, particularly in densely populated urban areas. “Although rail and aircraft noise affect fewer people overall, they remain significant local sources of noise, especially near major rail corridors and airports,” added the EEA.

According to the EEA, long-term exposure to traffic noise is associated with a wide range of negative health effects, including cardiovascular disease, mental illness, diabetes and even premature death. Children and young people are particularly susceptible to the effects of noise, which can contribute to reading difficulties, behavioural problems and obesity, for example.

According to the report, the consequences of noise pollution go beyond human health: noise also has an impact on wildlife on land and underwater, in addition to the high economic and social costs associated with diseases and health problems. Each year, traffic-related noise pollution in Europe causes the loss of 1.3 million healthy life years, which corresponds to an annual cost of at least €95.6 billion (CHF90 billion).

Translated from German by DeepL/ts

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