10 October 2018
The revised WHO Environmental Noise
Guidelines for the European Region provide strong evidence that noise is one of
the top environmental hazards to both physical and mental health and
well-being.
Officially launched to countries and
stakeholders in Basel, Switzerland on 10 October 2018, the document identifies
levels at which noise has significant health impacts and recommends actions to
reduce exposure. For the first time, a comprehensive and rigorous
methodological framework was applied to develop the recommendations.
What is new
Compared to previous WHO guidelines
on noise, this version contains five significant developments:
· stronger evidence of the cardiovascular and metabolic effects of
environmental noise;
· inclusion of new noise sources, namely wind turbine noise and leisure
noise, in addition to noise from transportation (aircraft, rail and road
traffic);
· use of a standardized approach to assess the evidence;
· a systematic review of evidence, defining the relationship between noise
exposure and risk of adverse health outcomes;
· use of long-term average noise exposure indicators to better predict
adverse health outcomes.
Driving policy action to protect communities from health effects of
noise
Targeted at decision-makers and
technical experts, the new guidelines aim to support legislation and
policy-making at local, national and international level.
Although the guidelines focus on the
European Region and provide guidance consistent with the European Union’s
Environmental Noise Directive, they also have global relevance. The large body
of evidence underpinning the recommendations was derived not only from noise
effect studies in Europe but also from research in other parts of the world,
mainly America, Asia and Australia.
The guidelines also highlight data
and research gaps to be addressed in future studies.
Recommendations related to Aircraft Noise
For average noise exposure, the
Guideline Development Group (GDG)
strongly recommends reducing noise levels produced by aircraft to below
45 dB Lden, as aircraft noise above this level is associated with adverse
health effects.
For night noise exposure, the GDG
strongly recommends reducing noise levels produced by aircraft during night
time to below 40 dB Lnight, as aircraft noise above this level is
associated with adverse effects on sleep.
To reduce health
effects, the GDG strongly recommends that policy-makers implement suitable
measures to reduce noise exposure from aircraft in the population exposed to
levels above the guideline values for average and night noise exposure. For
specific interventions the GDG recommends implementing suitable changes in
infrastructure. Examples of infrastructure changes given include the opening and closing of runways and the redesign of flight paths.
