Noise in Our Environ Ment
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Noise in Our Environ ment his issue of EPA Journal Treviews the battle against noise-a pollutant that most of us are exposed to at home, at work, at play, and on the streets. Administrator Costle notes that noise control is critical and that ways can be found to keep abatement costs within reason. An article by Deputy Assistant Secretary Hales of the Department of Interior points out that modern noise is an intrusion that can detract from our enjoyment of national parks. Legislat ive aspects of noise control are outlined by Senator John Culver and Representative James Florio. A former Surgeon General describes the adverse impact noise can have on health. Other articles review the role noise plays in our cities, neighborhoods, and at work. Some of the ways we can deal with the problem of too much noise are described in articles about volunteer organizations, product regulation, and public information. A look at the impact of hearing loss on personal life and conflicting views on the need for sirens also are included. International steps to control noise and EPA's cooperation with Ger many on environmental matters round out the issue. D United States Office of Volume 5 Environmental Protection Public Awareness (A-107) Number 9 Agency Washington DC 20460 October 1 979 &EPA JOURNAL Douglas M . Costle, Administrator Joan Martin Nicholson, Director, Office of Public Awareness Charles D . Pierce, Editor Truman Temple, Associate Editor John Heritage, Chris Perham, Assistant Editors Articles EPA is charged by Congress to A Balanced Approach Urban Noise Fighting protect the Nation's land, air and to Noise Control 2 and Neighborhood Noise Pollution water systems. Under a mandate Organizations 12 Around t he World 20 of national environmental laws Administrator Costle discusses the need for a quiet environment. focused on air and water quali A look at the ways some city What other countries are doing dwellers are dealing with noise aboul their noise problems. solid waste management and ty, Quiet: problems in their communities. the control of toxic substances, A National Resource 4 Do We Need New pesticides, noise and radiation, An assessment of the importance Quiet Comes To Product Noise the Agency strives to formulate Evansville 14 Regulations7 22 and implement actions which of natural sounds and their value as an integral part of our parks lead to a compatible balance be The story of a former Hell's Angel A review of the possible benefits and historical monuments. tween human activities and the who enforces a noise control of controlling noise at the source. ordinance in an Indiana town. af)ility of natural systems to sup Opportunities port and nurture life. Noise Control in the Quiet Noise in Through Communities Act 6 Our Cities 15 Education 23 Senator John Culver describes The President of the National A local official describes the the noise control tools this law League of Cities discusses the ways that public involvement provides. role of noise-and quiet-in the can help bring about quiet. Nation's urban centers. Aircraft Noise: Volunteers An Abatement Curbing Construction Against N oise 24 Noise 17 Priority 7 Efforts of private citizens to Representative James Florio A view from the construction improve the response to noise reviews the need to continue the industry of how America can problems. fight against this environmental continue to grow more quietly. insult. Sirens 26 Noise in the A review of the pros and cons Noise: Workplace 18 of the w arning signals used by The Invisible High levels of sound can jeop emergency vehicles. firefighters, Pollutant 8 ardize the health and safety of and police. An interview with Charles Elkins, workers-a review from the EPA Deputy Administrator for labor standpoint . Cooperating with Noise Abatement and Control. Germany on the Front cover This illustration. based The Sound of on Grant Wood's famous painting Environment 28 "American Gothic." shows many of Health and Noise 10 Silence 19 EPA and its German counterpart the sources that add noise to daily Luther Terry, former Surgeon What happens after the noise share the results of research and life. It was done for EPA Journal by General, details some lesser stops? A look at some social and new technology in an effort to Nathan Davies of the E. James psychological implications of White Design Company. known hazards of exposure to solve environmental problems. high levels of sound. hearing loss. Opposite This illustration from the National Archives was a working model for a series of security posters during World War II . Almanac 27 Around the Nation 30 People 36 Design Credits: Robert Flanagan. News Briefs 29 Update 34 Donna Kazaniwsky and Ron Farrah. Photo credits Cornelius Keyes: The EPA Journal is published Views expressed by authors do not copy. domeshc, S15 00 if mailed to Bruce Davidson'Magnum. Dan monthly, with combined issues necessarily reflect EPA policy Con a foreign address No charge to McCoy: Erik Calonius: Jonathan July August and November-Decem tnbut1ons and inquiries should be employees Send check or money Scott Arms/US DI. National Park ber. by the U S Environmental addressed to the Editor (A-107). order to Superintendent of Docu Service. Bill Stanton/Magnum. Protection Agency Use of funds for Waterside Mall. 401 M St . SW ments. U S Government Printing Yoichi Okamoto: Henri Cartier printing this periodical has been Washington. D C 20460 No per Office. Washington. DC 20402 Bresson/Magnum. Nationai approved by the Director of the m1ss1on necessary to reproduce Archives and Records Service. Office of Management and Budget contents except copyrighted photos Text printed on recycled paper and other materials. Subscription • Documerica $12 00 a year. $1 20 for single recent poll conducted by the U.S. more, w hen the primates are withdrawn A Bureau of the Census showed that from the noisy environment, their high A Balanced noise is considered to be the most undesir blood pressure persists. able neighborhood condition-more irritat This suggests the possibility of some Approach to ing than crime and deteriorating housing. thing quite startling. That is, not only might The poll also pointed out that the propor our noisy living and working environments Noise Control tion of Americans who feel this way has be giving us high blood pressure. but those been increasing yearly. This information occasional vacations we take to the country underscores the need for regulations and may not be giving us much of a respite from programs to abate noise pollution in our the ravages of noise. Since high blood pres society. sure (hypertension) is a serious risk factor Early in 1978, the U.S. Senate held over for heart disease and stroke and these two sight hearings to determine what amend causes account for 48 percent of the deaths ments to the Noise Control Act of 1972 in this country each year, the public health were needed to respond to the growing Implications of this study could be very national constituency against noise. Two serious indeed. things surfaced as being necessary: addi These significant findings correlate well tional research into the non-auditory hea Ith with 40 epidemiological studies in 11 coun effects of noise, and stronger State and tries. which link noise exposure with cardi local programs equipped to administer ovascular disease. These findings highlight noise administration and enforcement. Out the need for noise abatement and for con of these hearings, the Congress drafted a tinued research. During the next two years. set of amendments which became known EPA will continue its research into the collectively as the Quiet Communities Act physiological effects with emphasis placed of 1978. on cardiovascular effects, sleep, and I am pleased that, following the enact reproduction. ment of the Noise Control Act of 1972, The Quiet Communities Act gives us the research has made significant inroads to opportunity to carry out noise abatement By Doug I M. Costl ward an understanding of the effects of that is needed so critically. EPA's noise noise. What is too much noise? Research abatement initiatives have been and will EPA Administrator enables us to answer the question in terms be part of a well-balanced program that of volume, duration, and character of the emphasizes both national standard-setting noise. Research thus provides a basis for and State and local programs. Noise is regulations that give numerical noise limits. viewed primarily as a local problem requir The answer to this question forms the ing local solutions. It is our intention to use health and welfare justification for local the resources provided by the Quiet Com noise control ordinances and Federal munities Act to foster the development of product regulation. State and local noise programs throughout There has never been any doubt that ex the Nation. By so doing, we are using cessive noise can cause severe hearing Federal dollars to initiate self-sustaining impairment. Studies of the auditory effects local programs that can work on their own of noise abound. There also is no doubt that to control noise in the future. we live in a world filled with potentially Principal features of EPA's State and harmful levels of noise. Our jobs. our enter local program initiatives are public educa tainment and recreation, and our neighbor tion and information. EPA communicates hoods and homes all expose us to excessive with localities, providing information on levels of noise. It is estimated that 20 mil the health effects of noise and the need for lion or more Americans are exposed daily Federal product regulation. It also provides to noise that ls permanently damaging to assistance to communities interested in their hearing. EPA's research has already adopting and maintaining noise control established the limits of noise volume and programs.