27 million cars on the road and an epidemic of fatigue. Polish cities are drowning in noise
More than 110 million Europeans, or 20 percent society, are exposed to long-term transport noise from roads, railways and air traffic – according to a report by the European Environment Agency (EEA). In turn, data from the Central Statistical Office (GUS) indicate that in Poland over 280 thousand people in cities over 100,000 residents were exposed to noise whose permissible levels were exceeded. Experts warn that the problem is growing and may cause serious health consequences.
– Noise in the environment is increasing because the number of devices producing it is growing rapidly. We live in the loudest times in historybecause never before have people had so many devices, machines and other things for entertainment that generate noise. Unfortunately, this has a very specific impact on how people feel, their efficiency and opportunities in life. We are more stressed, constantly sleep-deprived and have no strength – says Agnieszka Kantaruk, editor of the educational portal “Caraz Głosiej” to the Newseria agency.
The problem of exposing people to too much noise was noticed already in 1995, when the International Noise Awareness Day was celebrated for the first time on the initiative of the American organization The Center for Hearing and Communication. In 2002, the European Union introduced legal regulations for the assessment and management of environmental noise levels. They use the 24-hour noise index (LDWN), which measures noise irritation, as well as the night-time noise index (LN), which is helpful in determining sleep disruption.
According to EEA estimates, the number of people in the European Union who experience significant annoyance from transport noise has decreased by only 3%. between 2017 and 2022. This pace is insufficient to achieve the EU target of reducing this number by 30%. by 2030.
Pursuant to the Environmental Protection Law, mayors of cities with over 100,000 inhabitants residents are obliged to submit strategic noise maps to the Chief Inspector of Environmental Protection every five years. They are developed by acousticians based on his long-term measurements. The Central Statistical Office report prepared on the basis of maps from 2021 indicates that in 36 cities in Poland there are over 100,000 inhabitants. inhabitants were exposed to daily noise measured by the LDWN index: in the case of
- road noise – 270 thousand people,
- industrial noise – 9.9 thousand people,
- rail noise – 2.2 thousand,
- aircraft noise – 2.5 thousand people.
The highest share of such people in the total population was recorded in Gliwice, Chorzów and Szczecinwhile the lowest was recorded in Toruń, Dąbrowa Górnicza and Olsztyn.
Children are the most defenseless in the face of decibels
– Currently we have 27 million vehicles in the country, and some time ago there were 3 million, so the increase is huge. Of course, this didn't happen from year to year, but over decades, but those who were children 20 years ago lived in a completely different acoustic environment than children who live today. This will affect how these children will develop. This pollution takes a lot from us – says Agnieszka Kantaruk.
– Children are most exposed to noise due to their stage of development. It is more difficult for them to adapt to constant noise, and they are exposed to noise virtually all day long, starting from school or kindergarten, where it can reach 100 decibels during breaks. The child is already tired after leaving school, and in the afternoon and evening the tiredness will only increase. In addition, in some situations they may also have problems at night, because certain night sounds can disturb them from sleep and then the body has a problem falling asleep again. And it is known that healthy and restful sleep is continuous sleep, without short awakenings – explains Grzegorz Bogusz, a medical doctor.
The silent killer. Noise damages our health and shortens the lives of thousands of Europeans
The EEA report shows that noise pollution can cause serious health problems. It usually results in irritability, fatigue, increasing stress and sleep disorders, but the long-term effects are much broader. This may lead, among others, to: to cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases and mental disorders. The agency estimates that as a result of long-term exposure to transport noise, the number of premature deaths reaches 66,000.
– Everyone focuses on one aspect, which is the risk of hearing loss. However, noise also affects other organs. The mechanism behind this is quite simple and has been known for a long time. During the evolution of our body, defense mechanisms were developed that were aimed at reacting quickly and efficiently to external threats signaled by violent noises, sounds, the roar of a large animal, volcanic eruptions, or the battle cries of another tribe. The response to such a phenomenon is: fight or flight. The physiology of such a reaction is that hydrocortisone and adrenaline are released in our body, blood pressure increases, heart rate increases, and muscle tension increases. All this is to start taking action – explains Grzegorz Bogusz. – With constant noise intensity, it ceases to be a defensive reaction, but becomes a pathogenic reaction. We are tired all the time because the body has to use a lot of resources to keep all the systems in a state of tension, which means that after a while they will start to be lacking elsewhere and that's when the problems begin.
From the housing community to the court. How to defend yourself against sound terror?
As experts emphasize, the problem is that although There are permissible environmental noise levels in legal regulations, but they are often not observed. Moreover, not all sources are included in the standards. On the other hand, there are more and more initiatives aimed at reducing noise pollution. An example is the Kościelisko commune, where a resolution has been implemented to regulate the issue of noise and damage caused by quads, cross bikes and other off-road vehicles. There was also an idea that people who would like to conduct noisy activities in residential areas would have to apply for appropriate permission from the authorities. Kraków is also fighting to reduce noise at night. Residents exposed to noise also take action.
– You can fight noise and you can do it in various ways. The basic thing is that it is worth fighting together. Where people come together, where there is a group, these matters are resolved much faster and easier than when a single person fights. Therefore, whenever possible, we can describe our problem on the Noise Problem Map. This is an application that is used to mark problems and find others who are also struggling with them in the same place – says the editor of “Caraz niej”.
How to achieve silence in your own home? Know your rights
As he emphasizes, the first step should be to report the problem to the perpetrator of the violation or to the administration of the building, cooperative or housing community. You can also contact the district or commune authorities.
– If this does not work or the matter is more complicated, because sometimes it is beyond the competence of the commune head, mayor or city president, there are other competent bodies that can solve the problem. We first need to figure out where to go with a given noise problem and then do it. If this path turns out to be ineffective and the authorities responsible for protecting people from noise do not work properly, there is always the criminal case path, which is a simpler version of a court case and is free of charge. If this form does not work again, there will be a civil case at the end. In court, you can assert your right to peace and quiet within your own home – emphasizes Agnieszka Kantaruk.
