Even when you live deep in the countryside away from the hustle and bustle of a big city, traffic and building work, you’ll probably still find some evidence of sound pollution somewhere. Typically, it will be industrial noise pollution.
Industrial noise pollution comes from machinery and processes in warehouses and factories. There are various noise sources in these environments, such as workforces, ventilation and fans, impact processes, electrical machines, internal combustion engines etc. The mechanisms of noise generation depend on the particularly noisy operations and equipment, but they can all make substantial noise. This noise isn’t just annoying, there actually is increasing evidence that long-term environmental noise can have a negative influence on your health.
These effects can be physical and mental and new research shows that it could even potentially disrupt children’s learning.
Our emotional response to noise pollution can be surprisingly significant, so much so that it has a specific name: noise annoyance. This describes the negative feelings noise can create such as disturbance, irritation, dissatisfaction and nuisance, as well as a feeling of having one’s privacy invaded.
Did you know that there are certain measures that companies with buildings that produce high levels of noise need to take by law? Implementing industrial soundproofing for example with acoustic louvres or ventilation systems may be required by law if such noise pollution is created.
You have the right to report industrial and commercial noise to you local council. They will be able to investigate noise coming from:
- Ventilation systems
- Alarms
- Factories
- Construction and demolition
They will be able to contact the business to make them aware that a complaint has been raised and ask them to resolve the issue.
If this is unsuccessful, they may need to carry out noise monitoring and a noise impact assessment which will assess the impact the noise. So if you know that you’re in an area with noise pollutions – do something about it! Contact your local council who can perform a noise assessment and potentially force those responsible for the excessive noise to lower it.