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Types: Noise Pollution

Overview

This particular pollution is ever increasing with due to the rise in the utilization of heavy duty machineries of industrial facilities and vehicles, synonymous to the increase in the standard of living in most countries. We make sounds practically every seconds of our day, but to the extend it has reached an unfavorable high intensity which had cause many disturbances and irritation to others emotionally that has adverse effects on our daily activities.

Noise levels can be measured by decibel method:

Decibel - one tenth of a bel where one bel represents a difference in level between two intensities I₁, I₀ where one is ten times greater than the other. Thus, the intensity level is the comparison of one intensity to another and may be expressed:

Intensity level = 10 log₁₀ (I₁/I₀) (dB)

For instance, the difference between intensities of 10^-8 watts/m² and 10^-4 watts/m², an actual difference of 10,000 units, can be expressed as a difference of 4 bels or 40 decibels.

These are the few examples of threshold decibels of noises made:

Other noise measurement systems are:

• community noise equivalent level

• composite noise rating 

• equivalent energy level

• noise and number index

• noise exposure forecast 

• noise criterion

• noise level

• noise pollution level

• noise rating

• perceived noise level

• traffic noise index

• sound level

• sound level meter

• sound pressure level

• world soundscape project

Sources and Methods

We can classify major sources that lead to noise pollution to the following categories:

• road traffic noise

• air traffic

• rail traffic

• neighborhood and domestic noise

• incompatible land use

• industrial noises

Please click here to view a comprehensive table explaining the above major sources.

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