Editing Environmental noise (section)

== Policy and regulation ==

=== United States ===
The [[Noise Control Act]] of 1972 established a U.S. national policy to promote an environment for all Americans to be free from noise that jeopardizes their health and welfare. In the past, [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|Environmental Protection Agency]] (EPA) coordinated all federal noise control activities through its Office of Noise Abatement and Control.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Kerr|first1=Madeleine J.|last2=Neitzel|first2=Richard L.|last3=Hong|first3=OiSaeng|last4=Sataloff|first4=Robert T.|date=2017|title=Historical review of efforts to reduce noise-induced hearing loss in the United States|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28514024|journal=American Journal of Industrial Medicine|volume=60|issue=6|pages=569–577|doi=10.1002/ajim.22627|issn=1097-0274|pmid=28514024|hdl=2027.42/137565|s2cid=40127861|hdl-access=free}}</ref> The [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|EPA]] phased out the office's funding in 1982 as part of a shift in federal noise control policy to transfer the primary responsibility of regulating noise to state and local governments. The Noise Control Act of 1972 and the Quiet Communities Act of 1978 were never rescinded by Congress and remain in effect today, although essentially unfunded.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.epa.gov/history/epa-history-noise-and-noise-control-act|title=EPA History: Noise and the Noise Control Act|last=EPA|date=1982|access-date=Jul 31, 2018}}</ref>

Today, in the absence of a national guidance and enforcement by the EPA, states, cities, and municipalities have had little or no guidance on writing competent and effective [[noise regulation]]s. Since the EPA last published its Model Community Noise Ordinance in 1974, communities have struggled to develop their ordinances, often relying on copying guidance from other communities, and sometimes copying their mistakes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nonoise.org/regulation/index.htm|title=Noise Regulation in the U.S.|last=Noise Pollution Clearinghouse|access-date=Jul 31, 2018}}</ref> Noise laws and ordinances vary widely among municipalities though most specify some general prohibition against making noise that is a nuisance and the allowable sound levels that can cross a property line. Some ordinances set out specific guidelines for the level of noise allowable at certain times of the day and for certain activities.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nonoise.org/lawlib/cities/cities.htm|title=Noise Regulations & Ordinances of U.S. Cities, Counties, and Towns|last=Noise Pollution Clearinghouse|access-date=Jul 31, 2018}}</ref>

The [[Federal Aviation Administration]] (FAA) regulates [[aircraft noise]] by specifying the maximum noise level that individual civil aircraft can emit through requiring aircraft to meet certain noise certification standards. These standards designate changes in maximum noise level requirements by "stage" designation. The U.S. noise standards are defined in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 14 Part 36 – Noise Standards: Aircraft Type and Airworthiness Certification (14 CFR Part 36).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/advisory_circulars/index.cfm/go/document.information/documentID/22942|title=Noise Levels for U.S. Certificated and Foreign Aircraft|last=Federal Aviation Administration|date=Nov 15, 2001|access-date=Jul 31, 2018}}</ref> The [[Federal Aviation Administration|FAA]] also pursues a program of aircraft noise control in cooperation with the aviation community.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/apl/noise_emissions/airport_aircraft_noise_issues/|title=Aircraft Noise Issues|last=Federal Aviation Administration|date=2018|access-date=Jul 31, 2018}}</ref> The FAA has set up a process to report [https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/apl/noise_emissions/airport_aircraft_noise_issues/noise/ aviation-related noise complaints] for anyone who may be impacted by Aircraft noise.

The [[Federal Highway Administration]] (FHWA) developed noise regulations to control [[Roadway noise|highway noise]] as required by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1970. The regulations requires promulgation of traffic noise-level criteria for various land use activities, and describe procedures for the abatement of highway traffic noise and construction noise.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/noise/|title=Highway Traffic Noise|last=Federal Highway Administration|date=2017|access-date=Jul 31, 2018}}</ref>

The [[U.S. Department of Transportation]]'s Bureau of Transportation Statistics has created a [https://maps.bts.dot.gov/arcgis/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=a303ff5924c9474790464cc0e9d5c9fb National Transportation Noise Map] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180121193525/https://maps.bts.dot.gov/arcgis/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=a303ff5924c9474790464cc0e9d5c9fb |date=21 January 2018 }} to provide access to comprehensive aircraft and road noise data on national and county-level. The map aims to assist city planners, elected officials, scholars, and residents to gain access to up-to-date aviation and Interstate highway noise information.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.transportation.gov/highlights/national-transportation-noise-map|title=National Transportation Noise Map|last=U.S. Department of Transportation|date=Mar 28, 2018|access-date=Jul 31, 2018}}</ref>

=== European Union ===
{{Main|Environmental noise directive}}
The [[European Union]] has a special definition based on the [[Directive (European Union)|European directive]] 2002/49/EC article 10.1. This directive gives a definition for environmental noise. The main goal is to create an integrated [[Noise mitigation|noise management]] system. The Environmental Noise Directive (END) was created in the European Union to provide guidelines, laws, and standards in the management of environmental noise. The END has created noise mapping, noise action plans, and [[quiet areas]] to control environmental noise and the negative effects it can have on individuals.<ref>Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (July, 2009)."Environmental Noise" Retrieved April 12, 2019.</ref>

The implementation is divided into phases: In the first phase, the member states shall inform about major roads with more than six million vehicles a year, major railways with more than 60,000 trains per year, major airports with more than 50,000 movements per year and metropolitan areas with more than 250,000 inhabitants. In the second phase, these numbers are halved; only the criteria for airports remains unchanged. In the third and the following phases, the methods for calculation of the noise levels will change while the criteria remains unchanged. Each phase consists of three steps: the collection of the data from the main sources of noise, strategic [[noise map]]s and [[action plan]]s. The countries listed below follow the guidelines of the European Union.

There are many groups of people affected by environmental noise within the European Union. Shift workers, older adults, and those without proper insulation in their homes are just some of those affected.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Data and statistics|url=https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/environment-and-health/noise/data-and-statistics|access-date=2020-10-09|website=www.euro.who.int|language=en}}</ref>  Within the European Union 40% of people are exposed to environmental noise in their daily commutes on the road which exceeds 55&nbsp;dB(A). During the daytime, approximately 20% of people are exposed to environmental noise levels above 65&nbsp;dB(A) and during the nighttime, 30% of people are exposed to environmental noise above 55&nbsp;dB(A).<ref name=":1" />

==== Austria ====

In [[Austria]] the institution which is responsible for the noise sources is also responsible for the noise maps concerning these sources. This means that the Federation is responsible for the federal roads and each [[States of Austria|state]] is responsible for the country's roads.

==== France ====
[[File:Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor JSOH.jpg|thumb|Aircraft noise has been linked to high annoyance, leading to psychological-illness.]]
France reported 24 metropolitan areas. Paris was the biggest with 9.6&nbsp;million inhabitants and 272 square kilometres.

Many of France's residents are exposed to high levels of noise. Previously it was estimated that 10% of the population, approximately 2 million people, were exposed to above 70&nbsp;dB Leq. That number is estimated higher today.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal|last=Muzet|first=Alain|date=April 2007|title=Environmental noise, sleep and health|url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1087079206001055|journal=Sleep Medicine Reviews|language=en|volume=11|issue=2|pages=135–142|doi=10.1016/j.smrv.2006.09.001|pmid=17317241|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

Aircraft plays a major role in environmental noise. A study conducted in 2018 found that while [[Aircraft noise pollution|aircraft noise]] in decibel level cannot cause any [[Psychological illness|psychological-illness]], there is a link to how aircraft noise causes an annoyance to residents which then leads to psychological illness.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last1=Baudin|first1=Clémence|last2=Lefèvre|first2=Marie|last3=Champelovier|first3=Patricia|last4=Lambert|first4=Jacques|last5=Laumon|first5=Bernard|last6=Evrard|first6=Anne-Sophie|date=August 2018|title=Aircraft Noise and Psychological Ill-Health: The Results of a Cross-Sectional Study in France|journal=International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health|volume=15|issue=8|page=1642|doi=10.3390/ijerph15081642|issn=1661-7827|pmc=6121613|pmid=30081458|doi-access=free}}</ref> The sensitivity of noise among people has an association with environmental noise and those affects.<ref name=":2" />

==== Germany ====

Germany implemented national regulations in 2005 and 2006 and reported 27 metropolitan areas in the first phase. [[Berlin]] was the most populated with 3.39&nbsp;million inhabitants and 889 square kilometres, [[Hamburg]] was considered the largest with 1,045 square kilometres and 2 million inhabitants. The smallest was [[Gelsenkirchen]] with 270,000 inhabitants and 105 square kilometres. In the national legislation, noise resulting from [[recreational activities]] like sports and leisure is not considered as environmental noise.

=== United Kingdom ===

The United Kingdom has 28 metropolitan areas, and [[London]] is the largest with 8.3&nbsp;million inhabitants. Most are in England. Three are in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Within the United Kingdom, researchers revealed that approximately 55% of the population lived where the sound level exceeded the recommended level of 55&nbsp;dB Leq in the daytime and 67% lived where the sound level  exceeded the recommended level of 45&nbsp;dB Leq at night.<ref name=":5">{{Cite journal|last1=Stansfeld|first1=Stephen|last2=Crombie|first2=Rosanna|date=2011|title=Cardiovascular effects of environmental noise: Research in the United Kingdom|journal=Noise and Health|volume=13|issue=52|pages=229–33|doi=10.4103/1463-1741.80159|pmid=21537107|issn=1463-1741|doi-access=free}}</ref> About 20% of London residents were exposed to environmental noise near their home that was above 60 dBA Leq. All of these environmental noise exposures have led to higher increases in blood pressure within the UK population.<ref name=":5" />