One in five Europeans is exposed to excessive traffic noise

Copenhagen – More than one in five Europeans is exposed to unhealthily high levels of traffic noise, according to a report. An estimated 112 million people in 31 analyzed European countries have to cope with ambient noise caused by road, rail, and air traffic that exceeds the thresholds of EU reporting regulations, writes the European Environment Agency EEA in a new report. Such noise levels are harmful to both human health and the environment and the economy.

Little progress in noise protection

Experts criticize that progress in reducing noise pollution is slow. The EU goal of reducing the number of people chronically affected by traffic noise by 30 percent by 2030 is unlikely to be achieved without additional measures, warns the EU agency based in Copenhagen. Both at the European and national levels, more must be done to address the problem, such as improving access to quiet and green spaces in cities.

The report includes data collected in 2021 from 31 EEA member states – in addition to the 27 EU countries, this also includes Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. 

It shows that in Germany, the most populous of the countries, an estimated nearly 22 million people (26 percent of the population) have to cope with noise levels beyond the threshold of 55 decibels. For this part of the report, noise levels throughout the day were considered. For the night alone, there was also a second evaluation with a threshold of 50 decibels. This was exceeded by nearly 15 million people (18 percent).

Children particularly vulnerable

Compared to other environmental health hazards in Europe, traffic noise ranks third, just behind air pollution and temperature-related factors, according to the report. The main source of noise disturbance identified by experts is road traffic, especially in densely populated urban areas. “Although rail and aircraft noise affects fewer people overall, they remain significant local sources of noise, particularly near major rail traffic corridors and airports,” adds the EEA.

Long-term exposure to traffic noise is associated with a wide range of negative health effects, including cardiovascular diseases, mental health issues, diabetes, and even premature deaths, according to EEA data. Particularly children and adolescents are vulnerable to the effects of noise, which can contribute to reading difficulties, behavioral problems, and obesity.

Noise harms health, but also biodiversity and the economy

According to the report, the effects of noise pollution extend beyond human health: noise also impacts wildlife on land and underwater, along with high economic and social costs associated with diseases and health problems. Traffic-related noise pollution in Europe causes the loss of 1.3 million healthy life years each year, which corresponds to annual costs of at least 95.6 billion euros. (June 24)