Sound pollution threatens Europe

People in half of European cities lose sleep, lose their ability to learn and have high blood pressure at night because of the noise of vehicles.

Traffic on a highway in Berlin, Germany.Photo: lilano.de.

According to a new report published by the European Environment Agency (EEA), more than 41 million people in 19 continental countries are suffering from sounds of 55 decibels or more. The World Health Organization affirmed that the threshold can cause many adverse effects on human health.

Among the capitals of Europe, the Slovak city of Slovakia is home to the highest rates of noise pollution (55%), followed by Warsaw (Poland) and Paris (France).

The EEA confirmed that about 3.6 million city residents face noise of 70 decibels or more. Earlier this year the agency had estimated that about 67 million urban residents in 27 European Union countries (EU) had to live with noises greater than 55 decibels.

'There is growing evidence that, in addition to breaking sleep, noise from vehicles can adversely affect the cardiovascular system, nervous system and learning ability , ' said Oscar Romero. EEA spokesman, said.

In the form of environmental pollution, the noise is paid attention by governments and people at the latest.

"If you compare the level of public interest to the greenhouse effect, air quality and sound pollution, it is clear that sound pollution is only of interest ," Romero said.

According to Romero, the scientific community is showing a delay in its efforts to study the impact of noise on people's physical and mental health.