World Health Organization's 1999 Guidelines For Community Noise

Health Effects

We would like to call your attention to the World Health Organization's 1999 Guidelines For Community Noise, Specifically, see Chapter 3 regarding the effects that noise has on human health.  Particularly disturbing is the effect that excessive nighttime noise has on children.  Also, the European Union has done considerable research in the last decade regarding appropriate nighttime noise levels and the effects of noise on human physiology, see the Night Noise Guidelines For Europe.  Citing exhaustive studies, the European Union notes significant health effects from outside nighttime noise exceeding 40 dB.

The WHO regional Office for Europe set up a working group of experts to provide scientific advice to the Member States for the development of future legislation and policy action in the area of assessment and control of night noise exposure.  The working group reviewed available scientific evidence on the health effects of night noise, and derived health-based guideline values.  In December 2006, the working group and stakeholders from industry, government and nongovernmental organizations reviewed and reached general agreement on the guideline values and key texts for the final document of the Night noise guidelines for Europe.

Considering the scientific evidence on the thresholds of night noise exposure indicated by Lnight,outside as defined in the Environmental Noise Directive (2002/49/EC), an Lnight,outside of 40 dB should be the target of the night noise guideline (NNG) to protect the public, including the most vulnerable groups such as children, the chronically ill and the elderly.  Lnight,outside value of 55 dB is recommended as an interim target for the countries where the NNG cannot be achieved in the short term for various reasons, and where  policy-makers choose to adopt a stepwise approach.  These guidelines are applicable to the Member States of the European Region, and may be considered as an extension to, as well as an update of, the previous WHO Guidelines for community noise (1999).