Noise pollution, unwanted or excessive sound that can have deleterious effects on human health, wildlife, and environmental quality. Noise pollution is commonly generated inside many industrial facilities and some other workplaces, but it also comes from highways, railways, and airplane traffics and from outdoor construction activities.


Noise is more than a mere nuisance. At certain levels and durations of exposure, it can cause physical damage to the eardrum and the sensitive hair cells of the inner ear and result in temporary or permanent hearing loss, known as noise-induced hearing loss.



In addition to causing hearing loss, excessive noise exposure can raise blood pressure and pulse rates, cause irritability, anxiety, and mental fatigue, and interfere with sleep, recreation, and personal communication. Children living in areas with high levels of noise pollution may suffer from stress and other problems, such as impairments in memory and attention span. Noise pollution control is therefore important in the workplace and in the community.