SoN-Oct2007
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Handbook of WMA Policies
World Medical Association ⏐ S-1992-05-2007
WMA STATEMENT
ON
NOISE POLLUTION
Adopted by the 44th
World Medical Assembly, Marbella, Spain, September 1992
and amended by the 58th
WMA General Assembly, Copenhagen, Denmark, October 2007
PREAMBLE
Given growing environmental awareness and knowledge of the impact of noise on health,
the psyche, performance and well-being, the fight against environmental noise is be-
coming increasingly important. The World Health Organization (WHO) describes noise
as the principal environmental nuisance in industrial nations.
Noise affects people in various ways. Its effects relate to hearing, the vegetative nervous
system, the psyche, spoken communication, sleep and performance. Since noise acts as a
stressor, an increased burden on the body leads to higher energy consumption and greater
wear. It is thus suspected that noise can primarily favour diseases in which stress plays a
contributory role, such as cardiovascular diseases, which can then be manifested in the
form of hypertension, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, or even apoplexy.
The effects in the psychosocial field are likewise dramatic. The stress caused by environ-
mental noise – particularly road traffic noise – is a central concern, not only in the indus-
trial nations, but increasingly also in the developing countries.
Owing to the continuous and massive growth of traffic volumes, both on the roads and in
the air, the stress caused by environmental noise has increased steadily in terms of both
its duration and the area affected.
Damage to hearing caused by leisure-time noise is also of growing concern. The most
common source of noise in this context is music, to which the ear is exposed by different
audio media at different places (portable music players, stereo systems, discotheques,
con-certs). The risk of suffering hearing damage is underestimated by most people, or
even consciously denied. The greatest issue (or aspect) lies in creating awareness of the
pro-blem in the high-risk group – which generally means young people. In this respect,
the legislature is called upon to intervene and reduce the potential for damage by
introducing sound level limiters in audio playback units and maximum permissible sound
levels at music events, or by banning children’s toys that are excessively loud or produce
excessive noise levels.
In keeping with its socio-medical commitment, the World Medical Association is issuing
a statement on the problem of noise pollution with the aim of making a contribution to
the fight against environmental noise through more extensive information and more acute
awareness.
S-1992-05-2007⏐ Copenhagen
Noise Pollution
RECOMMENDATIONS
The World Medical Association calls upon the National Medical Associations to:
1. Inform the public, especially persons affected by environmental noise, as well as
poli-cy and decision makers, of the dangers of noise pollution.
2. Call upon ministers of transport and urban planners to develop alternative concepts
that are capable of countering the growing level of environmental noise pollution.
3. Advocate appropriate statutory regulations for combating environmental noise pollu-
tion.
4. Support enforcement of noise pollution legislation and monitor the effectiveness of
control measures.
5. Inform young people of the risks associated with listening to excessively loud music,
such as that which emanates, for example, from portable music players, use of stereo
systems with earphones, audio systems in cars, and attendance at rock concerts and
discotheques.
6. Prompt the educational authorities to inform pupils at an early stage regarding the
effects of noise on people, how stress due to environmental noise can be
counteracted, the role of the individual in contributing to noise pollution, and the
risks associated with listening to excessively loud music.
7. Provide information about risks of damage to hearing that arise in the private sector
as a result of working with power tools or operating excessively loud motor vehicles.
8. Emphasize to those individuals who are exposed to excessive levels of noise in the
workplace the importance of protecting themselves against irreducible noise.
9. Call upon the persons responsible for occupational safety and health in businesses to
take further action to reduce noise emission, in order to ensure protection of the
health of employees at the workplace.