[Stoves] Off-topic: Noise pollution and premature mortality

[Nikhil Desai]

Crispin:

Your news on UK solid fuel stoves led me to another article on the same
webzine - EU warning over air quality outlook
<http://www.airqualitynews.com/2015/03/03/eu-warning-over-air-quality-outlook/>
3
March 2015.

The European Environment Agency is quoted as saying,


"Road traffic is considered the greatest contributor to noise exposure in
Europe, and most recently the EEA estimates that environmental noise
contributes to around 10,000 premature deaths due to coronary heart disease
and stroke each year."


That's Europe-wide and for 2011. I am glad to see WHO Europe imprimatur. I
quote from WHO Europe Burden of Disease from Environmental Noise
<http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/136466/e94888.pdf>
 (2011)

"*Exposure–response relationship*

*For a quantitative risk assessment and the derivation of guidelines for
public health noise policy, a common exposure–response curve is required.
The risk estimates obtained from different noise studies can be summarized
using the *statistical approach of meta-analysis.

*Definition of exposure *

*Energy-based indicators of exposure (Leq) are adequate and sufficient* for
assessing the relationship between long-term exposure to community noise
and chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disorders. While single event
noise indicators can be useful predictors (as additional information) for
assessing the effects of acute noise (e. g. sleep disturbance) (112),
*integrated
noise indicators (e.g. a year’s average noise level) are suitable
predictors in epidemiological studies for assessing the long-term effects
of chronic noise exposure.*"


Leq is "weighted equivalent sound pressure level" over certain hours (4
hours for night-equivalent and 12 hours for day-equivalent".

I don't see how Leq are computed from "energy" data except that diesel
sales to construction and landscaping industry may be used to compute some
noise levels using "noise emission factors". And maybe small industry
surveys and power plants can also do the same. Lawn mowers and tree cutters
are the most significant noise I hear these days, apart from the keyboard
clicks (sure to cause premature death).

No matter, they have a dose-response curve from meta-analysis. As reported
in the Executive Summary:

*Cardiovascular diseases*

The evidence from epidemiological studies on the *association *between
exposure to road traffic and aircraft noise and hypertension and ischaemic
heart disease has increased during recent years. Road traffic noise has
been *shown to increase the risk* of ischaemic heart disease, including
myocardial infarction. Both road traffic noise and aircraft noise increase
the risk of high blood pressure. Very few studies exist regarding the
cardiovascular effects of exposure to rail traffic noise.

*Exposure–response relationships*

Numerical *meta-analyses* were carried out assessing exposure–response
relationships between *community noise* and cardiovascular risk. A
polynomial function was fitted through the data points from the analytic
studies within the noise range from 55 to 80 dB(A):

* Estimated burden in western Europe*

Based on the exposure data from the noise maps of EU Member States, it is
estimated that *the burden of disease from environmental noise is
approximately 61 000 years for ischaemic heart disease in high-income
European countries*.

*Cognitive impairment in children*

The case definition of noise-related cognitive impairment is: The Reduction
in cognitive ability in school-age children that occurs while the noise
exposure persists and will persist for some time after the cessation of the
noise exposure. The extent to which noise impairs cognition, particularly
in children, has been studied with both experimental and epidemiological
studies.

*Hypothetical exposure–response relationship*

Based on available evidence, a hypothetical exposure–response relationship
between noise level (Ldn) and risk of cognitive impairment was formulated:
all of the noise exposed children were cognitively affected at a level as
high as 95 dB(A) Ldn, and no children were affected at a relatively low
level, such as 50 dB(A) Ldn. *A linear relationship in the range of these
two limits was assumed as a basis for a conservative approximation of YLD*.

*Estimated burden in western Europe*

*If one extrapolates the exposure distribution and population structure of
Sweden to western European countries*, the estimated DALYs for the EUR-A
countries are 45 000 years for children aged 7–19 years.


There are striking parallels to the "data free", "reality free" war on
solid fuels by WHO's "Global Burden of Disease from Air Pollution".

The GBD cult must declare that GBD has zero predictive value. Which means
zero policy relevance.

Failing which, you and I can develop $/aDALY scheme for our advanced
noise-blocking glass technology for buildings.

Nikhil



On Wed, Jul 26, 2017 at 9:26 AM, Crispin Pemberton-Pigott <
crispinpigott at outlook.com> wrote:

> Dear Friends
>
> http://www.airqualitynews.com/2017/07/18/stove-
> manufacturers-working-tackle-emissions/
>
> SPECIAL REPORT: Dennis Milligan of the Stove Industry Alliance outlines
> efforts to reduce emissions from the domestic burning of wood and coal.
>
> It includes emission regulations for PM2.5 and PM10.
>
> Regards
> Crispin
>
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