About 20% of Vietnam’s population is subject to the effects of noise pollution.
According to VnExpress, a recent study conducted by the Institute of Occupational Health and the Environment revealed that eight out of 14 spots in Saigon have noise levels exceeding a healthy decibel level when outfitted with noise measurement devices.
Twelve incidents of unhealthy noise levels were reported for Hanoi as well. The study also concluded that even at night, the recommended noise levels are exceeded by 20-40%.
Studies suggest that the negative impact of noise pollution can include health issues such as hypertension, stress, cardiovascular complications and sleep disorders; difficulty communicating effectively or relaxing; and even the disruption of indigenous wildlife.
Noise pollution has been an ongoing issue for Vietnam’s ever-growing population. The largest culprits include factories, vehicles, urban sprawl and all of its trappings.
Last year, Thanh Nien reported that Ho Chi Minh City alone was home to 7.43 million registered motorbikes. The number of cars currently exceeds half a million and is steadily climbing. The city’s population, for reference, is only around eight million.
Ha Lan Phuong, deputy head of the institute’s health examination department, told Viet Nam News that in order to reduce noise levels, the use of personal vehicles must be restricted and public transport must be enhanced.
The city has regularly contemplated putting restrictions on vehicle ownership; however, plans have been reduced or delayed due to public disapproval.
Construction, unsurprisingly, remains one of the most significant contributors to noise pollution. To accommodate the expanding skyline, advances in public transport and the renovation of residential areas, the sound of construction remains a constant backdrop to life in the city.
Noise pollution is even more harmful for those working or living in and around loud work projects. Such people are susceptible to neurological impairment, extreme fatigue, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, and permanent hearing loss.
[Photo via Buffalo Tour]
