EU’s Zero Pollution Action Plan and the Environmental Noise Directive
Noise is part of everyday life, especially in towns and cities, but too much noise can affect our health and wellbeing. Reducing harmful noise is one of the goals of the EU's Zero Pollution Action Plan and the Environmental Noise Directive.
Ireland has adopted updated EU rules for assessing the health effects of environmental noise. These look at the number of people who are seriously bothered by noise, have their sleep disturbed, or experience health impacts linked to long-term exposure.
Measures to reduce noise may include redesigning roads, using quieter road surfaces, lowering speed limits, creating low-noise zones, and considering additional actions around airports where needed.
Noise-Health research commissioned
The EPA commissioned a three-year research project, Noise and Health Evidence from Ireland, led by University College Dublin (UCD) and the Economic and Social Research Institute (ERSI).
The study explored how environmental noise affects people's health and wellbeing in Ireland. It combined noise exposure data with health information to better understand the links between noise and health outcomes.
The research provides recommendations to help improve the management of environmental noise in Ireland and highlights how noise-related health impacts can be better considered in national policies and decision-making.
The final report, titled Environmental Transport Noise and Health; Evidence from Ireland (Noise – Health), is available at EPA Research Report 423.
