WHO's environmental noise guidelines for the European Region

The issue of noise is an important public health issue and a growing concern due to its negative impact on human health and well-being. WHO urges the European politicians to introduce measures for noise reduction.

WHO guidelines for environmental noise

The WHO Regional Office for Europe has developed guidelines for noise, based on the growing understanding of these health impacts of exposure to environmental noise.

The main purpose of these guidelines is to provide recommendations for protecting human health from exposure to environmental noise originating from various sources: transportation (road traffic, railway and aircraft), wind turbine and leisure.

They provide robust public health advice underpinned by evidence, which is essential to drive policy action that will protect communities from the adverse effects of noise.

The guidelines are published by the WHO Regional Office for Europe. In terms of their health implications, the recommended exposure levels can be considered applicable in other regions and suitable for a global audience.