One in five Europeans exposed to too much traffic noise

Noise is not only annoying, it can also make you ill. More than one in five Europeans are exposed to unhealthily high levels of traffic noise, according to the European Environment Agency (EEA). +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox An estimated 112 million people in 31 European countries analysed have to cope with environmental noise levels caused by road, rail and air traffic that exceed the threshold values of EU reporting regulations, writes the EEA in a new report. Such noise levels are harmful to human health as well as to the environment and the economy, it said. The experts criticise the slow progress being made in reducing noise pollution. The EU target of reducing the number of people chronically affected by traffic noise by 30% by 2030 is unlikely to be achieved without additional measures, warns the Copenhagen-based EU authority. More action needs to be taken to tackle the problem at both European and national level, for example by improving access ...