Noise pollution in Singapore: the island’s noisiest neighborhoods

A total of 18,768 sound measurements were recorded over a two and a half month period in a recent study on noise, the article reports. The data were recorded by National University of Singapore (NUS) audiologist William Hal Martin and graduate student Diong Huey Ting.

In the noisiest neighborhoods, noise levels ranged from about 66 dB to 73 dB. Interestingly, indoor and outdoor noise levels for a few studied homes located near train tracks and expressways were not as different as might be expected: 60 dB versus 73 dB on average. The article also reports that a recent study from the NUS found that Singapore’s average outdoor sound level throughout the day was 69.4 dB.

The country’s National Environmental Agency’s recommendation is that noise exposure should not exceed 67 dB averaged over an hour. The levels recorded are very close to or exceed the World Health Organization’s threshold of 70 dB a day. According to Ms Diong, “In densely populated Singapore, common amenities like shopping malls, hawker centers and playgrounds all contribute to community noise, on top of that created by traffic.” It also appears the city has become noisier over the last few years as it continues to develop its expressways and public transport network.

Source: The Straits Times